Key Events
1889
George Foster Clark, then just 25 years old, begins experimenting in his mother’s kitchen. He wanted to discover better ways to make baking aids, cake flour and even lemonade powder.
1891
With an initial share capital of £27.50, George starts Foster Clark & Co together with his two brothers, William and Henry.
1895
The company purchases part of the former Chambers Jam Factory on Hart Street.
1910
With a capital of £54,300, Foster Clark is registered as a private company – the size of the premises is increased, as was the range of its products.
1928
Foster Clark is registered as a public company on the London Stock Exchange, with a capital of £500,000. Company shares are given to all employees who have been in service for over 10 years.
1929
The company becomes one of the first in Great Britain to add the canning of fruit and vegetables to its product range.
1950
Financial hardship hits the firm when demand shifts towards fast and frozen foods.
1960
Foster Clark merged with St Martin Group of companies.
1961
The company faces another setback when one of its largest warehouses is destroyed by fire.
1963
Sales continue to fall after the fire and the company is put up for sale to keep it afloat.
1965
Foster Clark is sold to OXO Ltd, who continue the trade of Foster Clark within its own organisation.
1967
Paul Busuttil, a distributor for Foster Clark in Malta, encourages owners OXO/Brooke to set up a join venture manufacturing in Malta.
1974
Frank Busuttil succeeds his father and contributes to the growth of the business, both in Malta and overseas.
1984
Unilever acquires Brooke Bond and its share in Foster Clark.
1986
Charles Busuttil succeeds his brother and leads the company to the next stage of its development.
1992
A major investment programme sees the opening of new office premises, as well as the introduction of a ‘wet goods’ production plant.
1997
The start of a new era is marked by the inauguration of a new factory and offices.
2000
The Busuttil family acquires all the shares in Foster Clark Products.
2009
The company continues to invest in new state-of-the-art production facilities, and expands its geography footprint.
2011
Joseph Busuttil succeeded his uncle who is currently leading the company to the next stage of its development
2014
A newly constructed automated logistics centre with 16,000 + Sqm of storage space was inaugurated
2015
Saw the taking over of B&S Manufacturing & B&S Exports operations and trading.
2017
A 50th anniversary milestone adds great value to the trustworthiness and reliability of a company. For the past 50 years, the company has established itself as a market leader in the food and beverage industry. As it turns 50, the company looks ahead to continued growth which, for the past years, has been achieved through leadership, innovation, strategic investment and by becoming a global brand of choice.
