Branston (brand)

Branston
	A jar of Branston Pickle when it was sold under the Crosse and Blackwell brand
Product type	Pickle, sauces
Owner	Mizkan
Country	England
Introduced	1922
Previous owners	Crosse and Blackwell; Nestlé; Premier Foods
Tagline	Bring out the Branston
Website	bringoutthebranston.co.uk

Branston is an English food brand best known for the original Branston Pickle, a sweet pickle first made in 1922 in the village of Branston near Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, by Crosse & Blackwell.^[1]^[2]^[3] The Branston factory proved to be uneconomical, and production was moved to Crosse & Blackwell subsidiary, E Lazenby & Sons in Bermondsey, London, where it invested in new buildings in 1924 and 1926, which remained in use until 1969.^[4]^[5]

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In 2004, the pickle business was sold by Nestlé to Premier Foods and production was moved to Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk.^[6]^[7] Premier Foods sold the brand to Mizkan in 2013,^[8] at which time it ceased to be labelled as Crosse and Blackwell because in Europe this name was sold separately to Princes Group. Over 17 million jars a year are sold in the UK.^[9]

Branston Pickle is made from a variety of diced vegetables, including swede, carrots, onions and cauliflower pickled in a sauce made from vinegar, tomato, apple and spices.^[9] While not a chutney, Branston Pickle is sweet and spicy with a "chutney-like" consistency, containing chunks of vegetables in a thick brown sticky sauce.^[9] It is commonly served as part of a ploughman's lunch, a popular menu item in British pubs.^[10] It is also frequently combined with cheese in sandwiches, and many sandwich shops in the UK offer cheese and pickle as an option.^[10] It is available in the standard 'chunky' version, a 'small chunk' variety, and a 'smooth' variety that is pureed, which makes it easier to spread onto bread; convenient squeeze-bottle packs are amongst the range. Branston also has flavoured pickles including Sweet Chilli and Beetroot flavoured pickle.^[11]

Additional Branston products include mayonnaise, tomato ketchup, piccalilli, brown sauce, salad cream, and baked beans.^[12]

In October 2005, Premier Foods launched Branston Baked Beans. The marketing and promotion of this product were aimed at challenging Heinz's dominance of the UK baked bean market.^[13] This marketing included an advert, featuring a Branston Bean Tin explaining how Branston Beans are very "saucy".^[13] Promotional activities included a 'Great British Bean Poll' where members of the public across the country were invited to blind taste both 'the brand leader' (assumed to be Heinz) and Branston.^[13] In the poll, 76% of participants picked Branston over Heinz. Heinz elected to change their recipe in the face of this aggressive activity.^[14]

Premier Foods also attempted to leverage the traditional Branston Pickle brand name by producing Branston Relishes in four different flavours: Hot Chilli & Jalapeño, Gherkin, Sweet Onion and Tomato & Red Pepper.^[15]

Around November 2015, a sweet chili-flavoured pickle was launched, and the brand's rich and fruity sauce was re-launched, along with two new sauce flavours, rich and spicy and rich and smoky.^[11] In 2017, Branston launched its tomato ketchup, mayonnaise and brown sauce lines in single-serving sachet packaging.^[16]

Walkers once produced a variety of crisps called "Cheese and Branston Pickle".^[17]

In late 2012, it was announced that as part of an aggressive debt reduction strategy, Premier Foods would be selling the Branston brand to Japanese food manufacturer Mizkan Group for £92.5 million, joining Sarson's vinegar and Hayward's pickled onions as recent Premier Foods to Mizkan brand acquisitions.^[1] The Bury St Edmunds plant continues to manufacture Branston products.^[18]

Branston Pickle is sold in Ireland,^[19] the United States,^[20] Canada,^[21] Australia, New Zealand, Norway, France,^[22] Denmark, Malta, Singapore (Cold Storage and Market Place), Germany (REWE and Globus Warenhaus), Turkey (Kipa), the Netherlands,^[23] the Czech Republic,^[24] Slovakia (Tesco), Belgium (Carrefour Market Etterbeek), Hong Kong (Taste), Indonesia (Kemchicks), South Africa, Southern Spain (Supersol and Carrefour), Thailand (Chiang Mai, Rimping), Vietnam,^[25] Angola^[26] and Namibia. Despite the purchase of the brand by Mizkan Group Corporation, it is not sold in Japan.^[27]

[1]
Ruddick, Graham (30 October 2012). "Branston Pickle sold to Japan's Mizkan in £92.5m deal". The Telegraph. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
[2]
Ayto, J. (2012). The Diner's Dictionary: Word Origins of Food and Drink. Oxford Quick reference collection. OUP Oxford. p. 43. ISBN 978-0-19-964024-9. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
[3]
van Wyk, B.E. (2014). Culinary Herbs and Spices of the World. University of Chicago Press. p. 36. ISBN 978-0-226-09183-9. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
[4]
Bourke, Joanna (6 December 2016). "London Square buys former Branston pickle Bermondsey site for flats". Evening Standard. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
[5]
"Crosse and Blackwell / E Lazenby & Sons". Exploring Southwark. Archived from the original on 12 September 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
[6]
Owen, R.; Dynes, M. (1992). Tuttle guide to the single European market: a comprehensive handbook. C.E. Tuttle. p. 163. ISBN 978-0-8048-1815-5. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
[7]
"Pickle 'demand rises' after fire". BBC News. 2 November 2004. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
[8]
"Branston sold by Premier Foods". BBC News. 30 October 2012. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
[9]
Martin, K. (2017). Famous Brand Names and Their Origins. Pen & Sword Books Limited. pp. 8–9. ISBN 978-1-78159-015-7. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
[10]
Kazmier, Penny (26 January 2016). "In the U.K., the Branston Pickle adds crunchy, savory kick to sandwiches". Daily Herald. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
[11]
"Branston launches new flavoured pickle and table sauces". FoodBev Media. 4 November 2015. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
[12]
Evans, Graeme (30 October 2012). "The £90m pickle: Branston sold to Japan firm". The Independent. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
[13]
Pringle, H. (2008). Brand Immortality: How Brands Can Live Long and Prosper. Gale virtual reference library. Kogan Page. p. 232. ISBN 978-0-7494-5572-9. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
[14]
Gill, Joe (21 February 2006). "Heinz to change baked beans recipe as it faces Branston challenge". Brandrepublic.com. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
[15]
Marketing. Haymarket Press. 2005. p. 10. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
[16]
Panthaki, Fabian (27 October 2017). "Mizkan Expands Foodservice Offers From Branston, Sarson's". KamCity. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
[17]
"Walkers Cheese and Branston Pickle Feathers Crisps". Taquitos.net. Retrieved 20 February 2014.
[18]
"BBC News - Branston sold by Premier Foods to Japan's Mizkan". Bbc.co.uk. 30 October 2012. Retrieved 20 February 2014.
[19]
Fodor's Travel Publications Staff; Howard, Anto (2015). Fodor's Ireland 2016. Fodor's Essential Ireland. Fodor's Travel Publications. p. 104. ISBN 978-1-101-87844-6. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
[20]
Sifton, Sam (3 April 2017). "Recipes for a Better Week". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
[21]
Ruprecht, T. (2010). Toronto's Many Faces. Dundurn. p. 129. ISBN 978-1-4597-1805-0. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
[22]
Lichfield, J. (2012). Our Man in Paris: A Foreign Correspondent, France and the French. Signal Books. p. 23. ISBN 978-1-908493-56-9. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
[23]
Campbell, J. (2014). The Bookshop Book. Little, Brown Book Group. p. pt104. ISBN 978-1-4721-1670-3. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
[24]
Jacy Meyer, W.W.J.M. Prague In Your Pocket. In Your Pocket. p. 27. ISBN 978-0-01-213212-8. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
[25]
Dodd, J.; Lewis, M. (2003). Vietnam. Music rough guide. Rough Guides. p. 113. ISBN 978-1-84353-095-4. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
[26]
Stead, M.; Rorison, S. (2010). Angola. Bradt Guides. Bradt Travel Guides. p. 121. ISBN 978-1-84162-304-7. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
[27]
"Branston Pickle Brand Sold". ACUMEN—The magazine of the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan. November 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2023.

[Ruddick_2012-1] [1]
Ruddick, Graham (30 October 2012). "Branston Pickle sold to Japan's Mizkan in £92.5m deal". The Telegraph. Retrieved 26 October 2017.

[Ayto_2012-2] [2]
Ayto, J. (2012). The Diner's Dictionary: Word Origins of Food and Drink. Oxford Quick reference collection. OUP Oxford. p. 43. ISBN 978-0-19-964024-9. Retrieved 26 October 2017.

[3] [3]
van Wyk, B.E. (2014). Culinary Herbs and Spices of the World. University of Chicago Press. p. 36. ISBN 978-0-226-09183-9. Retrieved 26 October 2017.

[4] [4]
Bourke, Joanna (6 December 2016). "London Square buys former Branston pickle Bermondsey site for flats". Evening Standard. Retrieved 27 October 2017.

[Exploring-5] [5]
"Crosse and Blackwell / E Lazenby & Sons". Exploring Southwark. Archived from the original on 12 September 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2017.

[6] [6]
Owen, R.; Dynes, M. (1992). Tuttle guide to the single European market: a comprehensive handbook. C.E. Tuttle. p. 163. ISBN 978-0-8048-1815-5. Retrieved 27 October 2017.

[7] [7]
"Pickle 'demand rises' after fire". BBC News. 2 November 2004. Retrieved 27 October 2017.

[8] [8]
"Branston sold by Premier Foods". BBC News. 30 October 2012. Retrieved 27 October 2017.

[Martin_2017-9] [9]
Martin, K. (2017). Famous Brand Names and Their Origins. Pen & Sword Books Limited. pp. 8–9. ISBN 978-1-78159-015-7. Retrieved 27 October 2017.

[Kazmier_2016-10] [10]
Kazmier, Penny (26 January 2016). "In the U.K., the Branston Pickle adds crunchy, savory kick to sandwiches". Daily Herald. Retrieved 27 October 2017.

[FoodBev_Media_2015-11] [11]
"Branston launches new flavoured pickle and table sauces". FoodBev Media. 4 November 2015. Retrieved 27 October 2017.

[12] [12]
Evans, Graeme (30 October 2012). "The £90m pickle: Branston sold to Japan firm". The Independent. Retrieved 27 October 2017.

[Pringle_2008-13] [13]
Pringle, H. (2008). Brand Immortality: How Brands Can Live Long and Prosper. Gale virtual reference library. Kogan Page. p. 232. ISBN 978-0-7494-5572-9. Retrieved 27 October 2017.

[14] [14]
Gill, Joe (21 February 2006). "Heinz to change baked beans recipe as it faces Branston challenge". Brandrepublic.com. Retrieved 18 March 2013.

[15] [15]
Marketing. Haymarket Press. 2005. p. 10. Retrieved 27 October 2017.

[16] [16]
Panthaki, Fabian (27 October 2017). "Mizkan Expands Foodservice Offers From Branston, Sarson's". KamCity. Retrieved 27 October 2017.

[17] [17]
"Walkers Cheese and Branston Pickle Feathers Crisps". Taquitos.net. Retrieved 20 February 2014.

[18] [18]
"BBC News - Branston sold by Premier Foods to Japan's Mizkan". Bbc.co.uk. 30 October 2012. Retrieved 20 February 2014.

[19] [19]
Fodor's Travel Publications Staff; Howard, Anto (2015). Fodor's Ireland 2016. Fodor's Essential Ireland. Fodor's Travel Publications. p. 104. ISBN 978-1-101-87844-6. Retrieved 26 October 2017.

[20] [20]
Sifton, Sam (3 April 2017). "Recipes for a Better Week". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 October 2017.

[21] [21]
Ruprecht, T. (2010). Toronto's Many Faces. Dundurn. p. 129. ISBN 978-1-4597-1805-0. Retrieved 26 October 2017.

[22] [22]
Lichfield, J. (2012). Our Man in Paris: A Foreign Correspondent, France and the French. Signal Books. p. 23. ISBN 978-1-908493-56-9. Retrieved 26 October 2017.

[23] [23]
Campbell, J. (2014). The Bookshop Book. Little, Brown Book Group. p. pt104. ISBN 978-1-4721-1670-3. Retrieved 26 October 2017.

[24] [24]
Jacy Meyer, W.W.J.M. Prague In Your Pocket. In Your Pocket. p. 27. ISBN 978-0-01-213212-8. Retrieved 27 October 2017.

[25] [25]
Dodd, J.; Lewis, M. (2003). Vietnam. Music rough guide. Rough Guides. p. 113. ISBN 978-1-84353-095-4. Retrieved 27 October 2017.

[26] [26]
Stead, M.; Rorison, S. (2010). Angola. Bradt Guides. Bradt Travel Guides. p. 121. ISBN 978-1-84162-304-7. Retrieved 26 October 2017.

[27] [27]
"Branston Pickle Brand Sold". ACUMEN—The magazine of the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan. November 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2023.

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Branston (brand)

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Original pickle

Brand extension

Sale to Mizkan

Availability outside the UK

See also

References

External links