In 1855, John & Sarah Hill opened a small shop in Dukinfield, Greater Manchester
In 1889, the manufacturing business started to develop on a much larger scale, and on Saturday 4th November 1893 the foundation stone for Tudno Mill in Ashton-under-Lyne, which still houses the bakery today, was laid by Sarah Hill.
Business continued to flourish and Hill Biscuits became a limited company in 1906. From that date onwards, John Hill & Co (whose name would eventually change to Hill Biscuits) passed through a number of ownerships, including John Mackintosh & Co. which in turn was to be purchased in 1969 by Rowntree’s. In 1979 Rowntree decided to divest themselves of Hill Biscuits and in May 1980 a management buy-in took place led by Mr Don Bennett, thus returning Hill to private ownership. Since 1980 growth in Hill Biscuits has been modest but profits have been ploughed back into a series of developments which have proved beneficial. The adjoining Ryecroft Mill was acquired in 1982, and in 1983 a ready-to-eat breakfast cereal plant making shredded bran and shreddies was put in place and a company formed called Ryecroft Foods Limited. At the outset, the new business was funded and largely owned by Hill.
In 2006 Hill Biscuits celebrated 100 years as a limited company. 2007 brought the purchase of the adjoining Fern Mill which over the next five years was demolished to make way for a new warehouse. In 2011, Mr Don Bennett retired as Chairman after over 30 years, leaving the business on a far more secure footing than when he started. The management team continue to reinvest in the business and currently employ around 350 people. The most recent innovations include a move into snack packs, mini packs and assorted biscuit trays – all proving very popular.
