William Jackson Food Group
A privately owned British food manufacturer and food-services group with businesses spanning bakery, organic grocery delivery, vegetable processing, snacks, and hospitality.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
William Jackson Food Group is the trading name of William Jackson & Son Limited, a privately owned British food group based in Hull, England. Its origins date to 1851, when William Jackson opened a grocery and tea-dealing shop at 28 Scale Lane in Hull. The business developed from a local retail and grocery operation into a diversified food company with manufacturing, distribution, food-service, and hospitality interests. The group’s history includes a substantial retail phase. Its Jacksons Stores chain eventually comprised 114 convenience stores across northern England before the stores were sold to Sainsbury’s in 2004. Food manufacturing became increasingly important during the company’s development. The first bakery was opened in 1891, and the current Jackson’s bakery on Derringham Street dates from 1907. Jackson’s remains one of the group’s principal bakery businesses. A notable product-development milestone occurred in 1968, when the company developed a process for producing Yorkshire puddings commercially. In 1974, Butlin’s asked the bakery to create a Yorkshire pudding suitable for its holiday camps. This work contributed to the development of the Aunt Bessie’s brand, which later became a large-scale frozen Yorkshire pudding and side-dish business. William Jackson Food Group sold Aunt Bessie’s to Nomad Foods in 2018, marking a significant change in the group’s brand portfolio. The group subsequently expanded through acquisitions and operates a collection of specialist businesses rather than presenting itself as a single consumer brand. Abel & Cole provides organic food delivery; Jacksons operates in bakery; MyFresh processes vegetables; The Food Doctor produces snack products; and Wellocks supplies food and ingredients to the restaurant sector. The group also includes the Ferguson Fawsitt Arms, a pub-restaurant in Walkington. These businesses give William Jackson Food Group exposure to retail food, direct-to-consumer grocery delivery, food manufacturing, hospitality, and professional food supply. Its portfolio model allows individual businesses to retain distinct identities and operating specialisms while remaining part of a long-established family food company. Public reference material identifies the group as active and privately held, but does not provide sufficient current information to state its precise ownership structure, executive roster, revenue, employee count, or international sales footprint. The available description supports characterizing it primarily as a United Kingdom-focused food manufacturer and diversified food-services group.
History
William Jackson Food Group traces its origins to 1851, when William Jackson, born in Elstronwick in the East Riding of Yorkshire, opened a grocery and tea-dealing shop at 28 Scale Lane in Hull. The enterprise began as a local retail business and later expanded into a wider chain of convenience stores known as Jacksons Stores. By the time the chain was sold to Sainsbury's in 2004, it comprised 114 stores across northern England. The transaction ended the group's direct ownership of that retail chain and accompanied its longer-term concentration on food manufacturing and related specialist businesses. Bakery became an important part of the company's development. Its first bakery opened in 1891, while the Jackson's bakery on Derringham Street in Hull opened in 1907 and is associated with the group's continuing bakery operations. The business also developed manufacturing expertise in prepared foods. In 1968, it created a process for producing Yorkshire puddings commercially. A further request came in 1974, when Butlin's asked the bakery to develop a Yorkshire pudding for its holiday camps. The resulting work contributed to the Aunt Bessie's brand. By 2016, Aunt Bessie's production was reported at approximately 20 million Yorkshire puddings per week, illustrating the scale reached by the product line before its later sale. The company has used acquisitions to broaden its activities beyond bakery and frozen foods. In 2012 it acquired Abel & Cole, an organic food delivery business. In 2016 it acquired The Food Doctor, a snack company. In 2018 it sold Aunt Bessie's to Nomad Foods, removing one of its best-known consumer brands while releasing the group from ownership of that business. The available reference material does not state the transaction value or detailed terms. The group's current businesses span several parts of the food economy. Abel & Cole operates in organic food delivery, Jacksons represents the bakery operation, MyFresh processes vegetables, The Food Doctor makes snacks, and Wellocks supplies food to restaurants and other professional customers. The group also includes the Ferguson Fawsitt Arms in Walkington, a pub-restaurant. This portfolio structure combines branded consumer products, ingredient and food-service supply, fresh-food processing, delivery, and hospitality. William Jackson Food Group remains a privately held British food manufacturer and diversified food group. Publicly available material identifies Hull as its base and the United Kingdom as its principal operating context. It does not provide enough information to establish a complete current list of directors or senior executives, detailed ownership arrangements, financial performance, or a precise international-market strategy.
- 2018
Aunt Bessie's sold to Nomad Foods
[1]The group sold Aunt Bessie's to Nomad Foods.
- 2016
The Food Doctor acquired
[1]The group acquired snack business The Food Doctor.
- 2012
Abel & Cole acquired
[1]William Jackson Food Group acquired organic food delivery business Abel & Cole.
- 2004
Jacksons Stores sold to Sainsbury's
[1]The 114-store Jacksons Stores convenience chain was sold to Sainsbury's.
- 1974
Butlin's Yorkshire pudding project leads toward Aunt Bessie's
[1]A request from Butlin's to supply Yorkshire puddings for its holiday camps contributed to the development of the Aunt Bessie's brand.
- 1968
Commercial Yorkshire pudding process developed
[1]The company developed a process for producing Yorkshire puddings commercially.
- 1907
Derringham Street bakery opens
[1]The current Jackson's bakery on Derringham Street opened in Hull.
- 1891
First bakery opens
[1]The company opened its first bakery, establishing a manufacturing direction alongside its retail roots.
- 1851
William Jackson opens a grocery and tea shop in Hull
[1]William Jackson founded the business by opening a shop at 28 Scale Lane in Hull and trading as a grocer and tea dealer.
Products and positioning
A privately owned, portfolio-based British food group combining established manufacturing businesses with specialist food-delivery, food-service, and hospitality operations.
Bakery · 1891
Jacksons
Jacksons is the group's bakery business, rooted in the company's long manufacturing history in Hull. The first bakery opened in 1891 and the Derringham Street bakery dates from 1907. The available reference material identifies the business as a continuing bakery operation but does not provide a complete current product catalogue.
Organic food delivery
Abel & Cole
Abel & Cole is an organic food delivery business acquired by William Jackson Food Group in 2012. It gives the group a direct-to-consumer channel alongside its manufacturing and food-service businesses. The available source identifies its organic delivery focus but does not provide a full breakdown of current ranges or delivery coverage.
Vegetable processing
MyFresh
MyFresh is the group's vegetable-processing business. It represents the fresh-food preparation and processing part of the portfolio, complementing the group's bakery, snack, delivery, and restaurant-supply activities. No detailed product list is established by the supplied reference material.
Snacks · 2016
The Food Doctor
The Food Doctor is a snack business acquired by William Jackson Food Group in 2016. Its inclusion broadened the group's branded food presence beyond bakery and prepared frozen foods. The supplied reference material does not specify its full range, distribution, or current brand architecture.
Restaurant food supply
Wellocks
Wellocks supplies food and ingredients to the restaurant industry. It gives William Jackson Food Group a business-to-business food-service capability and connects the group with professional kitchens rather than only household consumers. Detailed customer, product, and geographic information is not established in the supplied source.
Frozen prepared foods · 1974
Aunt Bessie's
Aunt Bessie's developed from William Jackson Food Group's commercial Yorkshire pudding work, including the 1974 project for Butlin's holiday camps. The brand became associated with frozen Yorkshire puddings and other prepared side dishes. It was sold to Nomad Foods in 2018 and is therefore a former, rather than current, group business.
Brand decisions
2018
Sale of Aunt Bessie's to Nomad FoodsM&ABackground
Aunt Bessie's had grown from the company's commercial Yorkshire pudding technology into a major frozen-food brand.
Action taken
The group sold Aunt Bessie's to Nomad Foods.
Aftermath
Aunt Bessie's left the William Jackson Food Group portfolio, while the group retained a diversified set of bakery, delivery, processing, snack, restaurant-supply, and hospitality businesses.
2016
Acquisition of The Food DoctorM&ABackground
The group was expanding its portfolio of specialist food businesses.
Action taken
William Jackson Food Group acquired snack business The Food Doctor.
Aftermath
The acquisition added a snack operation to the group's bakery, delivery, processing, and food-service interests.
2012
Acquisition of Abel & ColeM&ABackground
The group sought to broaden its portfolio beyond traditional manufacturing and retail activities.
Action taken
It acquired Abel & Cole, an organic food delivery business.
Aftermath
Abel & Cole became part of the group's direct-to-consumer and organic-food activities.
2004
Sale of Jacksons Stores to Sainsbury'sM&ABackground
The company had developed a northern England convenience-store chain of 114 outlets alongside its food activities.
Action taken
William Jackson Food Group sold Jacksons Stores to Sainsbury's.
Aftermath
The sale reduced the group's direct retail-store presence and supported its later emphasis on food manufacturing and specialist food businesses.
Sources2 sources
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