Wall's (meat) facts for kids
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| Product type | Sausages, meat pies |
|---|---|
| Owner | Compleat Food Group |
| Country | England |
| Introduced | 1786 |
| Related brands | Wall's (ice cream) |
| Previous owners | Unilever |
| Tagline | The Finest Cuts |
Wall's is a well-known brand in the United Kingdom. They are famous for their tasty meat products, especially their sausages. The company started in London way back in 1786. A butcher named Richard Wall founded it. Later, in 1922, a company called Lever Brothers bought Wall's. Lever Brothers then became part of a bigger company called Unilever in 1930. Today, Wall's meat products are owned by the Compleat Food Group.
Contents
The Story of Wall's
How It All Began
In 1786, a skilled butcher named Richard Wall opened his first shop. It was a butcher's stall in St James's Market in London. He sold fresh meat and meat products. Richard Wall quickly became known as an excellent pork butcher.
Serving Royalty
Richard Wall's reputation grew so much that he served the royal family. In 1812, he received a special honor called a Royal Appointment. This meant he was officially chosen to supply pork to George, who was then the Prince of Wales. He continued to serve him even when George became King George IV.
A Family Business
Richard Wall had a son named Thomas, born in 1817. He also had a daughter, Eleanor. The business did very well. In 1834, Richard moved the shop to a new, bigger location on Jermyn Street. Sadly, Richard died that same year. His wife, Ann, and 17-year-old Thomas took over the business. They called it "Ann Wall and Son."
Two years later, in 1836, Ann also passed away. Thomas Wall, who was still quite young, took full charge of the business. He also looked after his younger sister. Despite these challenges, the company continued to succeed.
New Generations Join
Thomas Wall had two sons, Thomas Wall II and Frederick. Thomas Wall II was born in 1846. Both sons joined the family business later on. Thomas Wall II joined in 1870, and Frederick joined in 1878. After they joined, the company's name changed to "Thomas Wall and Sons Ltd."
The business kept its high standards. It continued to receive Royal Appointments from other monarchs. These included Queen Victoria, King Edward VII, and King George V. This showed how much the royal family trusted Wall's products.
The Idea for Ice Cream
For a long time, the Wall's business faced a problem. Sales of meat, meat pies, and sausages would drop in the summer. This meant that workers sometimes had to be laid off. In 1913, Thomas Wall II had a clever idea. He suggested making ice cream to keep the business busy all year.
However, this plan had to wait. World War I started, causing shortages of ingredients. So, the ice cream idea was not put into action until 1922.
Changes in Ownership
Before the ice cream business began, Thomas Wall II decided to retire. In 1920, he sold the Wall's meat business to a company called Mac Fisheries. Then, in 1922, Mac Fisheries was bought by Lever Brothers. Lever Brothers later became part of Unilever in 1930.
In 1920, Thomas Wall II also set up a special fund. It was called his Trust. This Trust was created to help with education and social work. Today, the Thomas Wall Trust still gives grants to people and groups.
Later, in 1965, Unilever bought another company called Mattessons, which made sausages and pâté. For a while, both Wall's and Mattessons were run together. Eventually, they merged to form "Mattessons Wall's" in 1986.
In 1994, Unilever decided to sell off the Mattessons Wall's business. The ownership of the Mattessons brand went to Kerry Foods. Kerry Foods also got a special agreement to sell meat products in the UK under the Wall's brand.
