Abram Lyle built a sugar refinery on the Thames in East London in 1881.
His first product was Lyle’s Golden Syrup, calling it “Goldie,” which he sold from wooden casks. In 1883 the company started packaging the syrup in popular green and gold tins, and both the classic syrup and the distinctive packaging have remained unchanged to this day. In 1950, the company went on to add Lyle’s Black Treacle, a distinct bittersweet syrup for those looking for a more intense alternative to Lyle’s Golden Syrup.