Ginsters
TypeLtd
IndustryFood, pastry
Founded1969
HeadquartersCallington, Cornwall, UK
ProductsPasties, sandwiches, snacks
OwnerSamworth Brothers
Number of employees
700+

Ginsters /ˈɡɪnstərz/ is a company based in Callington in Cornwall, in the south-west of England. The largest pasty maker in the UK in turnover, it specialises in making mass-produced pasties, sausage rolls, sandwiches, pasta bowls and other savoury snacks. Since 1977, it has been owned by Mark and David Samworth.[1][2]

History

The Ginsters family were in the business of supplying horse manure to foundries for mixing with sand for the moulds for casting. The business was based in West Bromwich before finally moving to Longwood Lane, Walsall. After the second world war, Geoff Ginster approached his father saying that he wished to move with his family down to the West Country. He asked his father if it would be possible to have his inheritance early in order to so do. Originally moving to Devon, Geoff Ginster started making clotted cream and became very successful to the point where the Milk Marketing Board offered to buy him out. Geoff refused only to be met with the response, "if he did not sell the MMB would cease to supply his business with milk". Geoff Ginster having no choice moved to Cornwall and started his Cornish Pasty business in 1969. They started the business in a near-derelict egg-packing station, with a staff of four.[3] Geoffrey Ginster started production of pasties from a "secret recipe" he claimed to have obtained from a ship's cook. Production slowly increased until by 1970 a staff of 30 was producing 48,000 units a day. Initially Ginsters pasties were sold to pubs, cafés, corner shops and other small stores in Plymouth and nearby seaside towns, before expanding further to cover southern England.[4]

In 1977, Geoffrey Ginster retired and sold the business to Samworth Brothers, leading to further growth, modernisation and development. An adjoining factory was acquired, renovated and equipped with modern baking and packing facilities. It was renamed the Tamar Bakery, and was later extended with new, largely automated, machinery. When it went into operation the original Ginsters bakery was closed. In 1984, Ginsters was producing 1.5 million pasties a week and had become the biggest employer in East Cornwall's private sector. In 1987, a new bakery, named Lynher Bakery after the nearby River Lynher, was built alongside the Tamar Bakery.[4][5]

In 1990, Ginsters commenced advertising and promotional campaigns to raise awareness of their product. This resulted in Ginsters Original Cornish Pasty being stocked by leading supermarkets, petrol stations, convenience stores and motorway service stations across Britain. Ginsters claim that their Original Cornish Pasty is the biggest selling product in the savoury pastry market, and that during a twenty-year period 450 million of them have been sold.[6]

Politics

The company has donated at least £32,000 to the Conservative Party since 2002, on top of the £610,000 donated by the individual Samworth brothers since 2010.[7][8]

Products

Ginsters’ most popular product is the Original Cornish Pasty. Cornish pasties were granted protected geographical indication (PGI) status from the European Union in 2011. This product is still made using Ginsters’ original recipe. Since the 1990s the product range has been extended to include a variety of pasties, savoury slices, sausage rolls, pork pies, hot pies, snacks, sandwiches, flatbreads, wraps and packaged salads. Ginsters claim to source their ingredients from neighbouring farms in Cornwall.[9]

Vegan products

From 2019, Ginsters has been producing vegan products, for example its Moroccan vegetable pasty,[10][11] which won an award in 2020.[12] In 2021 the company introduced additional vegan pasty fillings, including Bombay potato and spinach, and Cajun Spiced Sweet Potato and Chickpea.[13]

Sponsorship

From 2002 to 2011, Ginsters sponsored football club Plymouth Argyle F.C., rekindling this sponsorship in 2016 with a 3-year deal. It also sponsors Callington Town FC, Callington Rugby Club and Launceston Rugby Club ("The Cornish All Blacks").

Ginsters became the title sponsor for Speedworks Motorsport in the 2019 British Touring Car Championship season with the manufacturer backed Toyota Corolla. The team entry was known as Team Toyota GB with Ginsters.

References

  1. ↑ Warnes, Sophie (25 March 2015). "Buy these 11 things and you are unwittingly funding the Tories". mirror. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  2. ↑ "Ginsters' £100,000 government donation during 'pasty tax' – British Baker". bakeryinfo.co.uk. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  3. ↑ The Grocery Trader, Ginsters Marketing Controller talks to The Grocery Trader. Retrieved 29 July 2013
  4. 1 2 Patrick Beaver & Adam Lawrence (2005), A Way of Life, Basic Books, pp.89–95, ISBN 0-9536140-5-0
  5. ↑ Ginsters at TastyJob.com Archived 2013-07-29 at archive.today. Retrieved 29 July 2013
  6. ↑ "About Ginsters". ginsters.co.uk/. Ginsters Ltd. Archived from the original on 16 April 2015. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  7. ↑ Warnes, Sophie (25 March 2015). "Buy these 11 things and you are unwittingly funding the Tories". mirror. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  8. ↑ "Ginsters' £100,000 government donation during 'pasty tax' - British Baker". bakeryinfo.co.uk. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  9. ↑ Ginsters: Products
  10. ↑ Chiorando, Maria (13 May 2019). "Pastry Giant Ginsters Launches Vegan Pasty". plantbasednews.org. Plant Based News. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  11. ↑ Johnson, Helen (17 May 2019). "Ginsters follows Greggs and launches first vegan pasty - here's where you can buy one". Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  12. ↑ Spooner, Amy (14 March 2020). "Ginsters took home a staggering five awards at the 12th British Pie Awards". The Falmouth Packet. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  13. ↑ Briggs, Fiona (20 September 2021). "Ginsters debuts range of plant-based Pasties inspired by global flavours". retailtimes.co.uk. Retail Times. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
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