Fisherman's Friend is a brand of strong menthol lozenges manufactured by the Lofthouse company in Fleetwood, Lancashire, England.
Fisherman's Friend was originally developed by pharmacist James Lofthouse in 1865 to relieve various respiratory problems suffered by fishermen working in the extreme conditions of the northern deep-sea fishing areas. Though he developed it as an extremely strong liquid remedy containing menthol and eucalyptus oil, Lofthouse later made the liquid into small lozenges, which were easier to transport and administer. [2] According to the manufacturer, the fishermen began to refer to the lozenges as "friends", hence the name.
The company expanded its reach after the 1963 marriage of Doreen and Tony Lofthouse, a grandson of the founder, following which Doreen became a director; [3] it transitioned from direct sales to stocking by retailers and subsequently spread abroad, initially to Norway in 1974, and different flavours were added to appeal to regional tastes. [4] The shape of the lozenges was reportedly based on the buttons of a dress worn by Mrs Lofthouse. [3]
British prime minister Margaret Thatcher is said to have used the product when her throat became strained from public speaking. [2] French president Emmanuel Macron uses them too: "He finds his energy in les Fisherman's, those lozenges which rip your throat out. He keeps them in his pockets and in the car-seats. When speaking publicly, he needs water, some slices of lemon and a small dish of Fisherman's. During the Presidential campaign, he was reported to have devoured crates of them, delivered to his campaign headquarters." [5]
The lozenges are relatively unchanged since their creation. The original paper packets later became foil-lined and packaged in a cardboard carton.
Lofthouse of Fleetwood has won the Queen's Award to Industry for Export Achievement on three occasions.
Fisherman's Friends are available in a variety of flavours. Some flavours are sugar-free, for which the bags are striped.
Chocolate Mint flavours: [lower-alpha 2] [7]
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Doreen Wilson Lofthouse, was a British businesswoman. Leaving school with no qualifications, she found work at the Lofthouse of Fleetwood chemists. She married into the Lofthouse family and, with her husband Alan, opened a chemist's shop. Lofthouse became interested in one of the products, Fisherman's Friend, a liquid sold to soothe aching joints and ease coughs in seamen. She developed a solid lozenge format which she marketed more widely to the general public.
