The Company:           

History:

Real Foods can trace its origins back to a humble family bakery founded in 1892 by Mr. Christophe. M. Butterworth. His secret recipes and unrivalled quality led the bakery to become the most successful in the whole of Bakerstown. In 1901, Mr. Butterworth passed the family business onto his youngest son, Christophe junior, having already expanded the company to include 17 bakeries, 14 farms, and a modest export business throughout central Europe.

Christophe Junior had equally grand plans and by 1934, the newly re-branded Butterworth’s Real Foods boasted production lines in 13 countries across three continents with its products being sold in 48 countries. The company continued its success throughout the ensuing decades, overcoming several global crises and adjusting its products to meet economic conditions. This not only benefitted the company, but also its loyal customers.

In 1987, following the death of Michel, the third chairman of Butterwoth’s Real Foods, the company was floated on the stock market.  With the family no longer involved in the core business, “Butterworth’s” was dropped from the name and the company became the Real Foods we know today. However, the ethos of the company has never changed – the Real Foods group is continually expanding, but we never lose sight of the family values which made this company the success it is today.

Today, the site of the original bakery has been transformed into Real Foods’ flagship confectionary site which is led by the Sweetman subsidiary.  All of our most recognisable confectionary brands are made here, including the world’s famous sweets: “Famously Fruity” jellies. In 1998, the company demonstrated its commitment to maintaining its links to the Bakerstown community as it opened a new research and innovation unit at the Sweetman site. The facility now employs some 187 local people and has even asked children from Butterworth Primary School to conduct its taste tests: a task which is thoroughly enjoyed by all involved!

Structure:

Real Foods currently employs some 86,000 people directly and contracts another 347,000 through regional suppliers.  We run operations on every continent and aim to have strong local sales and development teams to respond to local demands.  The result is a highly innovative product range which is responsive to local markets. Through the diversity of its 1,327 products, the company is able to bring real foods to everyone.  

We operate with as flat a structure as possible below board level and encourage regional directors to meet on a regular basis to share ideas and successes from their own specific areas. We also suggest that each of our regions is run as a “team” and actively elicit input from all staff. The result: a product and process spanning everything from raw materials to distribution which everyone feels they have contributed to and can be proud of.