With a heritage dating back to 1817, Ernest Jackson has almost 200 years experience and expertise in developing, manufacturing and marketing medicated confectionery and vitamin pastilles.
Ernest Jackson offers a wide range of well-known branded products, as well as a comprehensive contract manufacturing service.
At the factory site in Devon, Ernest Jackson has the capability to manufacture pastilles, sugar boilings and paste lozenges, made to exacting standards, some to formulae handed down by generations and others to meet the ever evolving market requirements.
Based in the South West of England, Ernest Jackson currently employs over 150 people across two sites and is a member of the Kraft Foods Group.
www.kraftfoodscompany.com
Drawing on our unique experience of the healthcare and confectionery markets, our company vision is to deliver the best tasting healthcare products to consumers.
In 1817, a Crediton based pharmacist, William Searle, was asked to prescribe ‘something effective but soothing’ for a troublesome sore throat. As a result, he developed a range of medicated lozenges which he manufactured and sold from his Pharmacy on Crediton High Street. In 1891, William Searle sold the company to Edward Ernest Jackson.
Today, Ernest Jackson employs over 150 people and Ernest Jacksons brands and products are available throughout the UK and many countries worldwide. Through years of experience in developing, manufacturing and marketing a vast array of medicated confectionery products, Ernest Jackson has become one of the biggest players in the UK medicated confectionery market.
Ernest Jackson Timeline
| 1817 – |
William Searle starts making medicinal lozenges in Crediton |
| 1891 – |
Edward Ernest Jackson buys the business from Searle |
| 1896 – |
Ernest Jackson diversifies into Pastilles & Pellets |
| 1916 – |
Ernest Jackson becomes a private limited company. Buys Union Road Factory and starts making compressed tablets |
| 1923 – |
Imps liquorice and menthol pellets launched |
| 1925 – |
Throaties medicated pastilles launched |
| 1930 – |
Ernest Jackson dies. Son William becomes MD |
| 1964 – |
Proctor's brand acquired |
| 1973 – |
Union Road Factory sold (compressed tablet production ceased) |
| 1974 – |
Vigroids brand acquired |
| 1977 – |
Vitamin C pastilles launched |
| 1980 – |
William Jackson dies |
| 1984 – |
Ernest Jackson merges with Bassetts Foods PLC |
| 1989 – |
Cadbury Schweppes take over Trebor Bassett
Special Recipe brand acquired |
| 1991 – |
Potters Catarrh Pastilles and Zubes brands acquired |
| 1992 – |
Victory V and Hacks acquired by Trebor Bassett |
| 1995 – |
Bassetts Soft & Chewy Vitamins were launched
Kia Ora Fruit Pastilles were launched |
| 2000 – |
Cadbury Trebor Bassetts formed |
| 2003 – |
Adams acquisition brought Halls into Ernest Jackson |
| 2005 – |
Bassetts Soft & Chewy Omega 3 products launched |
| 2008 – |
Bassetts Soft & Chewy brand was relaunched |
| 2010 – |
Cadbury acquired by Kraft Foods |