History Oxo (food)

concentrated meat extract invented justus von liebig around 1840 , commercialized liebig s extract of meat company (lemco) starting in 1866. original product viscous liquid containing meat extract , 4% salt. in 1899, company introduced trademark oxo cheaper version; origin of name unknown, presumably comes word ox . since cost of liquid oxo remained beyond reach of many families, company launched research project develop solid version sold in cubes penny. after research, first oxo cubes produced in 1910 , further increased oxo s popularity. during world war 100 million oxo cubes provided armed services, of them individually hand-wrapped.

lemco acquired vestey group in 1924 , factory renamed el anglo. vestey merged brooke bond in 1968, in turn acquired unilever in 1984. oxo brand sold unilever campbell soup company in 2001. campbell s uk operation sold premier foods in 2006. included sites @ both worksop , kings lynn. worksop plant produces oxo cubes.

in south africa, oxo brand of mars, incorporated. product marketed under oxo brand in south africa yeast extract based spread. product contained lesser portion of beef extract, giving beefier taste other yeast extracts. @ beginning of 2015, mars consumer products africa (pty) ltd discontinued oxo spread in south africa, no prior communication public.