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. 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. The shape of the lozenges was reportedly based on the buttons of a dress worn by Mrs Lofthouse. 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." 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. == See also ==