Heinz tomato ketchup and HP Sauce are essentials in many UK households. A bacon sandwich wouldn't be complete without a squirt of tomato sauce, while a sausage sarnie demands a dollop of brown sauce. Yet, despite their place on the pantry shelves of countless homes, few have pondered what the 'HP' in the name of this beloved condiment stands for.
Despite a significant hint on the label, many remain unaware of the tale behind the title. The brand was launched in 1895 and has been a supermarket staple ever since. One might initially assume it's named after its creator, but that's far from the truth.
The man behind the distinctive blend is Frederick Gibson Garton - so there's no 'H' or 'P' to be found. Heinz acquired the brand in 2005, leading some to speculate about connections there, but the truth is much simpler - and the label reveals it. HP Sauce is named after the Houses of Parliament - a fact that has been surprising people online who were oblivious to the brand's backstory.
According to the Museum of Brands, Frederick Gibson Garton - a grocer from Nottingham - registered the name HP Sauce in 1895 after learning that a restaurant in the Houses of Parliament had begun serving it, reports Surrey Live . The origin of the name is actually revealed on the bottle itself, as the label features a prominent image of the iconic building. This little-known fact was first highlighted in a Reddit post on the Casual UK forum, where a photo of the sauce was shared.
It had the caption: ".