Spillers
Spillers was a British food company whose businesses included flour milling, bakery operations, pet food and equine feed.
Last updated August 24, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Spillers was a British food company that developed from a flour mill established by Joel Spiller in Bridgwater, Somerset, in 1829. Over the following century it expanded through England and Wales, building a broad food-production business that combined flour milling, bakery-related activities and branded consumer foods. The company also entered specialist animal nutrition, eventually becoming particularly associated with dog food and biscuits. The business expanded its milling presence in South Wales during the nineteenth century. Joel Spiller opened a flour mill in Cardiff with Samuel Browne in 1854. After the Cardiff mill was destroyed by fire in 1882, it was rebuilt in 1887 with two other mills incorporated into the complex. A further Cardiff mill, completed in 1893, formed part of a steam-powered roller-mill operation with stated annual capacity of 100,000 tons. Spillers also diversified beyond ordinary flour production: in 1855 it began making ships' biscuits, an activity that connected the company with the large-scale supply of durable baked goods. In 1889, the business combined with William Baker and Sons of Bristol to create Spillers and Bakers Ltd. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the company introduced Turog brown bread. Spillers supplied flour to licensed bakers, promoted the product through advertising and used a model comparable to that of Hovis. This approach allowed the company to build a consumer-facing food identity while retaining a manufacturing and supply-chain role behind the bakery trade. Animal foods became an increasingly important part of the company. Spillers introduced Winalot dog biscuits in 1927, initially targeting owners and trainers of racing greyhounds. The product soon found a wider household market and became a leading dog-biscuit brand during the 1930s. Spillers later broadened its animal-food portfolio through acquisitions, including Kennomeat in 1964, when it acquired the brand through the purchase of Scottish Animal Products, a subsidiary of Robert Wilson & Sons. The company also acquired Modern Maid Food Products of New Jersey in 1978, extending its operations into the United States, and acquired Foster Mill near Cambridge in 1947. Spillers was acquired by Dalgety plc in 1979 after a hostile takeover contest. Under Dalgety, its activities were subsequently separated and sold in stages. The bakery business was spun off and sold to Allied Bakeries. In response to strategic restructuring and the wider effects of the United Kingdom's BSE crisis in the late 1990s, Dalgety disposed of the remaining principal Spillers operations. Its flour-milling business was sold to Kerry Group in 1997, while its pet-food business was sold to Nestlé in 1998. Winalot subsequently continued under Nestlé ownership as a broader range of dog foods and snacks. Spillers therefore survives principally through brands and business assets transferred to later owners rather than as an independent operating company.
History
Spillers began in 1829 when Joel Spiller established a flour mill at Bridgwater in Somerset. The company expanded across England and Wales and developed a substantial milling network. In Cardiff, Spiller established a mill with Samuel Browne in 1854. That facility burned down in 1882 and was rebuilt in 1887, incorporating two additional mills. A further Cardiff mill opened in 1893 as part of a steam-powered roller-mill complex reported to have capacity of 100,000 tons annually. The company diversified early. It began producing ships' biscuits in 1855, adding a durable baked product to its flour-milling activities. In 1889, Spillers merged with William Baker and Sons of Bristol, forming Spillers and Bakers Ltd. During the early twentieth century it introduced Turog brown bread. The company produced the flour used by licensed bakers and promoted the resulting bread brand through advertising. Turog competed with Hovis, which operated through a similar licensed-bakery model. Spillers expanded its industrial footprint and product range during the twentieth century. It acquired Foster Mill beside Cambridge railway station in 1947. In 1927 it had launched Winalot dog biscuits, initially marketing them as food for racing greyhounds. The product gained broader consumer acceptance and became a leading dog-biscuit brand in the 1930s. The company strengthened its position in animal foods in 1964 by taking over Kennomeat through the acquisition of Scottish Animal Products, a Robert Wilson & Sons subsidiary. In 1978 it acquired Modern Maid Food Products in New Jersey. Dalgety plc acquired Spillers in 1979 following a hostile takeover battle. The acquisition was followed by portfolio separation. Spillers' bakery business was spun off and sold to Allied Bakeries. During the late 1990s, Dalgety undertook further disposals against the background of the United Kingdom's BSE outbreak and changing corporate strategy. The flour-milling operations went to Kerry Group in 1997, and the pet-food business went to Nestlé in 1998. After the Nestlé transaction, Winalot was developed into a wider line of dog foods and snacks. These disposals ended Spillers as an independent diversified company, although several of its brands and operating activities continued under successor ownership.
- 1998
Pet-food business sold to Nestlé
[1]Dalgety sold the Spillers pet-food business to Nestlé.
- 1997
Flour milling sold to Kerry Group
[1]Dalgety sold Spillers' flour-milling operations to Kerry Group.
- 1979
Acquired by Dalgety
[1]Dalgety plc acquired Spillers after a hostile takeover battle.
- 1964
Kennomeat added to portfolio
[1]Spillers took over Kennomeat through its acquisition of Scottish Animal Products.
- 1947
Foster Mill acquired
[1]Spillers acquired Foster Mill near Cambridge railway station.
- 1927
Winalot introduced
[1]Spillers launched Winalot dog biscuits, initially aimed at the racing-greyhound market.
- 1893
Cardiff roller-mill complex expanded
[1]A new Cardiff mill became part of a steam-powered roller-mill complex with reported capacity of 100,000 tons per year.
- 1889
Merger creates Spillers and Bakers
[1]Spillers merged with William Baker and Sons of Bristol to form Spillers and Bakers Ltd.
- 1855
Ships' biscuit production begins
[1]Spillers began manufacturing ships' biscuits.
- 1854
Cardiff mill opened
[1]Joel Spiller and Samuel Browne opened a flour mill in Cardiff.
Products and positioning
Historically, Spillers combined industrial flour milling and bakery supply with branded consumer foods and animal nutrition. Its best-known consumer identity developed around accessible, mass-market dog food and biscuits, while its historical business also served bakers, shipping and livestock or equine-feed markets.
Dog food and treats · 1927
Winalot
Winalot began as a Spillers dog-biscuit brand in 1927. It was first promoted as food for racing greyhounds, but its appeal broadened to ordinary pet owners and it became a leading dog-biscuit brand in the 1930s. After the pet-food business was sold to Nestlé in 1998, Winalot continued as a broader range of dog foods and snacks.
Bread
Turog
Turog was a brown-bread brand introduced by Spillers in the early twentieth century. Spillers supplied flour to licensed bakers who made the bread, while the company supported the brand through advertising. Its business model positioned it as a competitor to Hovis.
Pet food
Kennomeat
Kennomeat was an established dog-food brand brought into the Spillers portfolio in 1964 through the acquisition of Scottish Animal Products, a subsidiary of Robert Wilson & Sons.
Flour milling · 1829
Spillers flour
Flour milling was the company's foundational business and supplied both commercial bakers and its own branded bakery initiatives. The milling operations formed a major part of Spillers until they were sold to Kerry Group in 1997.
Biscuits · 1855
Ships' biscuits
Spillers began producing ships' biscuits in 1855, adding a durable baked product to its flour-milling operations.
Brand decisions
1998
Sale of pet-food businessM&ABackground
Following the disposal of the milling operations, Dalgety continued separating Spillers' businesses during the late 1990s.
Action taken
The pet-food business was sold to Nestlé.
Aftermath
Winalot continued under Nestlé ownership and expanded from dog biscuits into a broader dog-food and snack range.
1997
Sale of flour-milling operationsM&ABackground
Dalgety began a series of disposals of Spillers activities during late-1990s restructuring.
Action taken
The flour-milling operations were sold to Kerry Group.
Aftermath
Spillers ceased to control its historic core milling business, which continued under Kerry Group ownership.
1979
Dalgety acquisitionM&ABackground
Spillers had become a diversified British food company spanning milling, bakery and animal foods. Dalgety pursued the company in a hostile takeover battle.
Action taken
Dalgety plc acquired Spillers and subsequently reorganized its businesses.
Aftermath
The bakery business was sold to Allied Bakeries, while later disposals transferred the flour-milling and pet-food operations to Kerry Group and Nestlé respectively.
Recent events
- 1998
Spillers pet-food business sold to Nestlé[1]
M&A
Dalgety sold Spillers' pet-food business to Nestlé. Winalot subsequently continued under Nestlé ownership and was expanded into dog foods and snacks.
- 1997
Spillers flour-milling operations sold to Kerry Group[1]
M&A
Dalgety sold Spillers' flour-milling operations to Kerry Group as part of a series of disposals and restructuring in the late 1990s.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/spillers · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled