Holland's Pies
Holland's Pies is a manufacturer of pies and puddings based in Baxenden, near Accrington in Lancashire, England. Owned by Northern Foods, the company also produce pasties, sausage rolls.
1851 Founded by John Whittaker as a confectioners shop in Haslingden, Lancashire.
1890 Walter Holland bought the business
1907 Moved to a much larger bakery, from where pies were delivered locally by horse and cart. 1927 The first of Holland’s famous brightly painted vans appeared, and by 1938 there was a fleet of 20 vans making regular deliveries around the North West.
Cake production ended at the bakery due to sugar-rationing during World War II, and meat pies became more popular.
After the war, in 1946, the decision was taken to sell the company to R. Gummer, a provisions firm of London and Liverpool.
1972 Holland’s was bought by Pork Farms, who in turn were bought by Northern Foods in 1979. Holland's thus became part of one of the UK’s major food manufacturing groups.
Following the sale of Pork Farms to Vision Capital in 2007, Holland's remained part of the Northern Foods portfolio - the pies and puddings were sold at 85% of chip shops in North West England.