Burton's Biscuit Company

Burton's Biscuit Company is a United Kingdom biscuit manufacturer.

The company was formed from the merger of Burton's Gold Medal Biscuits and Horizon Biscuit Company in October 2000, and re-branded from Burton's Foods to Burton's Biscuit Company in November 2011. It employs over 2,200 people around the UK, in three main manufacturing facilities, in Llantarnam, Edinburgh and Blackpool, a chocolate refinery in Moreton, and a central distribution hub in Liverpool. Its head office is based in St Albans.

Burton's is the UK's number two biscuit maker[1] and many of its products are sold around the world.

History

The first Burton's biscuits were baked by George Burton (born 1829, Leek, Staffordshire), who began production on Corporation Street, Blackpool, Lancashire, in North West England. The Burton's Biscuits firm was founded by George's grandson, Joseph Burton, in 1935. It had a factory in Slough, Berkshire, until the early 1980s, manufacturing potato crisps and snacks, including Potato Puffs and Fish 'n' Chips savoury snacks (created by a Mr Hamer and associates). These have a cult following due to being popular with school kids in the 80s, but the closure of their crisp and savoury snacks factories in the early 90s brought an end to the manufacturing. This was apparently due to falling sales. In 2014 Burton's re-launched their Fish 'n' Chips snacks due to popular demand. The new packaging is based on the original newspaper print wrapper.

In 2000 the business was sold by Associated British Foods to Hicks Muse Tate & Furst.[2] On 18 March 2007, Burton's was acquired by Duke Street Capital.[3] In September 2009 Burton's came under the new ownership of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and Apollo Global Management with a minority stake held by Duke Street.

In 2013 the company was put up for sale. The asking price was around £350m.[4] On 19 November 2013 it was announced that the company had been bought by the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan. It is thought that key Burton's staff will remain in post and that there will not be any redundancies in the short term.

Biscuit products

Cadbury

The Cadbury brand and the associated trademarks are under licence from Cadbury UK Ltd.

Lyons

Maryland

Dodgers

Wagon Wheels

See also

References

  1. ↑ Wagon Wheels to roll into Russia - FT.com
  2. ↑ Benjamin Wootliff (31 Oct 2000). "Wagon Wheels roll west as ABF sells Burton's". Daily Telegraph.
  3. ↑ "Duke Street Capital Acquires Burton’s Foods" (Press release). Duke Street Capital. March 18, 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-05.
  4. ↑ The Daily Telegraph, Business, 29 Aug 2013, Online

External links

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