Hartley's
A British preserves and dessert brand known for jams, marmalades, jellies and related fruit-based products.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Hartley's is a British food brand specialising in marmalades, jams, jellies and other fruit-based desserts. Its origins date to 1871, when grocer and entrepreneur William Pickles Hartley began making jam after a supplier failed to deliver a consignment. Hartley packaged the product in distinctive earthenware pots and sold it through his grocery business in Colne, Lancashire. The venture proved successful and developed into a dedicated manufacturing enterprise. The business expanded geographically and commercially during the late nineteenth century. In 1874 it moved to Bootle, near Liverpool, where production broadened to include marmalade and jelly. The company was incorporated in 1884 as William Hartley & Sons Limited, and in 1886 it relocated to a purpose-built factory at Aintree, Liverpool. The Aintree development was accompanied by a company village for key employees, an unusual example of employer-sponsored housing and planning associated with a British food manufacturer. The village was later expanded and became a conservation area in 2011. Hartley's continued to build its manufacturing infrastructure in the early twentieth century. A facility in Rutherglen, Scotland, acquired in 1898, supplied pots and jars during the early decades of the business. A second factory opened in Bermondsey, South London, in 1901. Production subsequently moved to Cambridgeshire during the 1960s, and the Histon site became associated with the brand's later manufacturing operations. The former Bermondsey factory was eventually converted into luxury apartments in 2003. Ownership changed substantially in the post-war period. Schweppes acquired all two million shares in Hartleys in 1959. The brand later became part of Premier Foods, a major United Kingdom food group. In October 2012, Premier Foods sold Hartley's together with the Histon factory to The Hain Celestial Group for £200 million. Hartley's now operates within Hain Celestial's United Kingdom subsidiary, Hain Daniels. The brand's range includes conventional and premium-style fruit jams, thin-cut marmalade, lemon curd and jelly products. Listed flavours include strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, black cherry, blueberry, apricot, gooseberry and pineapple. In the dessert area, Hartley's has also developed reduced-sugar and no-added-sugar products. Its No Added Sugar Apple Jelly Pot received a Bronze Award at the Lausanne Index Prize in 2020. Hartley's remains primarily associated with the United Kingdom grocery and household-food market. Its heritage, broad flavour range and presence across both breakfast preserves and convenient desserts give it a dual identity: a traditional British preserves brand and a contemporary packaged-dessert label within the Hain Celestial portfolio.
History
Hartley's began as a grocery business established by William Pickles Hartley in Colne, Lancashire, in 1871. The business entered jam production when a supplier failed to deliver a consignment. Hartley responded by producing his own jam and placing it in earthenware pots designed for the business. The product sold successfully, turning an improvised response to a supply problem into the foundation of a large preserves manufacturer. In 1874, the business moved to Bootle, near Liverpool. Its range expanded beyond jam to include marmalade and jelly. The company was formally incorporated in 1884 as William Hartley & Sons Limited. Two years later, it moved to Aintree, Liverpool, where a new factory was built. The Aintree operation became both a manufacturing centre and the setting for a purpose-built residential development for important employees. Designed by William Sugden and William Larner Sugden after an architectural competition, Hartley Village originally contained forty-nine houses around a bowling green. Later additions increased the total to seventy-one houses. Streets were named after jam ingredients, including Sugar Street, Red Currant Court and Cherry Row. The village was designated a conservation area in 2011 and has been compared with the better-known Port Sunlight development. Hartley's also developed a supply and manufacturing network outside Liverpool. In 1898 it acquired a facility in Rutherglen, Scotland, which supplied pots and jars during the early decades of the twentieth century. A second factory opened in Bermondsey, South London, in 1901. The Bermondsey site remained part of the company's historical manufacturing footprint until production moved to Cambridgeshire during the 1960s. The former Bermondsey factory was later redeveloped as luxury apartments in 2003. The company's ownership changed in 1959, when Schweppes purchased all two million shares in Hartleys. The brand later came under Premier Foods. In October 2012, Premier Foods sold Hartley's and the Histon factory to The Hain Celestial Group for £200 million. Following the transaction, Hartley's became part of Hain Celestial's United Kingdom business, Hain Daniels. Hartley's product identity has remained centred on fruit preserves and jelly desserts. The documented range includes apricot, black cherry, blackberry, blueberry, gooseberry, pineapple, raspberry and strawberry jams, as well as thin-cut marmalade and lemon curd. The brand has also offered no-added-sugar products, including an apple jelly pot that won a Bronze Award at the Lausanne Index Prize in 2020. Today Hartley's is principally a United Kingdom grocery brand whose historical reputation is linked to traditional preserves, while its portfolio also addresses the convenience-dessert and reduced-sugar segments.
- 2020
No Added Sugar Apple Jelly Pot receives award
[1]Hartley's No Added Sugar Apple Jelly Pot wins a Bronze Award at the Lausanne Index Prize.
- 2012
Brand sold to Hain Celestial
[1]Premier Foods sells Hartley's and the Histon factory to The Hain Celestial Group.
- 2011
Hartley Village becomes a conservation area
[1]The historic employee village associated with the Aintree factory receives conservation-area status.
- 2003
Former Bermondsey site redeveloped
[1]The former Bermondsey factory is converted into luxury apartments.
- 1960
Production moves to Cambridgeshire
[1]Hartley's production is moved to Cambridgeshire during the 1960s, leading to the later association of the brand with Histon.
- 1959
Schweppes acquisition
[1]Schweppes purchases all two million shares in Hartleys.
- 1901
Bermondsey factory opens
[1]Hartley's establishes a second factory in Bermondsey, South London.
- 1898
Rutherglen facility acquired
[1]The company acquires a facility in Rutherglen, Scotland, which supplied pots and jars to the business.
- 1886
Aintree factory opens
[1]Hartley's moves to a new factory at Aintree, Liverpool, alongside the development of housing for key employees.
- 1884
Company incorporation
[1]The enterprise is incorporated as William Hartley & Sons Limited.
Products and positioning
A heritage British grocery brand combining traditional fruit preserves with convenient jelly and dessert products for household consumption.
Preserves
Fruit jams
Hartley's core preserves range includes jams made in multiple fruit flavours, including strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, black cherry, blueberry, apricot, gooseberry and pineapple. The range reflects the brand's long-standing association with everyday British breakfast and household grocery use.
Preserves · 1874
Marmalade
Marmalade is one of the product categories Hartley's added during its early expansion from jam making. The documented range includes thin-cut marmalade, extending the brand's preserves offering beyond soft fruit jams to citrus-based breakfast spreads.
Desserts
Jelly pots
Hartley's jelly products represent its convenient dessert line. The range includes individual jelly pots and has included no-added-sugar variants, such as the apple jelly pot recognised with a Bronze Award at the Lausanne Index Prize in 2020.
Fruit spread
Lemon curd
Lemon curd is listed among Hartley's preserves and spreads. It broadens the brand's portfolio from fruit jams and citrus marmalade into a richer, sharper spread commonly used with bread, toast and baking applications.
Brand decisions
2012
Sale of Hartley's and the Histon factoryM&ABackground
Premier Foods owned Hartley's before selling the brand together with its Histon manufacturing facility.
Action taken
The Hain Celestial Group acquired Hartley's and the factory in October 2012 for £200 million.
Aftermath
Hartley's became a brand operated through Hain Celestial's United Kingdom subsidiary, Hain Daniels.
Acquisition price. £200 million (October 2012)
Recent events
- 2020
Hartley's No Added Sugar Apple Jelly Pot receives Lausanne Index Bronze Award[1]
Product launch · Other
Hartley's No Added Sugar Apple Jelly Pot was recognised with a Bronze Award in the Lausanne Index Prize.
- 2012
Hain Celestial acquires Hartley's and the Histon factory from Premier Foods[1]
M&A
Premier Foods sold the Hartley's brand and its Histon manufacturing facility to The Hain Celestial Group for £200 million. Hartley's subsequently operated through Hain Celestial's United Kingdom subsidiary, Hain Daniels.
Sources1 sources
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