Tesco, one Britain’s largest retailers, is a familiar sight for millions who frequent its stores for their weekly food shop. The iconic logo with its bold red letters is a staple on our high streets, yet few have pondered the origins of the brand name.
Now, customers are intrigued to discover the history behind Tesco’s moniker. The supermarket’s name dates back to its founder, Jack Cohen, who established the store in 1919. Cohen, the son of Polish Jewish immigrants, began his venture by selling miscellaneous items from a stall in Hackney, London.
He used his demobilisation money from the Royal Flying Corp, where he served during The Great War, to stock his stall on the first day.
The Tesco name was born in 1923 when Cohen bought a tea shipment from a man named Thomas Edward Stockwell. Combining the supplier’s initials and the first two letters of his surname, Cohen created the label ‘TESCO’, reports the Mirror.
Cohen opened his first brick-and-mortar store in Edgware, North London, in 1929. From this humble beginning, the Tesco brand flourished, and by 1939, Cohen owned 100 stores. The first Tesco supermarket swiftly made its debut in 1958, with Cohen opening a store in Essex.
Tesco’s own website details the brand’s transformation from modest shops to expansive supermarkets: “The new format store included a counter service selling cheese, butter and meats weighed by sales assistants.”
Since the founder’s death in 1979, his impact endures, as Tesco’s presence is ubiquitous across the UK, boasting more than 4,000 stores.
