Walkers Nonsuch Toffee

Walkers Nonsuch Toffee is one of England's finest and oldest makers of traditional toffee. Based in Longton, Stoke on Trent, the family owned and run business has been producing toffee to traditional family recipes since the turn of the Century. For more than 100 years Walkers' remains at the head of the toffee market, supplying its world famous toffee to customers around the globe.
Toffee production is now managed by IanWalker, grandson of the company founder, Edward Joseph
Walker, and the third generation of the Walker family to run the company since business first
started in the late 1800's. The traditional family recipe has changed very little. Walkers' still insists on
using only the best natural ingredients in its toffee production, raw cane brown sugar, glucose, full cream
condensed milk, vegetable oil and butter, many of which are obtained from exotic destinations throughout the world.
Walkers' has come a long way since the business was established. Former potter, Edward Joseph Walker,
opened a small sweet shop in Longton, along with his sister, Florence, who assisted in the shop and managed the books for him.
Much to the delight of his local customers Edward began to sell an assortment of toffee made in the back of
the shop to his own recipes. Demand for Edward's homemade toffee grew so quickly that he was forced
to open a small factory in the old King Street area of Longton. In 1915 Edward enlisted his son, Edward Victor, to help with production.
Together they manufactured their toffee, one batch at a time, to Edward Joseph's original recipe. Walkers' Nonsuch
was born and in 1922 was established as an independent company with limited liability

Walkers' Nonsuch took its name from Henry VIII's legendary 'Nonsuch' palace. Crowned the 'palace of
all palaces' for its exquisite splendor there was 'nonsuch' like it. This was similar to Edward's
status as the creator of the most delicious toffee 'nonsuch' like any other.

Business thrived and Walkers toffee continued to be enjoyed by an ever increasing number of
chewers. However, with the begining of the Second World War and in the post war years
Walkers was forced to restrict its output, finding it more and more difficult to find its raw
materials. After the war, when restrictions were lifted and business began to grow again Walkers decided to move to larger premises.
The new site on Calverley Street, Longton had been a sweet factory since it was built in 1894,
formerly belonging to boiled sweet manufacturer, Horleston Brothers Ltd. Calverley Street is still the
home to Walkers' today, following the purchase of Horleston Brothers in 1947 and Siddalls Blue Churn Confectionery later in 1961.
On the death of Edward Victor Walker in 1962 Jan Walker and his late brother Edward were appointed joint managing directors of the family firm. The brothers set about investing in modern equipment allowing them to produce Walkers' toffees by the ton. Jan and Edward watched over the production at every stage to make sure that the toffee remained of the excellent standard set by their father and grandfather before them.
Walkers became well-known in the midlands, the popularity of Walkers' toffee soon spread to the whole of the United Kingdom.
During the fifties the company began to receive enquiries from export buyers, interested in purchasing Walkers' toffee
for sale overseas. Increasing production in the seventies made it possible for Walkers' to seriously consider the supply of overseas markets.
The export market remains a key area of business for Walkers' today with customers in many different countries enjoying the pure taste of Walkers Nonsuch toffee.

While Walkers recipes have changed very little, great developments have been made in technology and packaging. An ongoing program of reinvestment in the business has resulted in machinery and equipment specifically designed to perfect the traditional toffee making process.
The pre-mixed ingredients are spread around the factory to continuous cookers then poured into moulds ready for finishing, every half hour samples are tested to maintain the correct balance of ingredients in the mix. Walkers' decision to invest in specialist equipment has resulted in an increase in efficiency and speed of production whilst guaranteeing the texture and quality of the finished product.

In addition to these technological advances Walkers has reacted to changing consumer needs and market demands. The traditional method of packing toffee in trays has been modernised with the development of Walker 'crack packs'. Toffee is now moulded into bars and individually wrapped clear cellophane.
Each bar is pre-segmented making it easier to eat - just tap once while it is still in its wrapper and the toffee breaks into easy to eat pieces. The packets are then supplied to shops on the old fashioned metal toffee trays that once contained slab toffee to break up on demand.
The present generation of the Walker family aims to continue the traditions, begun by Edward Joseph Walker more than 100 years ago. Traditional family values remain evident in the Walkers' philosophy and its reputation for quality toffee remains. Walkers will continue to produce its delicious toffee.