About Walkers' Nonsuch
Walkers' Nonsuch is one of England's finest and oldest makers of traditional toffee.
Based in Longton, Stoke on Trent, the family owned and run company has been making toffee to traditional family recipes since the turn of the Century.
Established for more than 100 years Walkers' remains at the forefront of the toffee market, supplying its world famous toffee to customers in more than 25 countries around the globe.
Toffee production is now managed by Ian Walker, grandson of the company founder, Edward Joseph Walker, and the third generation of the Walker family to manage the company since business first started in the late 1800's.
The traditional family recipe has changed very little over the past 100 years. Walkers' still insists on using only the finest natural ingredients in its toffee - full cream sweetened condensed milk, sugar enhanced with molasses, real chocolate with high minimum cocoa solids and lashings of butter - many of which are sourced from exotic destinations around the world.
Walkers' has come a long way since the business was established at the turn of the Century. Former potter, Edward Joseph Walker, opened a small sweet shop in Longton, along with his sister, Florence, who helped out in the shop and managed the books for him.
Much to the delight of his local customers Edward began to sell a selection of toffee made in the back of the shop to his own recipes. Demand for Edward's homemade toffee grew so rapidly that he was forced to open a small factory in the old King Street area of Longton to cope with production.
In 1915 Edward enrolled his son, Edward Victor, to help with production. Together they manufactured their toffee, one batch at a time, to Edward Joseph's original recipe. Thus Walkers' Nonsuch was born, later established as an independent company with limited liability in 1922.
Walkers' Nonsuch takes its name from Henry VIII's legendary 'Nonsuch' palace. Crowned the 'palace of all palaces' for its exquisite splendour there was 'nonsuch' like it. This was similar to Edward's reputation as the creator of the most delicious toffee 'nonsuch' like any other.
Business flourished and Edward's toffee continued to be enjoyed by an ever increasing number of customers. However, with the onset of the Second World War and in the post war years Walkers' was forced to restrict its output finding it increasingly difficult to source 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, previously belonging to boiled sweet manufacturers, Horleston Brothers Ltd. Calverley Street is still the home to Walkers' today, following the acquisition of Horleston Brothers in 1947 and Siddalls Blue Churn Confectionery later in 1961.
On the death of Edward Victor Walker in 1962 Ian Walker and his late brother Edward were appointed joint managing directors of the family firm. The brothers set about investing in modern equipment enabling them to produce Walkers' toffees by the ton. Ian and Edward watched over the production at every stage to ensure that the toffee remained of the excellent standard set by their father and grandfather before them.
Firmly established 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 company therefore began an active search for agents, visiting export sales outlets and discussing listings with the possibility of exporting the toffee overseas.
The export market now is 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 since the 1800's, great advances have been made in technology and packaging. A continual programme of reinvestment in the business has resulted in machinery and equipment specifically designed to perfect the traditional toffee making process. Walkers' decision to invest in specialist equipment has resulted in an increase in efficiency and speed of production whilst ensuring the consistency and quality of the finished product.
Walkers' Nonsuch continues to be a family concern with Ian's daughters, Kate and Emma involved in sales and marketing and nephew Edward Nicholas Walker responsible for production. Traditional family values remain evident in the Walkers' philosophy.