Bird's Custard - A Short History

An English Pharmacist's wife - Mrs Bird - was allergic to eggs. As a substitute for "regular" homemade custard, Mr. Bird - an English Pharmacist - invented what we now know as custard powder in 1837.

Because Bird's custard is made from powder it was an ideal source of nourishment for soldiers in WWI as it didn't require refrigeration and had a long shelf life.

At the end of the nineteenth century Bird's was passed down to Alfred's two sons who created the landmark "Custard Factory" building in Birmingham - Britain's second-largest city.

Bird's Custard is now produced in a custom-built factory in Staffordshire and The Custard Factory is now a renowned arts centre in the heart of Birmingham - it has retained the name of "The Custard Factory".

According to the BBC, in 2000, 99% of Britons recognise the Bird's brand and Bird's produces 45% of all custard consumption in the UK .

To most Brits, custard conjures up memories of school dinners and big tureens of lumpy yellow goo. The French version called Creme Anglaise (literally "English Cream") is a lot thinnner.   If you would like some for yourself simply make a request to the British Gopher who will purchase some on your behalf and ship it direct to your door.

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