52-530: Baxters Food Group Limited , also known as Baxters of Speyside or Baxters , is a food processing company, based in Fochabers , Scotland. It produces foods such as canned soups , canned meat products, sour pickles , sauces , vinegars , antipasto , chutneys , fruit preserves and salad and meat condiments . Products are sold under the Baxters brand as well as a variety of brands owned, or licensed , to
104-490: A "family business", with a series of advertisements showing the Baxter family heavily involved in the preparation of their products. Gordon Baxter's daughter Audrey Baxter became managing director in 1992, who along with her brother Andrew Baxter developed a range of new products. The company's other major shareholder is James Baxter, Andrew Baxter's son. Gordon Baxter died in 2013 (aged 95), and Ena Baxter in 2015 (aged 90). In
156-614: A 43,055 sq ft (3,999.9 m) purpose-built factory located in Wolsztyn , Poland. As a result, Garner's factory in Pershore was closed in 2007 with the loss of 23 jobs. Baxters continues to use the Garners brand. Baxters Food Australia Pty Ltd. was established in 2006 to act as an in-country customer service division for Baxter's growing Australasia market. In April 2008, Baxters acquired Australian food processor Sole Pio Pty,
208-482: A cost of £31,500,000. The project was significantly delayed due to conflict regarding the proposed route, and discovery of a Neolithic settlement on the site of the bypass. There are two schools in Fochabers, Milne's Primary School (formerly Milne's Institution) and Milne's High School , which currently serves approximately 300 pupils from Fochabers itself and the surrounding villages and farms. Milne's Institution
260-513: A factory adjacent to the River Spey , to the east of Fochabers. The Baxters shop became known for supplying jams and jellies and began preparing their own beetroot , and selling it to other grocers. Ethel concentrated on jam making, while William promoted the business throughout Scotland. A canning machine was hired by Ethel in 1923 in order to can local fruit in syrup, such as strawberries , raspberries and plums , with Baxters becoming one of
312-533: A family company established in 1994 and based in Campbellfield , Melbourne, Victoria. Sole Pio specialised in supplying the catering sector with marinated and flame-grilled vegetables, pestos , and tapenades , under the Bamboleo and Argents Hill brands, both of which Baxters continues to use. Baxters bought Australian firm Andrews Food Distributors in 2010. In an effort to increase Baxter's market share in
364-785: A new 70,000 sq ft (6,500 m) factory for the manufacturing of chilled soups was built for Baxters in Grimsby , northeast Lincolnshire. CCL Foods PLC was purchased by Baxters in July 2003. The firm employed 50 people at its plant in Earls Colne near Colchester in Essex and produces pickles and condiments under the Mary Berry , Peppadew , Pizza Express , Olivaise and Simply Delicious brands and for supermarkets such as Safeway (now Morrisons ) and Waitrose . CCL Foods operates as
416-499: A new approach to foreign markets, whereby Baxters sought to establish overseas production facilities rather than relying on exporting goods from the United Kingdom. Baxter's first overseas takeover was in 2004 when it purchased Canada's largest private label soup manufacturer, Soup-Experts Inc. The Quebec-based company was established in 1975, initially focusing on producing sauce before expanding into private label foods in
468-481: A school of horticulture and other land-based activities, became a campus for Warwickshire College (now WCG) following a merger in 2007. The Pershore Plum Festival is held in August to celebrate the local tradition of growing plums including the local varieties Pershore Purple, Pershore Yellow Egg Plum and Pershore Emblem. Activities include crowning the plum princess, a family fun run, plum themed art exhibition and
520-469: A small hydro-electric generating station built in 1905 in the Quarters district on the banks of the fast-flowing Spey. For a time in the mid-twentieth century, Fochabers was the home of three duchesses - Hilda, Duchess of Richmond and Gordon ; Ivy, Duchess of Portland and Helen, Duchess of Northumberland . Between 1893 and 1966 the village had a railway station, Fochabers Town , although after 1931 this
572-419: A subsidiary of Baxters and is now known as Baxters (Earls Colne) Ltd. Norman Soutar was appointed as group managing director in July 2004 and was the first non-member of the Baxter family to lead the company. Soutar had joined Baxters in 2000 as food service director and was later director of corporate strategy. His appointment as group managing director gave him operational management of the business and began
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#1732775906620624-533: A variety of brands owned by, or licensed to, the group. Audrey Baxter Signature Range Baxters Fray Bentos Garners Jack Daniels Manor Vinegar Mary Berry Peppadew Pizza Express Simply Delicious Baxters also have sales & marketing offices in Glasgow , Scotland and Melbourne , Australia . A member of staff at Baxter's Fochabers manufacturing plant had to have his left foot amputated on-site after getting trapped in
676-688: A vegetable auger during January 2014. The victim was trapped in the machine for an hour as emergency services, including two orthopaedic surgeons from Dr Gray's Hospital in Elgin attempted to free him. He was later flown by air ambulance to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness. Following a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation, Elgin Sheriff Court heard in October 2015 that an improvised method of pushing remaining vegetables into an auger
728-690: A women's team, Pershore Town Ladies, who play in the new Herefordshire and Worcestershire Women's County Football League. Pershore Sports club, which houses Pershore Cricket Club who play in the Birmingham and District League, is situated at The Bottoms on Defford Road. Pershore Rugby Club has a clubhouse and pitches by the river in nearby Wyre Piddle . Pershore Tennis Club, based at the Horticultural College, has three indoor and five outdoor courts, with junior, social and adult sections. Multiple BTCC title winning team, Team Dynamics ,
780-503: Is also based there. Wychavon Kayak & Canoe Club is situated on the river at Pershore Riverside Centre. Pershore Plum Plodders is an England Athletics affiliated running club serving Pershore and the surrounding villages. The Abbey Park includes a bowls club, children's play area and skateboard park (2006), consisting of a mini ramp and a street section. Local news and television programmes are provided by BBC West Midlands and ITV Central . Television signals can be received from either
832-523: Is situated 6 miles (10 km) west of Evesham and 6 miles (10 km) east of Upton-upon-Severn in the Vale of Evesham . The town contains examples of Georgian architecture . In 1964 the Council for British Archaeology included Pershore in its list of 51 British "Gem Towns" worthy of special consideration for historic preservation, and it has been listed as an outstanding conservation area . Parts of
884-620: The A44 , approximately midway between Worcester and Evesham. The nearest motorways are the M5 and M50 . Pershore railway station is located in the village of Pinvin . It lies on the Cotswold Line which enables travel to London Paddington , Oxford and Reading . About 0.5 miles (0.8 km) outside the town is Pershore Old Bridge over the River Avon. A bridge was originally built on
936-522: The Sutton Coldfield or Lark Stoke TV transmitters. Local radio stations are BBC Hereford and Worcester , Heart West Midlands , Radio Wyvern , Capital Mid-Counties , Greatest Hits Radio Herefordshire & Worcestershire , Hits Radio Herefordshire & Worcestershire , and Smooth West Midlands . The town is served by the local newspaper, Evesham Journal and its own community based newspaper, The Pershore Times. The town lies near
988-577: The 1990s. Soup-Experts became part of the Baxters Canada group. Baxters launched its flagship range of premium products in 2005 with the creation of the Audrey Baxter Signature Range. The range includes curds , conserves , marmalades , jellies, chutneys and relishes made in small batches. Limited editions are available seasonally. In July 2006, Norman Soutar left Baxters, with executive chairman Audrey Baxter adopting
1040-490: The 21st century, Baxters commenced a strategy of significant expansion by acquiring rival food manufactures in order to double in size and increase annual turnover to in excess of £100 million. Its first acquisition was in July 2001 when Garner Foods Ltd., a producer of a pickles, chutneys and salad dressings was purchased. Garners was established in 1989 and employed 40 people at its base in Pershore , Worcestershire. In 2001,
1092-650: The Australian retail market, Jensen's Choice Foods was purchased in early 2013. Operating from Huntingdale in Melbourne, Jensen's was founded in 1984 and its product range includes pasta sauces, salsa dips , wet spices, passata , fruit spreads sold under the Jensen's Organic brand and cookie dough under the Aunty Kath's brand. It also manufactures private label brands for major retailers. Baxters withdrew from
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#17327759066201144-528: The Baxters premises in Fochabers. Of the 125 new staff recruited as part of the expansion, 11 transferred from Long Sutton, which according to Baxters helped ensure a smooth transition between the two sites. The production line is accommodated in a two-storey extension to the Fochabers factory and initial production levels were 67,000 tinned pies per week. Fray Bentos was named after the town of Fray Bentos in Uruguay , from which it originally imported meat into
1196-714: The Plum Fayre. There is also a classic car rally and nearby Worcester Racecourse revived The Land O'Plums Chase from 72 years ago. The festival won the Best Tourism Event and Festival in the Worcestershire Welcome Awards 2011. Every year on Spring bank holiday there is a carnival in pershore with Floats and Stalls and a duck race Pershore Bowling Club is situated within Abbey Park; formed in 1928 following an invitation by
1248-637: The Scottish Highlands, around 40 miles to the west of Baxter's Fochabers headquarters. In late 2020, Baxters expanded its US operations by acquiring Truitt Bros, a contract manufacturer of shelf-stable, thermally processed foods, with 500 employees in Kentucky and Oregon. Baxters was declared number six in the Scottish Grocer magazine's Scottish Brand Review for 2020. Alongside Baxter's own brand products, other products are sold under
1300-541: The Second World War, the company survived principally by producing jam for the armed forces. Ena and Gordon Baxter joined the company in 1952. Ena, an artist and cook, helped expand the range of Scottish soups on offer to include traditional Scottish recipes such as Cock-a-leekie , Scotch Broth and Chicken Broth. In 1955, Baxters was granted royal warrants of appointment by Queen Elizabeth II , Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and King Gustav VI of Sweden for
1352-744: The UK. Fray Bentos was bought by Campbell's in 1993 and sold on to Premier Foods as part of the sale of the US food group's UK assets in 2006. Since the acquisition, Baxters has introduced new products under the Fray Bentos brand, such as soups in August 2012 and instant hot meals (Fray Bentos Hunger Busters) in June 2014. In 2012, Baxters bought Manor Vinegar from their Japanese owners Mizkan Group . The company's manufacturing plant located in Burntwood , Staffordshire
1404-493: The USA. In January 2018, Baxters moved its headquarters to Edinburgh, though Audrey Baxter described Fochabers as remaining as the company's “spiritual home”. Choosing to focus on US, European and Australian markets, Baxters sold its Canadian businesses, Baxters Canada Inc, in 2018. Baxters has been the main sponsor of the annual Loch Ness Marathon and Festival of Running since 2002. The event takes place in and around Inverness in
1456-468: The abbey , which stand in an expanse of public grassland close to the centre of the town, date from the 11th century. The current structure is far smaller than the original building, which was plundered during the reign of Henry VIII at the Dissolution . The original nave was destroyed. The north transept collapsed later. The present nave occupies the western part of what would originally have been
1508-667: The buildings in the High Street listed as being of historical or architectural interest, as is Bellie Kirk , the Roman Catholic church St. Mary's Fochabers , which houses works by notable craftsmen, and the Episcopalian church, Gordon Chapel , which boasts the largest collection of Pre-Raphaelite stained glass in Scotland. Electricity was brought to the village in 1906 by the 7th Duke of Richmond , supplied from
1560-479: The cathedral city of Elgin and located on the east bank of the River Spey . 1,728 people live in the village, which enjoys a rich musical and cultural history. The village is also home to Baxters , the family-run manufacturer of foodstuffs. The present village owes its existence to the 4th Duke of Gordon (1743–1827). During the late eighteenth century, during the Scottish Enlightenment , it
1612-626: The chilled soups sector in 2008 and sold its Grimsby factory to Northern Foods , attributing the move to strong competition in the sector and a desire to focus on more profitable products. The soups division of Canadian firm CanGro Foods was bought by Baxters in May 2007, transferring into Baxters' Canadian operation, Baxters Canada Inc. The deal saw Baxters acquire the Primo and Aylmer soup brands and more than double its revenue in Canada. In November 2011, to
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1664-491: The choir. Pershore Town Hall , which was originally built as the local post office, was completed in 1932. Schools in Pershore follow the three-tier first school (ages 5–9), middle school (ages 9–12), high school (ages 11–18) system practised by parts of Worcestershire County Council. Pershore High School has a sixth form with all-weather sports pitches and sports hall. Abbey Park First School and Abbey Park Middle School are on Abbey Road, they are both situated down
1716-457: The company pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety regulations in relation to an accident in March 2015 when an employee's hand was mutilated in a packaging machine at the company's Fochabers plant. An alarm indicating that the machine was about to start was faulty and Baxters had failed to act on an improvement notice issued by HSE twelve months earlier, which if acted upon could have prevented
1768-728: The first companies in Scotland to do so. Ethel started creating a variety of soups using local produce in 1929, the first being Royal Game using venison from Upper Speyside. The packaging artwork features a derivative of the painting The Monarch of the Glen , an oil-on-canvas painting of a red deer stag completed in 1851 by the English painter Sir Edwin Landseer . Before long the Baxter family were supplying upmarket department stores in London such as Harrods and Fortnum & Mason . During
1820-514: The group. Baxters has remained a private family company for four generations, during which time it has expanded significantly by acquiring other business within the United Kingdom and internationally. Baxters holds a Royal Warrant from Her Majesty the Queen as purveyors of Scottish specialities. The company was known as W.A. Baxter & Sons Ltd. prior to 21 December 2006. Baxters
1872-544: The incident. It was reported in October 2014 by local newspapers that staff working in the soup factory at Baxter's Fochabers plant staged a three-hour strike in a dispute with management about new working and pay conditions. Fochabers Fochabers ( / ˈ f ɒ x ə b ər z / ; Scottish Gaelic : Fachabair or Fothabair ) is a village in the Parish of Bellie , in Moray , Scotland, 10 miles (16 km) east of
1924-412: The manufacturer of Scottish food specialties. In the 1960s, Baxters was supplying its products internationally and in 1962 it was the first company in the United Kingdom to introduce twist-top caps to 12oz jars for preserves. By the 1980s, Baxters had become a leading premium soup brand and began promoting more exotic soup flavours. Despite the increasing size of the company, Baxters maintained an image as
1976-464: The previous record set in 2005 The lowest maximum temperature ever recorded was −8.2 °C (17.2 °F) on 19 December 2010. This is also the lowest maximum temperature on record for December in England. On the same day Pershore recorded a minimum temperature of −19.5 °C (−3.1 °F) (one of the lowest December temperatures ever recorded here) and at the same time exactly 5 years later it
2028-512: The role of managing director. No reason for Soutar's departure was given, with many staff reportedly unaware until the matter was made public in September 2006, when newspaper reports suggested disagreement over how the firm was being run. Against a background of poor performance in 2006, with annual profits falling by more than £1 million, Baxters opted to take advantage of lower labour costs by transferring its Garners Foods pickling operation to
2080-496: The same drive. Pershore High School is on Station Road, which is on the outskirts of Pershore, bordering Pinvin , a small village. Holy Redeemer Roman Catholic Primary School, situated on Priest Lane beside Holy Redeemer, Pershore's only Catholic church, stands outside the 3-tier model. It is a primary school (ages 5–11) which acts as a feeder school to Blessed Edward Oldcorne Catholic College in Worcester . Pershore College,
2132-813: The site in the 15th century. It was remodelled in the 17th century, after damage in the English Civil War , and again in the 18th century. It is a Grade II* listed structure . See also Category:People from Pershore Natives Residents Like much of the British Isles , Pershore has a temperate maritime climate. Maximums range from 7.7 °C (45.9 °F) in January to 22.4 °C (72.3 °F) in July and minimums from 1.5 °C (34.7 °F) in February to 12.2 °C (54.0 °F) in July. The January record high strangely occurred when it
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2184-594: The surprise of some food manufacturing industry commentators , the company acquired the Fray Bentos range of pies and other canned meat products from Princes Ltd . Princes were forced to sell the brand on competition grounds having acquired it from Premier Foods as part of the purchase of Premier's canned food division. By January 2013, production-line equipment and the manufacturing of Fray Bentos products had been transferred from Long Sutton in Lincolnshire to
2236-634: The then Lord Abbott of Pershore to the tradesmen of the town to play bowls on the lawn at the monastery, long since demolished. The Lord Abbott accepted an invitation to be the Club’s first President and continued to hold this office until 1936 when the monastery was closed and the monks moved to Nashdom Abbey in Buckinghamshire. Pershore's football club, Pershore Town F.C. , play in the West Midlands (Regional) League Premier Division. It also has
2288-454: Was dark; On 9 January 2015, temperatures rose to 16.1 °C (61.0 °F). On 12 December 1981 the lowest reading of −22.0 °C (−7.6 °F) was recorded. The warmest temperature ever recorded was 37.1 °C (98.8 °F) on 19 July 2022. On 31 March 2021 Pershore recorded its warmest March day on record, beating the previous record set the day before. On 7 September 2021, Pershore recorded its hottest September day on record, beating
2340-426: Was fashionable for landowners to found new towns and villages; these can be recognised all over Scotland, because unlike their predecessors they all have straight, wide streets in mainly rectangular layouts, a central square, and the houses built with their main elevations parallel to the street. Fochabers was founded in 1776, and is one of the best examples of a planned village. It is a conservation area, with most of
2392-472: Was found that risk assessments in place at the time of the incident were not suitable or sufficient. Following an inspection in May 2015, Baxters was instructed by HSE to improve safety at its Fochabers manufacturing plant. HSE found that exposure to flour dust, which can lead to asthma , was not controlled satisfactorily. Measures to reduce the risk of injury to staff during the loading of meat mincers were also found to be inadequate. Baxters responded that it
2444-450: Was founded in 1868 by 25 year old gardener George Baxter when he borrowed £100 from family members and established a grocery shop in Fochabers, Moray . George's wife Margaret Baxter supported her husband by making jams and jellies using local fruit. In 1916, George and Margaret's son, William Baxter, purchased land from the Duke of Richmond and Gordon and with his wife, Ethel Baxter , built
2496-458: Was open only to freight. For nearly three decades, the people of Fochabers campaigned for a bypass, as the village is situated on the A96 , the only direct route from Aberdeen to Inverness , and consequently suffered from serious traffic problems. Construction work on a bypass for Fochabers and the neighbouring village of Mosstodloch started on 2 February 2010 and was completed in January 2012, at
2548-593: Was originally built in 1846, in accordance with Alexander Milne 's Last Will and Testament, using £20,000 (~£2,700,000 today) he left for this purpose. Pershore Pershore is a market town and civil parish in the Wychavon district in Worcestershire , England, on the banks of the River Avon . At the 2011 census , the population was 7,125. The town is best known for Pershore Abbey . Pershore
2600-458: Was purchased after the then Office of Fair Trading (OFT) raised competition concerns with Mizkan's purchase of the vinegar and pickles division of Premier Foods . The sale to Baxters alleviated the OFT's concerns and reinstated pre-existing levels of competition in the manufacture and supply of vinegars in the United Kingdom. In 2014, Baxters bought Wornick Foods, a military rations manufacturer in
2652-455: Was regularly used. Baxters management were not aware that staff regularly used a ladder to climb on to the conveyor then used a squeegee to push vegetables towards the auger. The victim was injured when his left foot slipped from the belt into the collection hopper and was pulled into the auger. Baxters was fined £60,000 for being in breach of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 after it
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#17327759066202704-414: Was working hard to rectify the matters raised. Baxters was fined £6,000 at Elgin Sheriff Court in May 2015 after admitting breaches to health and safety legislation which led to a member of staff suffering a hand injury during an accident involving a conveyor belt. The incident at the Fochabers plant was investigated by HSE after it was reported by Baxters. In September 2016, Baxters was fined £70,000 when
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