Wittington Investments
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Owned |
UK |
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Holding company
Wittington Investments is controlled by the Weston Family, and is the ultimate holding company of Associated British Foods plc (ABF), one of Europe's largest food companies and owners of George Weston Foods in Australia.
Company Ownership
Wittington Investments Ltd | UK | website | ||||
Garfield Weston Foundation ![]() owns 79% of Wittington Investments Ltd |
UK | website | ||||
Grant-giving charity Founded 1958. The Weston family controls a string of businesses through this charitable trust, including Associated British Foods, Primark and Fortnum & Mason. Owns nearly 80% of Wittington Investments, its main source of income. |
Company Assessment
PRAISE | CRITICISM | INFORMATION | ||
Wittington Investments Ltd | ||||
Wittington Investments subsidiary Fortnum & Mason has been targeted by PETA for continuing to sell foie gras. Foie gras is made of the liver of a duck or goose that has been force fed grain through a tube for the last 12-18 days of its life under factory farm conditions. More than a dozen countries have prohibited foie gras production due to animal welfare concerns.
Source: PETA (2020) |
UK-based protest group, UK Uncut, targeted Wittington Investments during protests in March 2011 for their tax avoidance policies.
Source: UK Uncut (2011)
Brands in 'bread' category received BOTTOM Rating; with a score of 46 out of a possible score of 100 in the Ethical Company Organisation's 'Good Shopping Guide' (UK), which evaluates brands with regard to their environmental, animal welfare and human rights records.
Source: Ethical Company Organisation (UK) (2023) |
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Garfield Weston Foundation | ||||
In 2010, the UK Charity Commission found that some of the family members who run the Garfield Weston Foundation allowed an investment company it controlled (Wittington Investments) to make illegal political donations between 1993 and 2007. The Charity Commission also found that the charity's nine trustees breached their duties in January 2006 by voting for a resolution allowing Wittington to make donations without giving proper consideration.
Source: news article (2010)
The Garfield Weston Foundation gives grants to UK registered charities, with the exception of animal welfare charities. Organisations with an 'exempt' or 'excepted' status such as churches, hospitals, educational establishments and housing corporations may also apply for grants.
Source: company website (2012) |
Company Details
Type | Private Company |
Subsidiaries | Associated British Foods PLC (55% owned) ![]() Food manufacturer Diversified international food, ingredients and retail group operating in 47 countries. 54.5% owned by Wittington Investments, a company controlled by the founding Weston family. - George Weston Foods Ltd ![]() Food manufacturing One of Australia and New Zealand's largest food manufacturers, employing over 6,000 employees across 40 sites. George Weston Foods bought Tip Top Bakeries (1949), George Chapmans (1987), Don Smallgoods (1999), Melosi (1995), Jasol (1986), AGB (2007) KR Castlemaine (2008) and Yumi's (2018). - Acetum SpA ![]() Vinegar producer Italian balsamic vinegar producer acquired by Associated British Foods in 2017. - AB Food & Beverages Australia Pty Ltd ![]() Powdered food products manufacturing Australia's #2 hot beverages company. Like George Weston Foods, this company is owned by European food and beverages giant, AB Foods. - R. Twining & Co Ltd ![]() Tea company Established in 1706. Twinings is a founder member of the Ethical Tea Partnership formed in 1997. See www.ethicalteapartnership.org - Primark Stores Ltd ![]() Clothing retailer - Silver Spoon Company ![]() Retail sugar Established in 1972 as the retail brand of ABF owned British Sugar. - Jordans & Ryvita Company ![]() Grain-based foods ABF merged its Ryvita subsidiary with Jordans cereal business in 2008, and in 2014 they acquired Dorset cereals. |
Contact Details
Address | London , United Kingdom |
ABFinfo@abfoods.com | |
Website | www.alacrastore.com/mergers-acquisitions/Wittington_Investments_Ltd-1027010 |
Products / Brands
George Weston Foods
9 Grain Bread
Abbott's Village Bakery Bread Bagle House Bread Bazaar Flat Bread Burgen Bread Don Smallgoods/Pork English Muffins Bread Golden Bread Huttons Smallgoods/Pork Jasol Multi-Purpose Cleaners Kitchen Collection Flour & Bread Mix |
KR Castlemaine Smallgoods/Pork
Pataks Indian Pataks Cooking Sauce Sunblest Bread The One Bread Tip Top Bread Tip Top Flour & Bread Mix Tip Top Flat Bread Titan Multi-Purpose Cleaners |
Acetum
Mazzetti Vinegar
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Twinings & Co
Jarrah Coffee
Jarrah Milk Flavouring Ovaltine Milk Flavouring Ovaltines Chocolate Twinings Tea |
Silver Spoon
Billington's (sucrose) Sugar & Sweeteners
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