From Pint to Plate: Glasgow's Historic Food & Drink Brands

Glasgow is Scotland’s largest city with a rich and vibrant history. It has long been associated with international trade and the city famously made its fortunes through the trading of goods, particularly sugar, across the Atlantic. Glasgow is also home to some of Scotland’s oldest, most well-known and recognisable brands in the food and drink industry.

Tennent’s

It is said that the origins of brewing in Glasgow can be traced back to the 12th century when monks brewed beer at Glasgow Cathedral. Fast-forward a few centuries to 1740 when Tennent’s Brewery was established at Drygate Bridge in Glasgow’s East End. The site was later renamed Wellpark Brewery and was one of the first commercial Glaswegian breweries, borne as a result of lower taxes on malt in Scotland. The Tennent’s family association with brewing beer at the Wellpark site can actually be traced back to 1556.

Tennent’s grew to be the world’s largest exporter of beer in the mid-1800s and even today Tennent’s lager is the most popular lager in Scotland. The large red T on any Tennent’s can, bottle, or even pub hanging signs is instantly recognisable, and this branding element has been consistently present on Tennent’s beer since its inception.

In particular, the Tennent’s T has been protected via a UK trade mark registration that dates back to March 1876. Bearing in mind that protecting trade marks by way of registration was only possible in the UK from 1 January 1876, the Tennent’s trade marks are some of the oldest and most longstanding in the country.

IRN-BRU

Affectionately known as Scotland’s other national drink (after whisky, for the avoidance of doubt!), Irn-Bru was first produced in Scotland in 1901 by A.G. Barr, a company based in Cumbernauld, just outside of Glasgow. Purportedly Scotland’s favourite soft drink, it outsells other famous soft drinks in the local market and is also consumed throughout the world. Ella fondly recalls her student days working in a supermarket in central Glasgow, which received an award for being the world’s top seller of Irn-Bru 500ml bottles.

Originally called IRON BREW, A.G. Barr were forced to change the name in 1946 when new laws were introduced stipulating that marketing must be ‘substantially true’. Given that Irn-Bru does not contain much iron, nor was it brewed, the name was changed to IRN-BRU.

The trade mark registration for ‘IRN-BRU’ dates back to this change in 1946. The brand is protected via multiple registrations for marks including the words ‘IRN BRU’, such as the following, which is a nod to its 1901 origins:  

TUNNOCK’S

The Tunnock’s brand can trace its origins back to 1890, when Thomas Tunnock opened a bakery in Uddingston, on the north side of the River Clyde, south-east of Glasgow city centre. They are the brand behind the famous Caramel Wafer and Tea Cake, which were introduced in 1952 and 1956 respectively.

The trade mark registration for ‘Tunnock’s’ dates back to 1956. Often with such iconic products, the brand appeal is not just in the name but also in the product’s appearance. The packaging of Tunnock’s products has remained mostly unchanged for decades and the company holds trade mark registrations protecting the “look and feel” of the packaging, some of which were filed as early as 1983.

Strathclyde Distillery

It would seem odd to write a piece on food and drink in Glasgow without mentioning whisky. Glasgow is home to some of Scotland’s famous whisky brands and the city is a core hub of the global whisky industry.

Strathclyde Distillery is the last grain distillery within the city limits of Glasgow. It is located in the Gorbals, on the south side of the River Clyde. Built in 1927 on the site of an old cotton mill as a neutral grain spirit distillery for producing gin, Strathclyde grew to become Glasgow's most successful grain distillery. Today it is an important part of Pernod Ricard’s luxury Chivas Regal and Royal Salute whiskies. Royal Salute was first released in 1953 to commemorate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Six decades later in 2011, Royal Salute Tribute to Honour, which contains 50-year-old Strathclyde in the blend, was launched for £150,000 per bottle (with only 21 decanters – less than 15 litres – released around the world).

The oldest trade marks for the ‘Royal Salute’ brand were registered in 1958.

Glencairn Whisky Glass

The whisky industry extends to more than just whisky itself. The nearby town of East Kilbride is home to Glencairn Crystal, a family-run business who have manufactured and sold the Glencairn Glass since the year 2000.

The Glencairn Glass was developed in response to a gap in the market for a specific glass suitable for tasting whisky. Its unique shape was crafted to enable the discerning whisky drinker the opportunity to taste, see and smell their drams to the fullest extent. The iconic Glencairn Glass is available throughout the world and is found in many distilleries, whisky bars and whisky festivals.

The glass itself is subject to registered trade mark protection throughout the world. Whilst trade marks are more commonly used to protect brand names and logos, it is also possible to protect product shapes as trade marks.

Over the years, our team of trade mark and patent attorneys at Marks & Clerk have seen Glasgow, and Scotland as a whole, continue to play a central role in the food and drink industry. We have continuously assisted food and drink companies in the protection of their intellectual property, and thanks to Scotland’s thriving community, we look forward to seeing this collaboration continue in years to come!