Humble Beginnings
In 1920, armed with nothing more than a straw-lined wicker basket and a horse and cart, William Dean started collecting eggs from smallholders and selling them door-to-door in and around Tring in Hertfordshire.
The business prospered and it wasn’t long before William and his family were selling eggs into local grocery stores and supermarkets in the south. Deans Farms had a clear vision, seeing themselves as much more than simple egg packers, and it wasn’t long before they expanded and began to acquire other companies.
The Deans’ had a thirst for acquisition and innovation; in 1988 they bought Goldenlay, followed by Dell and Hardie in 1997 forming the business Deans Foods. The new millennium saw further acquisition with Daylay, then Freshlay joining the group.
In 2006 Deans Foods became Noble Foods and the portfolio expanded further. Gü Puds then joined the group and is now the number one brand in UK premium desserts. In November 2015 Noble Foods acquired Bowler Energy to form Noble Green Energy. The passion for innovation continued too, with Noble Foods launching the happy egg co. in 2009, which fast became the UK’s leading egg brand.
Today Noble Foods is a leading national organisation that is intensely proud of its rich and vibrant history.