Mrs Darlington’s

What Mrs Darlington’s does

Mrs Darlington's, legally registered as Darlington and Daughters (company number 6255483 in England and Wales), is a family-run British food processing company based in Crewe, Cheshire that produces and sells traditional preserves. Its portfolio spans over 85–90 products across multiple categories: jams and extra jams, marmalades (including alcoholic variants with whisky, gin, and brandy), curds, chutneys and pickles, sauces and jellies, and mayonnaises and ketchups. Products are made using family recipes described as passed down through generations, adhering to UK food-law compositional standards (e.g., jams with 35g fruit per 100g, extra jam 45–50g, marmalades as citrus jams with 65% sugar content), and using naturally-occurring fruit pectin from citrus or apples as a setting agent rather than artificial gelling agents. The company positions its products as nut-free, GMO-free, and free of artificial colours and preservatives.

The business operates a dual go-to-market model. It sells direct-to-consumer through its e-commerce website (mrsdarlingtons.com), with orders subject to a 6-jar minimum and 24-jar maximum, shipped via FedEx within the UK only (excluding Northern Ireland, Channel Islands, and PO Boxes). It also distributes wholesale to thousands of independent retailers—farm shops, garden centres, delis, butchers, and market halls—across the UK and Ireland, and reaches international consumers through overseas stockists in the EU, USA, Canada, Hong Kong, New Zealand, and Australia. The company deliberately avoids large supermarket chains to maintain an artisan positioning.

Revenue is generated through one-time jar purchases priced from £2.80 (e.g., Chilli Jelly) to £4.97 (Mincemeat With Brandy), supplemented by bundles such as the Best Sellers Bundle (6 jars for £20.91). It targets two primary segments: individual consumers (home cooks and food enthusiasts) and independent retailers seeking distinctive artisan inventory. The company is privately held, family-owned, employs an estimated 1–10 people, has no disclosed external funding or parent company, and has won Great Taste Awards from the Guild of Fine Food (2023 for Legendary Lemon Curd, 2022 for Tangerine Marmalade).

Name

Mrs Darlington’s

Legal name

Darlington and Daughters

Website

https://mrsdarlingtons.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Mrs Darlington's is a family-run British food processing company producing over 85 traditional jams, curds, marmalades, chutneys, and condiments, sold direct-to-consumer online and wholesale through thousands of independent UK, Irish, and international retailers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisanal Preserves & Condiments

NAICS

All Other Specialty Food Retailers (445298)

SIC

Canned, Fruits, Veg, Preserves, Jams & Jellies (2033), Food And Kindred Products (2000), Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030)

akta.pro primary industry

Shelf-Stable Pantry Staples (Grains, Pasta, Rice, Beans, Canned Foods) (CRADAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Online Bulk & Pantry Staples Retail (CRAHAIAG)

Keywords

• Artisan preserves
• Handmade jams
• Traditional chutneys
• Condiments manufacturing
• Fruit curds

Headquarters

HQ city

Crewe

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales: One-time purchase of individual jars sold directly to consumers through the online shop. Products range from £2.80 to £4.97 per jar with minimum order of 6 jars and maximum of 24 jars per order.
2. Wholesale to Retailers: Products sold wholesale to independent retailers including farm shops, garden centres, delis, butchers, and market halls across the UK and Ireland. Also distributed internationally through various stockists.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Darlington and Daughters, trading as Mrs Darlington's, manufactures and sells more than 85 traditional British pantry products from its base in Crewe, including preserves, jams, marmalades, fruit curds, chutneys, pickles, sauces, mayonnaises, and ketchups. The range is produced from time-honoured family recipes and sold direct to consumers via the company's UK website and through independent retailers and international stockists.

Product overview

Mrs Darlington's is a traditional British preserves company offering over 85 products across multiple categories. The portfolio includes: Curds (lemon, lime, orange, passion fruit, blackcurrant, lemon & lime); Jams (strawberry, raspberry, blackcurrant, damson, rhubarb & ginger, apricot, seedless raspberry, wild blueberry, morello cherry, ginger, gooseberry, peach melba, winter berry, Christmas preserve); Marmalades (medium cut orange, thick cut orange, pink grapefruit, shredless orange, thick cut marmalade, three fruit, lemon & lime, tangerine, grapefruit, orange & gin, orange & ginger, lime, blood orange & orange liqueur, orange & whisky, orange & brandy); Chutneys and Pickles (mango, sweet apple, beetroot, caramelised onion, farmer tom's pickle, spicy tomato & sticky onion, red onion marmalade, autumn fruit, piccalilli, ploughman's pickle no 7, tomato, beetroot in redcurrant, sweet chilli relish, spicy sweetcorn relish, baby beetroot); Sauces and Jellies (chilli jelly, mint jelly, mint sauce, bramley apple sauce, hot horseradish, creamed horseradish, redcurrant jelly with port, tartare sauce, apple & mint jelly, cranberry sauce, cumberland sauce, english mustard); Mayonnaise and Ketchups (traditional mayo, blue cheese mayo, garlic mayo, hot chilli mayo, bloody mary ketchup, mustard ketchup, mango chilli & lime ketchup, smoky barbecue ketchup, tangy tomato ketchup, fruity brown sauce, beetroot ketchup); and Mincemeat With Brandy. The company sells directly to consumers via their online shop (6-24 jar minimum order) and through thousands of independent retailers across the UK and Ireland.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tangerine Marmalade Traditional tangerine marmalade produced as part of Mrs Darlington's artisan preserve range, recognised with a Great Taste Award in 2022 and sold to UK consumers via the company's website and through independent retailers.
• Legendary Lemon Curd Signature lemon curd from the Mrs Darlington's range, awarded a Great Taste Award in 2023 and distributed via direct-to-consumer channels and independent stockists.
• Mrs Darlington's Preserves Range Over-arching range of more than 85 traditional British pantry products produced by Darlington and Daughters in Crewe, encompassing preserves, jams, marmalades, curds, chutneys, pickles, condiments, sauces, mayonnaises, and ketchups, available to UK consumers via the brand's own website and through independent retailers and international stockists.

Quantifiable outcome

• Products rated 5.00/5.00 stars on average across major products
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• British Shopping EUminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEuropean online retailer selling Mrs Darlington's products to consumers in the EU region.
• World MarketminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUS retailer selling Mrs Darlington's preserves in their stores.
• British Food ShopminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOnline retailer specializing in British food products for US customers.
• Citysuper (Hong Kong)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUpscale food hall retailer in Hong Kong stocking Mrs Darlington's products.
• Dante's Fine Foods (New Zealand)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNew Zealand retailer selling Mrs Darlington's preserves.
• EFH (Australia)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAustralian retailer selling Mrs Darlington's products.
• Delitrade (Germany/EU)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGerman-based European distributor of British food products.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Hartley's: Mass-market UK jam and preserves brand owned by Hain Celestial, sold predominantly through major grocers. While not directly competing in the artisan channel, it represents the mainstream price-point benchmark that constrains Mrs Darlington's premium pricing.

Direct peers

• Mackays: Scotland-based family preserves maker producing marmalades, jams, and curds with traditional recipes. Sells through UK independents and international stockists, making it a near-direct competitor to Mrs Darlington's in the artisan preserves category.
• Stonewall Kitchen: US-based premium specialty food brand offering jams, preserves, sauces, mustards, and condiments through farm shops, gourmet retailers, and DTC. Highly comparable product mix and go-to-market model to Mrs Darlington's.
• Duerr's: Manchester-based family preserves maker (est. 1881) producing marmalades, jams, and curds for UK retail. Similar heritage, category mix, and distribution through independent and grocery channels.
• Tracklements: Wiltshire-based artisan producer of chutneys, mustards, ketchups, and condiments for the UK premium independent channel. Closely overlaps with Mrs Darlington's chutney, sauce, and ketchup lines and shares the same farm shop and deli distribution strategy.
• Bonne Maman: French premium preserves brand with the iconic gingham-lid jar, sold across UK farm shops, delis, and supermarkets. Directly comparable in product format (jams, marmalades, curds, compotes) and target consumer (home cooks seeking authentic traditional taste).
• Wilkin & Sons (Tiptree): Iconic UK family-run preserves and marmalade maker based in Essex, with a comparable range of jams, marmalades, curds, and condiments sold globally through farm shops, delis, and premium retailers. Operates an estate-based manufacturing heritage model that closely mirrors Mrs Darlington's positioning.

Others

• Cotswold Fayre: UK fine food wholesaler distributing artisan brands (including preserves, condiments, and chutneys) to independent retailers. Functions as a potential route-to-market partner for Mrs Darlington's to scale independent retail coverage in the UK.

Emerging players

• Daylesford: UK organic farm shop and online retailer with an extensive own-label range of jams, chutneys, and condiments. Competes with Mrs Darlington's for the same premium independent-retail and DTC customer seeking heritage and clean-ingredient stories.
• The Fine Cheese Co. UK artisan producer of premium condiments, crackers, and accompaniments sold through farm shops and delis. Overlaps with Mrs Darlington's on the savoury condiment side (mayonnaises, chutneys, relishes) and on the artisanal independent-retail channel.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mrsdarlingtons
• Facebooken-gb.facebook.com/mrsdarlingtons
• Instagraminstagram.com/mrsdarlingtons/?hl=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mrs-darlington

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mrs Darlington’s