Princes Group plc is an international food and drink group involved in the manufacture, import and distribution of branded and customer own-brand products. Founded in 1880 and headquartered in Liverpool, England, it is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.[4]
History
The firm was founded in 1880 as a partnership by Briton William Muirhead Simpson (1842-1926) and Canadian Frank Roberts (1853-1938) and initially imported tinned lobster from Canada. It operated as Simpson Roberts, then created brands including Maypole (1891), Mikado (1895) and Princes (1900). By 1915, Simpson Roberts was the world's largest exporter of lobster, handling one third of the world's lobster trade. In 1919, the partnership was incorporated as a limited company.[5]
The company first entered continental Europe in 1960 and changed its name to Princes Foods in 1962.[5]