a. Introduction
Lucozade is an umbrella name for a series of energy and sports drinks that until 2013 were produced by GlaxoSmithKline. On 9 September 2013, both Lucozade and Ribenawere acquired by the Japanese conglomerate Suntory for £1.35 billion. Lucozade (alongside Ribena) is currently being produced at the Royal Forest Factory in Coleford,Gloucestershire, in the Forest of Dean, England. (The Guardian 2013)
"Glucozade" was first manufactured in 1927 by William Owen, a chemist from Newcastlewho experimented for several years to provide a source of energy for those who were sick with common illnesses, like the common cold or influenza. It became available throughout Britain for use in hospitals under the name Glucozade. This was changed to Lucozade in 1929, and Beecham's acquired the product in 1938. By the early 1950s, Lucozade was the source of half of the company's profits.
In 1953, a factory for the production of Lucozade products was opened in Brentford, England, which, until 2004, had an iconic sign seen on the side of the M4 motorway (now in Gunnersbury Park Museum). Local people were reportedly upset when the sign was removed. A new and identical sign replaced the old sign in 2010.(The History of Lucozade | The Fact Site 2013)
Building on the reputation of the internationally successful Lucozade brand, Lucozade Sport was launched in 1990 to meet the particular energy needs of athletes competing at the highest level. Since then, Lucozade Sport has become Ireland and the UK’s favourite sports drink, catering for athletes’ needs during sport and training. In addition, the brand has been extended to include a wider range of products, such as sports carbohydrate gels, recovery drinks and energy bars, which address more serious or professional athletes’ needs before and after training.
Scientific research enabled GSK to identify an opportunity. Lucozade Sport was launched in 1991 effectively creating the sports drink