Ripley Hampers founder Quintin Acomb first set up the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

hamper A hamper refers to one of several related basket-like items. In primarily British usage, it refers to a wicker basket, usually large, that is used for the transport of items, often food. In North America, the term generally refers to a household ...

company in 1834. The Ripley

brand A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's good or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create an ...

also applies to other enterprises undertaken by the Ripley Group of companies, including Ripley Fine Foods Limited, Ripley Traditional Sweet Company, Ripley Ice Cream and Ripley Store. Several of Ripley Group's companies are tourist attractions including the seasonal Christmas department and the Fine Food store, Ripley Ice Cream and these attract coach parties to the Ripley area. Ripley Hampers is part of the Ripley Fine Foods Brand.

History

Quintin Acomb who died 18 November 1862 set up Ripley Hampers. The young Quintin Acomb chose Ripley in North Yorkshire, as the location to establish his business. Quintin worked closely with Sir William Amcotts Ingilby Ingilby of Ripley Castle and the new store opened in 1832. Quintin’s Ripley venture was a success, patronised by the castle, local gentry and wider community. Ripley car

The tradition of giving food hampers at Christmas began in Victorian times. Food and drink would be brought together and placed in wicker baskets by wealthy families and then given to their staff as a gift for them and their families to enjoy over Christmas. Historically the amount of food in a hamper would be limited to that which one person could carry but as the fast expanding railways opened up the country people found it easier to send hampers to friends and relatives based in the large industrial cities. It wasn’t long until the enterprising Quintin Acomb caught on to the idea of packaging his Ripley Fine foods and drink in wicker hampers. He had been inspired after he had travelled to a London department store which had already begun to distribute hampers using the railway network. Ripley Hampers contains luxury items such as

Stilton cheese Stilton is an English cheese, produced in two varieties: Blue, which has '' Penicillium roqueforti'' added to generate a characteristic smell and taste, and White, which does not. Both have been granted the status of a protected designation of o ...

champagne Champagne (, ) is a sparkling wine originated and produced in the Champagne wine region of France under the rules of the appellation, that demand specific vineyard practices, sourcing of grapes exclusively from designated places within it, spe ...

smoked salmon Smoked salmon is a preparation of salmon, typically a fillet that has been cured and hot or cold smoked. Due to its moderately high price, smoked salmon is considered a delicacy. Although the term lox is sometimes applied to smoked salmon, th ...

remain popular today, especially at

Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around t ...

time.

Ripley Group

Ripley Hampers is a trading arm of the Ripley Fine Foods which also encompasses Ripley Store, Ripley Traditional Sweet Co, Ripley Flowers, Ripley Fine Gifts, Ripley Chocolates, Ripley Gift Experiences and Ripley Ice Cream.

References

{{reflist Companies based in North Yorkshire Food retailers of the United Kingdom Food and drink companies of the United Kingdom