Colman's facts for kids
An old Colman's advert at the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre
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| Product type | Mustard |
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| Owner | Unilever |
| Country | Norfolk, East Anglia, England |
| Introduced | 1814 |
| Previous owners | Reckitt & Colman (now Reckitt Benckiser) |
Colman's is a famous English company. It makes mustard and other sauces. For 160 years, it was based in Norwich, England. Since 1995, Unilever has owned Colman's. It is one of the oldest food brands still around. Colman's is well-known for its mustard products.
Contents
History of Colman's Mustard
How Colman's Began
In the early 1800s, a man named Jeremiah Colman started making mustard. He used a water mill near Norwich. To make a strong, tasty mustard, he mixed two types of mustard seeds. These were brown mustard and white mustard.
In 1814, Colman officially started his company, Colman's of Norwich. This was at the Stoke Holy Cross mill. In 1823, his adopted nephew, James, joined the business. The company then became known as J. & J. Colman.
Growing the Business
In 1851, J. J. Colman took over the company. By 1865, the company moved its production. They built a large factory at Carrow Road in Norwich. This factory was the main place for making Colman's products for many years.
From 1855, Colman's started using its bright yellow packaging. They also introduced their famous bull's-head logo. In 1866, the company received a Royal Warrant. This meant they were official suppliers of mustard to Queen Victoria. Even today, the Royal household still uses Colman's mustard.
Caring for Employees
The Colman family was known for helping their workers. In 1857, they opened a school for their employees' children. In 1864, the company hired a nurse. This nurse helped sick staff members. This was a very new idea for businesses at that time.
Company Changes and Growth
In 1896, Jeremiah Colman became the chairman. In 1903, Colman's bought a rival mustard company. This was Keen Robinson & Company. Through this deal, Colman's also got the Robinsons barley water and baby food business. This helped Colman's reduce competition in the mustard market.
By 1909, the company had grown a lot. It employed 2,300 people. In 1925, Keen's production moved from London to Norwich. In 1926, Colman's teamed up with Reckitt. Together, they bought French's, an American mustard maker.
In 1938, Colman's merged with Reckitts and Sons. They formed a big company called Reckitt & Colman. This new company made many household products.
Modern Times
From 1997 to 2001, Colman's was the main sponsor of Norwich City Football Club. In 1995, Colman's became part of Unilever UK Ltd. Besides mustard, Colman's now makes many other sauces and food items.
The Colman family still has links to Norwich. Streets and buildings are named after them. For example, Colman Road and Colman House at the University of East Anglia.
Colman's Factory Moves Home
In January 2018, it was announced that Colman's would leave Norwich. The mustard had been made there for 160 years. Production moved to Burton-on-Trent in England and to Germany.
In 2019, the last jar of mustard was made at the Norwich factory. Its "best before" date was changed to "Norwich's Last. By Its Finest. July 24th 2019". Colman's kept making other sauces at the Norwich site for a short time. The factory finally closed in early 2020.
Colman's Mustard Shop & Museum
There used to be a special Colman's Mustard Shop in Norwich. It was open from 1973 to April 2017. The shop moved locations a few times. In 1999, it moved to Norwich's Royal Arcade. It was a place to buy mustard and also a tourist attraction. The shop closed its doors in April 2017.
Colman's in the Spotlight
In the 1920s, a famous writer named Dorothy L. Sayers worked on advertising for Colman's. She helped create "The Mustard Club" for Colman's Mustard. Later, slogans like "Come on Colman's, light my fire" became popular.
When the product was still made in Norfolk, Colman's sponsored the shirts of Norwich City Football Club.
What Colman's Makes
Colman's makes many different products today:
- Colman's English Mustard
- Colman's Condiments
- Bramley Apple Sauce
- Mint Sauce
- Cranberry Sauce
- Horseradish Sauce
- Seafood Sauce
- Tartare Sauce
- Colman's recipe mixes (for dishes like stews and pies)
- Beef bourguignon
- Sausage & onion casserole
- Coq au vin
- Chicken pie
- Fish pie
- Beef casserole
- Chilli con carne
- Sausage casserole
- Chicken casserole
- Cottage pie
- Spaghetti bolognese
- Tuna pasta bake
- Chicken chasseur
- Shepherd's pie
- Hot chilli con carne
- Chicken supreme
- Beef stroganoff
- Lamb hotpot
- Colman's sauce mixes (to make creamy sauces)
- Pepper sauce
- Onion sauce
- Parsley sauce
- Cheddar cheese sauce
- White sauce
- Bread sauce
- Colman's Big Night In (for making popular takeaway-style meals at home)
- Salt and pepper chicken
- Mexican burritos
- Korean barbecue
- Argentinian steak
- Chicken kebab
- Ultimate burger
- Doner kebab
- Colman's Season & Shake (seasonings for roast chicken)
- Mediterranean chicken
- Garlic & herb roast chicken
- Piri piri chicken
- Sweet chilli chicken
- Cajun chicken
See also
