William Horlick

William Horlick, Sr. (23 February 1846 – 25 September 1936)

Malted milk After immigrating to the US in 1869, Horlick settled in Racine. In 1872, he moved to Chicago to begin a food manufacturing business with his brother, James. This was the genesis of the Horlick Food Company, which the two founded in 1873, and moved to Racine in 1876. At around the same time, William began working on creating a dried milk product. This work culminated with a US patent in 1883 and a product that was originally called "Diastoid," but was later trademarked as "malted milk" in 1887.

The company continued to expand, with new branches opening in New York City in 1889, and in England after James returned there in 1890. James Horlick was knighted in 1914, and raised to the baronetcy of Cowley Manor. New manufacturing plants were opened in Racine in 1902 and 1905. William served as the company's treasurer until his brother's death in 1921, at which time he became company president, holding that position until his death in 1936.

Personal life He married his second cousin Arabella Horlick (1850–1938) in 1870, while in the US. They had four children: Alice Priscilla Horlick, Alexander J. Horlick, William Oliver Horlick Jr., and Maybelle Emma Horlick Sidley.