Balfours is an Australian bakery which produces pies, pasties and cakes for sale in
South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
,
Victoria, and
New South Wales
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, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
.
History
Balfours began when Scottish immigrant James Calder and Margaret née Balfour opened a bakery at 130
Rundle Street,
Adelaide
Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...
,
South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
in 1853. As Calder's bakery became very successful, he opened the City Steam Biscuit Factory in Twin Street, Adelaide in 1872. Balfours became a household name and in 1867, when Prince Alfred, the
Duke of Edinburgh
Duke of Edinburgh, named after the city of Edinburgh in Scotland, was a substantive title that has been created three times since 1726 for members of the British royal family. It does not include any territorial landholdings and does not produc ...
, visited South Australia, James Calder was made the official biscuit baker for the royal visit.
Around this time, Calder took on his nephew John Balfour and began trading as Calder & Balfour.
Margaret Balfour died on 1 November 1887 and James Calder died two years later on 1 October 1889, aged 71.
In the 1890s a new factory was built off Carrington Street.
From 1914 Balfours expanded their business to cake shops, cafes and tearooms. They acquired Jackman's Grand Cafe in the T&G Building in
King William Street, and Balfour's Cafe was an Adelaide institution on this site for half a century.
In recognition of the significant contribution of then chairman, Charles Wauchope, the company was re-registered under the name Balfour Wauchope Pty Ltd.
In 2001, the state government provided funds to relocate the main production facility from
Morphett Street, Adelaide to
Dudley Park under a buy and lease back agreement. The company continued to struggle financially and faced imminent closure.
Balfours was acquired by the
San Remo Macaroni Company
San Remo, formerly San Remo Macaroni Company, is an Australian food company based in Adelaide, South Australia.
The company was founded in 1936 by Luigi Crotti, who migrated to Australia from Italy. It played a major part in making pasta a sta ...
in 2008.
As of 2018 Balfours have a second factory at
Milperra, New South Wales
Milperra, a suburb of Local government in Australia, local government area City of Canterbury-Bankstown, is located 24 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district in the state of New South Wales, Australia, and is a part of the Sout ...
.
See also
*
Frog cake
*
Pasty
*
South Australian food and drink
South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west.
Etymology
The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþaz' ...
References
External links
Balfours
Australian cuisine
Bakeries of Australia
Manufacturing companies based in Adelaide
Food and drink companies established in 1853
Retail companies established in 1853
Restaurants established in 1853
1853 establishments in Australia
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