Briess & Co Ltd. was formed in 1942 in the city of London as a supplier importer and distributor to the food industry of mainly products such as potato flakes and dried milk.
At the time when Briess was formed the Second World War was at its peak and food supplies were rationed - extremely scarce - and often sank by German U-boats.
In 1984 the company was bought out by Gerry Costa and Carlos Ballester - two very experienced food suppliers with over 37 years' combined experience in the industry - to supply UK Prepackers for the burgeoning supermarket trade. The range of products was very large: Briess became one of the main importers and suppliers of Spanish courgettes and aubergines to most of the UK Supermarkets.
Briess's import/export involvement escalated into importing new potatoes - the export of seed potatoes all over the world - together with importing other vegetables including carrots and onions.
At that time, and encouraged mainly by J. Sainsbury, Briess got involved in helping develop the new movement towards Organic Produce not only in Spain but in other European and North African Countries - they were pioneers of this new trade. Briess became a founder member of the Organic Farmers & Growers Association in the UK.
The company had become the largest importer of organic carrots in the UK and supplier to France's multiple supermarkets.
Many new precedents were set by Briess, being the first to use Big Bags to transport carrots and later parsnips from Spain and France to the UK for our expanding Repacking Industry.
They were the first to grow parsnips in Spain for the May/June window. In the 1990's Briess encouraged and introduced Spanish bunched carrots for Sainsbury's and many more UK multiples. Briess became a part of the Produce World Group in 2004.
Latest News
Open Farm Sunday - 1 June 2008
This years event has been described by LEAF as “the best yet!”. Over 400 farmers across the country opened up and early reports indicate that nearly 150,000 members of the public visited a local farm on 1st June. A full report will be issued by LEAF later in the year…but in the meantime here is our very own Produce World report. As proud sponsors of the 2008 Open Farm Sunday event I would like to share with everyone the day’s successes, and give a great BIG thank you to everyone who took part…THANK YOU!.
Produce World acquires Marshalls and Agromark
Produce World Ltd, currently growing and marketing organic and conventional fresh produce, has acquired Marshalls Holdings Ltd, a group of companies that includes Marshall Bros (Butterwick) Ltd and a 76% holding in Agromark SA, in a deal agreed and completed last night.
