Rank Hovis Mc Dougall - The Rank Name

The Rank Name

A common misconception is that the "Rank" in the name signifies an acquired business of the Rank Organisation. This is understandable as Rank themselves were at one point a highly diversified conglomerate, and were apt to rename acquired or joint venture business by prefixing them with the name "Rank", e.g. Rank Xerox. There is a link, but the "Rank" reference is to Joseph Rank, father of J. Arthur Rank, who merely inherited the business upon his father's death. It always remained a separately run enterprise.