The History of Baxters: From Scottish Grocer to Royal Warrant Holders

I'll confess something: I once thought all tinned soup was basically the same. Then I visited Fochabers.

It was a grey November afternoon in 2019—the kind where the Scottish Highlands feel both bleak and magnificent—when I found myself standing outside what was then the Baxters Highland Village. The visitor centre has since closed (a casualty of the pandemic, sadly), but I remember walking through a recreation of George Baxter's original 1868 shop and thinking: this isn't just marketing heritage. This is proper food history.

A £100 Gamble in 1868

Here's what strikes me about the Baxters story: it started with such modest ambitions. George Baxter was 25 years old, working as a gardener for the Duke of Richmond and Gordon on the Gordon Estate. He borrowed £100 from family members—roughly £12,000 in today's money—and opened a small grocery shop in Fochabers, a village on the banks of the River Spey.

But it wasn't George who made the business extraordinary. It was his wife, Margaret.

While George minded the shop, Margaret worked in the back, making jams and jellies from local Scottish fruits. The produce from the Speyside area was exceptional—strawberries, raspberries, plums—and Margaret's preserves quickly gained a reputation. So much so that they caught the attention of the Duke himself, and soon Baxters products were gracing the tables at Gordon Castle.

What I find fascinating is how this pattern—strong women driving culinary innovation—would repeat throughout Baxters' history. But we'll get to that.

The Second Generation: William and Ethel Build a Factory

George and Margaret's son, William Baxter, saw potential that extended beyond a village grocery. In 1916, he purchased land from the Duke of Richmond and Gordon—positioned precisely 120 yards from the River Spey—and together with his wife Ethel, built the factory that would transform the business.

Ethel Baxter deserves more recognition than she gets. In 1923, she hired (and later bought) a canning machine, making Baxters one of the first companies in Scotland to tin fruit. This might sound trivial now, but canning technology was revolutionary. It meant Scottish produce could travel beyond the Highlands, beyond Scotland, beyond Britain.

Then, in 1929, Ethel did something even more significant: she created Baxters' first soup.

The recipe? Royal Game, made with venison from the hills of Upper Speyside. It wasn't just any soup—it was a premium product that reflected the finest Scottish ingredients. Orders soon came flooding in from Harrods and Fortnum & Mason. A village grocery had become a national brand.

Ena Baxter: The Queen of Soup

If you ask me who really built Baxters into the company it is today, I'd say Ena Baxter. And I'm not alone—she earned the nickname "The Queen of Soup," and spent decades as one of Britain's first celebrity food figures.

Ena Robertson was an art teacher from Aberdeenshire who took a job in Fochabers and met Gordon Baxter, William and Ethel's son. They married in 1952, and together they transformed the business.

Her husband Gordon once said of her: "Where's Mrs Heinz? Collecting French Impressionists. Where's Mrs Baxter? In the kitchen making soup!"

That quote captures something important about Baxters' identity. While competitors scaled up and corporatised, the Baxters remained hands-on. Ena wasn't a figurehead—she was genuinely developing recipes. Her first soup was Chicken Gumbo. She went on to create an entire range of traditional Scottish soups: Cock-a-Leekie, Scotch Broth, Chicken Broth. Each one drew on recipes that had been made in Scottish kitchens for generations.

A Natural Television Presence

Ena became somewhat of a culinary celebrity, appearing on television programmes both at home and abroad. This was the 1960s and 70s—well before the era of celebrity chefs and cooking competitions. But Ena had a natural warmth on camera, and she used it to promote not just Baxters, but Scottish food culture more broadly.

I've spoken to people in the food industry who remember those broadcasts. "She wasn't pretending to cook," one former buyer told me. "She actually knew what she was doing. That was rare."

Royal Recognition: Three Warrants

The moment that cemented Baxters' reputation came in 1955, when the company was granted Royal Warrants from three different monarchs:

• Queen Elizabeth II (as Manufacturer of Scottish Specialities)
• Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother
• King Gustav VI of Sweden

Getting a single Royal Warrant is an achievement. Getting three simultaneously is exceptional. It signified that Baxters had reached a level of quality that the royal households trusted for their own tables.

For those unfamiliar with Royal Warrants, they've been issued since the 15th century to companies that supply goods or services to the royal family. As of 2024, only about 750 companies hold around 800 warrants to the British royal family. The warrant allows companies to display the royal coat of arms—you'll see it on Baxters packaging to this day.

What's interesting is that Royal Warrants must be renewed and can be revoked. They're not honorary titles—they reflect ongoing supply relationships. The fact that Baxters maintained these warrants for decades speaks to consistent quality.

Innovation: The First Twist-Top Jars in Britain

Baxters has always been quietly innovative. In 1962, they became the first company in the United Kingdom to introduce twist-top caps on 340-gram jars for preserves. Again, this might seem mundane, but packaging innovation matters enormously in food retail. Twist-tops were more convenient, created a better seal, and looked more premium on shelves.

This willingness to invest in the unsexy side of food production—logistics, packaging, manufacturing efficiency—has been crucial to Baxters' survival. Many heritage food brands have beautiful histories but struggle to compete on supermarket shelves. Baxters has managed to remain both authentic and commercially viable.

The 'Best of Scotland' Concept

In the 1960s and 70s, Gordon and Ena developed what they called the 'Best of Scotland' concept. This wasn't just about soup—it was about exporting Scottish food culture globally through gift packs, specialty foods, and tabletop accessories.

The concept worked brilliantly. Top department stores in Europe, America, South Africa, Japan, and Australia began stocking Baxters products. For many international consumers, Baxters soup was their first introduction to Scottish cuisine. Cullen Skink, Scotch Broth, Royal Game—these became ambassadors for Scottish gastronomy.

I should note here that Baxters' Cullen Skink is probably their most authentically Scottish product. It's a thick soup made from smoked haddock, potatoes, and onions—traditional Aberdeenshire comfort food. The name comes from Cullen, a town on the Moray Firth coast. Baxters' version isn't quite the same as a homemade one (what tinned soup is?), but it's a decent approximation that's introduced the dish to people who'd never otherwise encounter it.

The Fourth Generation: Audrey Baxter Takes the Helm

Gordon and Ena's daughter, Audrey Baxter, became managing director in 1992. She's now Executive Chairman and Group CEO, leading what has become a global food manufacturer with facilities across Europe, North America, and Australia.

Under Audrey's leadership, Baxters has grown from a £35 million turnover business entirely based in Scotland to a group employing more than 900 people with sales exceeding £160 million. The company launched the Audrey Baxter Signature Range in 2005—a premium line that carries her name and reflects the family's continued involvement in product development.

The Move to Edinburgh

In January 2018—Baxters' 150th anniversary year—the company moved its main office to Edinburgh. But as Audrey said at the time, Fochabers would always be the company's "spiritual home." And indeed, Fochabers in Moray remains the main manufacturing site, employing around 700 staff who produce tinned soups, beetroot, jams, and preserves.

It's worth noting that Baxters has remained a private family company throughout its history. Four generations—soon to be five, with family members now serving as Head of Marketing & Ecommerce—have resisted the temptation to sell to larger conglomerates. That's increasingly rare in the food industry, where heritage brands are often acquired and hollowed out.

The Highland Village: A Loss for Food Tourism

I mentioned earlier that I visited the Baxters Highland Village. Let me tell you a bit more about what we've lost.

The visitor centre sat next to the main factory in Fochabers and included a recreation of George Baxter's original shop, an exhibition on the company's history, restaurants, and gift shops including Mrs Baxter's Cook Shop. At its peak, it attracted over 200,000 visitors annually. For food tourists traveling between Aberdeen and Inverness, it was an essential stop.

The centre closed permanently in February 2021, a casualty of the pandemic. "Like many hospitality and retail businesses, the pandemic has exacerbated the already challenging trading conditions, making the future of the Highland Village untenable," the company said.

It's genuinely sad. The Highland Village was one of the few places in Britain where you could see a working food factory, learn about a company's heritage, and buy products all in one location. I hope something similar returns someday—food tourism benefits both businesses and communities.

The Product Range Today

Modern Baxters produces far more than soup, though soup remains their signature. Here's what you'll find with the Baxters name:

Soups: From traditional Scottish varieties like Scotch Broth, Cullen Skink, and Royal Game to international flavours like French Onion, Minestrone, and Lobster Bisque. They've also moved into more contemporary territory with Chicken Broth and even Kimchi.

Preserves and Jams: The original product line, still made using traditional recipes. Margaret Baxter would recognise much of what's produced today.

Chutneys and Pickles: Including the popular Albert's Victorian Chutney, Tomato Chutney, and Caramelised Onion Chutney. These have become Christmas staples in many British households.

Beetroot: Baxters is one of the UK's leading producers of jarred beetroot, in various preparations from sliced to baby whole beets.

Sauces and Condiments: Including vinegars, marinades, and cooking sauces.

Is Baxters Worth the Premium?

Here's my honest assessment: Baxters soup is noticeably more expensive than own-brand alternatives. A tin of Baxters Cream of Tomato costs around £1.20, while supermarket equivalents can be as low as 24p.

Is it worth three to four times the price?

For everyday lunches, probably not. But Baxters genuinely tastes different—richer, more complex, with better quality ingredients. Their Chicken Broth actually tastes like chicken. Their Scotch Broth has proper chunks of lamb and vegetables. You can taste the heritage.

Where Baxters really shines is in their specialty products. Royal Game soup, Cullen Skink, Lobster Bisque—these aren't trying to compete with cheap basics. They're premium products for people who want something special. And at that level, they're excellent.

The chutneys and preserves are similarly good value for what they are. A jar of Baxters Victorian Chutney with a cheese board at Christmas isn't an extravagance; it's a small luxury that genuinely enhances the experience.

Where to Buy Baxters

You'll find Baxters products in most major UK supermarkets:

• Tesco stocks a wide range including classic soups and specialty items
• Sainsbury's carries their core soup and preserve range
• ASDA offers competitive prices on Baxters products
• Waitrose stocks premium Baxters lines

For the best prices, check discount retailers like B&M and Home Bargains, which often stock Baxters at significant discounts. And for the full range, the Baxters online shop ships directly.

Legacy and Looking Forward

What makes the Baxters story remarkable isn't just longevity—plenty of food companies have been around since the Victorian era. It's that the company has maintained genuine family involvement while adapting to modern retail realities.

Gordon Baxter died in 2013, aged 95. Ena Baxter followed in 2015, aged 90. But their legacy lives on in every tin of soup and jar of preserves that leaves the Fochabers factory. The recipes they developed, the quality standards they established, the brand identity they created—all continue under Audrey's stewardship.

Will Baxters survive another 150 years? That's impossible to predict. The food industry is brutal, consumer tastes shift constantly, and family businesses face unique succession challenges. But if history is any guide, the Baxters will find a way. They've been adapting since George borrowed that £100 in 1868.

And somewhere in Fochabers, 700 people are still making soup the way Ena would have wanted. That counts for something.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who owns Baxters?

Baxters remains a privately held family company, owned by the Baxter family. Audrey Baxter, great-granddaughter of founder George Baxter, serves as Executive Chairman and Group CEO. The fifth generation is now involved in the business, with family members holding positions including Head of Marketing & Ecommerce. Unlike many heritage food brands that have been acquired by multinational corporations, Baxters has remained independent since its founding in 1868.

What is a Royal Warrant for food?

A Royal Warrant is an official recognition granted to companies that supply goods or services to the royal household. For food companies, it signifies that products have been supplied to and approved by members of the royal family. Royal Warrants have been issued since the 15th century and currently around 750 companies hold approximately 800 warrants. Companies can display the royal coat of arms on their packaging and marketing materials. Baxters was granted warrants from Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and King Gustav VI of Sweden in 1955.

Which foods have a Royal Warrant?

Numerous food brands hold Royal Warrants in the UK, including Heinz (ketchup), Kellogg's (cereals), Cadbury (chocolate), and Twinings (tea). Baxters holds warrants for Scottish food specialities. Other notable warrant holders include Marmite, HP Sauce, and various luxury food purveyors. The full list is maintained by the Royal Warrant Holders Association. Warrants must be renewed and can be revoked if quality standards aren't maintained or supply ceases.

Where is Baxters made?

Baxters products are primarily manufactured at the company's main facility in Fochabers, Moray, Scotland—the same village where George Baxter opened his original grocery shop in 1868. Around 700 staff work at this location producing tinned soups, beetroot, jams, and preserves. The company also has operations in Canada, Australia, and Poland to serve international markets. While head offices moved to Edinburgh in 2018, Fochabers remains what Audrey Baxter calls the company's "spiritual home."

Is Baxters soup Scottish?

Yes, Baxters is an authentically Scottish company founded in Fochabers, Scotland in 1868. Many of their soup recipes draw on traditional Scottish cuisine, including Cullen Skink (smoked haddock soup from Aberdeenshire), Scotch Broth (lamb and vegetable soup), and Royal Game (venison soup from Speyside). The company was instrumental in popularising Scottish soups both domestically and internationally through their 'Best of Scotland' export programme in the 1960s.

What happened to Baxters Highland Village?

The Baxters Highland Village visitor centre in Fochabers closed permanently in February 2021. The four-star attraction had welcomed over 200,000 visitors annually at its peak and featured a recreation of George Baxter's original shop, company exhibition, restaurants, and gift shops. The closure was attributed to the Covid-19 pandemic making continued operation "untenable." The site next to the factory is now being considered for other business uses, though manufacturing continues at the adjacent facility.

How long has Baxters been making soup?

Baxters has been making soup since 1929, when Ethel Baxter created their first recipe—Royal Game soup made with venison from Upper Speyside. This means the company has nearly a century of soup-making expertise. However, the company itself was founded in 1868 as a grocery shop, initially focused on jams and preserves. The soup range expanded significantly in the 1950s under Ena Baxter, who developed traditional Scottish recipes including Cock-a-Leekie and Scotch Broth.