Jordans is a British manufacturer of
breakfast cereal
Cereal, formally termed breakfast cereal (and further categorized as cold cereal or warm cereal), is a traditional breakfast food made from processed cereal grains. It is traditionally eaten as part of breakfast, or a snack food, primarily in ...
s and cereal bars founded in 1855. It is based at
Biggleswade
Biggleswade ( ) is a market town and civil parish in Central Bedfordshire in Bedfordshire, England. It lies on the River Ivel, 11 miles (18 km) south-east of Bedford. Its population was 16,551 in the 2011 United Kingdom census, and its es ...
in
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire (; abbreviated Beds) is a ceremonial county in the East of England. The county has been administered by three unitary authorities, Borough of Bedford, Central Bedfordshire and Borough of Luton, since Bedfordshire County Council wa ...
, England.
History
![Jordans in Biggleswade](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/Jordans_in_Biggleswade.JPG)
Holme Mills is on
Langford Road in Biggleswade, situated next to the
River Ivel
The River Ivel is a north-flowing river in the western part of east of England. It is primarily in Bedfordshire; it is a tributary of the River Great Ouse and has sources including in the Barton Hills.
Course
The river Ivel has four headwater ...
. A mill was recorded on the site in 1086, as noted in the
Domesday Book
Domesday Book () – the Middle English spelling of "Doomsday Book" – is a manuscript record of the "Great Survey" of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086 by order of King William I, known as William the Conqueror. The manusc ...
. It was bought by local farmer William Herbert Jordan in 1855. The mill caught fire in 1894 and burnt down again in 1899. It produced flour until 1972 when W. Jordan (Cereals) Ltd was formed. It was run by Bill and David Jordan, who are brothers and were partners of the company until 2010. W. Jordan (Cereals) Ltd has been dormant since 2010 and the business now operates as
The Jordans & Ryvita Company Limited, a subsidiary of
Associated British Foods
Associated British Foods plc (ABF) is a British multinational food processing and retailing company headquartered in London, England. Its ingredients division is the world's second-largest producer of both sugar and baker's yeast and a major pr ...
.
There is a factory shop in
Langford, Bedfordshire
Langford is a village and civil parish in the Central Bedfordshire district of the county of Bedfordshire, England about south-east of the county town of Bedford. The 2011 census gives the population as 3,091.
Geography
Langford lies alongside ...
. Its main product it started with, and still produces, is called ''Crunchy Oats'', which is based on
granola
Granola is a breakfast and snack food consisting of rolled oats, nuts, honey or other sweeteners such as brown sugar, and sometimes puffed rice, that is usually baked until crisp, toasted and golden brown. The mixture is stirred while baking ...
.
In 1981, Jordans began production of a cereal bar called ''Original Crunchy''. It now produces four different cereal bars including Frusli which contains 25% fruit, Breakfast Bars, Luxury Absolute Nut Bar and Original Crunchy Bars. Country Crisp was introduced in 1991. Luxury Bars were introduced in 2004.
In 2002, they formed the joint venture 'the Organic and Natural Food Company' with
Yeo Valley Organic
Yeo Valley () is a large UK organic brand established in 1994. The Yeo Valley Organic range includes organic yogurt, cream, milk, butter, cheese, ice cream and, compote. Yeo Valley is located in Somerset, UK, and the Yeo Valley corporation is o ...
. It produced vending machines for schools filled with healthy food. In April 2003, the company won a
Queen's Awards for Enterprise
The Queen's Awards for Enterprise is an awards programme for British businesses and other organizations who excel at international trade, innovation, sustainable development or promoting opportunity (through social mobility). They are the highest ...
. In 2005, Bill Jordan was made a
MBE Mbe may refer to:
* Mbé, a town in the Republic of the Congo
* Mbe Mountains Community Forest, in Nigeria
* Mbe language, a language of Nigeria
* Mbe' language, language of Cameroon
* ''mbe'', ISO 639 code for the extinct Molala language
Molal ...
.
In September 2007, 20% of the company was sold to
Associated British Foods
Associated British Foods plc (ABF) is a British multinational food processing and retailing company headquartered in London, England. Its ingredients division is the world's second-largest producer of both sugar and baker's yeast and a major pr ...
, followed by a further 42% in June 2008, becoming fully owned by ABF by 2013.
Conservation efforts
Jordans use oats which are grown by Conservation Grade farmers around Britain who are paid a premium to create nature-friendly habitats on 10% of their farmed land.
Bill Jordan owns the
Nature Reserve at Pensthorpe in Norfolk which is taking part in high profile projects to bring back the rare Eurasian Crane and safeguard British natives such as the red squirrel.
The company is concerned about the
rapid decline in the bee population. It started the ''Big Buzz'' campaign in May 2009, with the help of the
British Beekeepers' Association
The British Beekeepers Association (BBKA) is a charitable organisation registered in England and Wales that was founded in 1874. It is made up of 75 associations in England & Wales plus one in Northern Ireland, Isle of Man and Jersey. At end of ...
and the
Bumblebee Conservation Trust
The Bumblebee Conservation Trust is an organisation in the UK that makes efforts to monitor and conserve bumblebees and their habitat.
History
The Bumblebee Conservation Trust was established by Dave Goulson in 2006 with a grant of £49,900 fro ...
.
![Visitor Centre at Jordans Mill (geograph 3458691)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Visitor_Centre_at_Jordans_Mill_%28geograph_3458691%29.jpg)
Holme Mill itself became a museum in 2013, with the opening of a visitor centre on the site after production transferred to a new facility in Biggleswade's Saxon Gate development area.
Market share
It is the UK's fourth largest cereals manufacturer after
Kelloggs
The Kellogg Company, doing business as Kellogg's, is an American multinational food manufacturing company headquartered in Battle Creek, Michigan, United States. Kellogg's produces cereal and convenience foods, including crackers and toaste ...
,
Nestlé
Nestlé S.A. (; ; ) is a Switzerland, Swiss multinational food and drink processing conglomerate corporation headquartered in Vevey, Vaud, Switzerland. It is the largest publicly held food company in the world, measured by revenue and other me ...
and
Weetabix
Weetabix is a breakfast cereal produced by Weetabix Limited in the United Kingdom. It comes in the form of palm-sized (approx. 9.5 cm × 5.0 cm or 4" × 2") wheat biscuits. Variants include organic and Weetabix Crispy Minis (bite-sized ...
. 25% of their produce is exported, with France being an important market; half their exports go there, and it is the country's best-selling muesli cereal. The brand leader of crunchy muesli in the UK is their ''Luxury Crunchy''.
They belong to the Association of Cereal Food Manufacturers, which is a member of the European Breakfast Cereal Association.
Product range
![Jordans Super Nutty Granola](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bd/Jordans_Super_Nutty_Granola.jpg)
Cereals
*
Muesli
Muesli ( ) is a cold breakfast dish, the primary ingredient of which is rolled oats, which is set to soak overnight and eaten the next morning. Most often, additional ingredients such as grains, nuts, seeds, and fresh or dried fruits, are added, ...
(Fruit & Nut, Truly Fruity, Nut & Seed, Fruity Fibre, Natural, Organic, Super Berry)
* Country Crisp – crunchy oat clusters (Strawberry, Raspberry, Honey, Chunky Nut, Dark Chocolate, Raisin) and a low sugar granola (2.9%)
* Frusli – cereal/breakfast bar (Truly Tropical, Apple Sultana & Cinnamon, Raisin & Hazelnut, Cranberry & Apple, Red Berries, Blueberry Burst)
* Crunchy Oats (Super Nutty, Raisin & Honey, Special Fruits & Nuts, Tropical and Super Berry Granola)
* Porridge Oats (Chunky Traditional, Organic and Quick & Creamy)
*
Wheatgerm &
Wheatbran
Cereal bars
* Original Crunchy – Honey & Almond
* Breakfast in a bar – cereal bar; Fruit & Nut, Cranberry & Raspberry, Maple & Pecan flavours
* Absolute Nut Luxury Bar
* Absolute Berry bar
References
External links
Jordans Cereals websiteJordans Big Buzz
News items
Bees in London in July 2009Bees in June 200920% of company sold to ABF in September 2007Upton Farm in May 2006
Audio clips
''The Bottom Line on 18 November 2006
{{Authority control
Breakfast cereal companies
Companies based in Bedfordshire
Food and drink companies established in 1855
Cereal bars
Organic farming organizations
British brands
Food manufacturers of the United Kingdom
British companies established in 1855