Our history
From its inception in November 1935 as Food Investments Limited and its rapid change to Allied Bakeries Limited five weeks later, the business grew dramatically as a broad-based food manufacturing organisation, becoming Associated British Foods Limited in February 1960.
It finally changed to Associated British Foods plc in May 1982 to comply with legal requirements.
Growth has been predominantly through acquisition and has resulted in a global group operating in 47 countries, employing over 106,000 people.
2012
July
Acquisition of Elephant Atta, the UK’s leading ethnic flour brand
July
Primark opens its first store in Berlin
January
AB Vista launches Quantum Blue enzyme
2011
April
Ubombo sugar mill expanded in Swaziland
2010
December
AB Mauri completed a new yeast plant at Harbin, China
October
Twinings open new tea factory in Poland
September
Ohly opens yeast extracts plant in China
August
The Guadelete refinery in Spain was successfully commissioned
July
Capacity of the Maragra sugar factory in Mozambique doubled
May
The Wissington glasshouse was expanded to 18 hectares
April
A raw sugar refinery installed in Newark
2009
April
Acquisition of Azucarera Ebro sugar business in Spain
May
Primark opens its first store in Germany
November
Disposal of BSO Poland sugar business
December
Primark opens its first store in Belgium
2008
December
Primark opens its first store in the Netherlands
October
Formation of Stratas Foods with Archer Daniels Midland Company
October
Formation of AB World Foods
June
Merger of Jordans with Ryvita
2007
November
British Sugar opens UK’s first bioethanol plant
October
October 2007 – Formation of Bo Tian Sugar Company.
May
Acquisition of Patak’s
April
Primark opens its flagship store in Oxford Street, London
2006
September
Acquisition of 51% of Illovo Sugar in Africa
May
Primark opens its first store in Spain
2005
July
Acquisition of former Littlewoods stores by Primark
2004
July
Formation of AB Mauri
June
Acquisition of food oils and fat brands of Unilever in Mexico
May
Acquisition of Billington’s Sugar
2003
May
Ovaltine merges with Twinings
2002
November
Acquisition of Ovaltine
September
Buy-out of GWF minority shareholders
July
Acquisition of Mazola
2000
July
Primark opens its 100th store
February
AB Enzymes formed
1996
1996
First Chinese Animal Feed JV
1995
1995
British Sugar’s first Chinese joint venture
1994
1994
UK feed business formed
1991
1991
British Sugar acquired
1990
1990
Jacksons of Piccadilly acquired
1987
1987
Weston Research Laboratories (now ATC) formed
1980
1980
Sales exceed £2 billion
1973
1973
Acquisition of Cranfield Brothers millers
1961
1961
Acquisition of AB Hemmings bakeries
1960
1960
Company renamed Associated British Foods
1939
1939
Acquisition of Weston Foods
1935
1935
Allied Bakeries Ltd incorporated