Marion Darlington started making her award-winning range of products in the 1980s. Now 80 years young, Marion is still the ‘Mary Berry’ of recipe creation in the family firm – there are few to rival her skill in creating preserves and chutneys with such a fabulous homemade taste.

Photo Credit: Mrs. Darlington’s

The Mrs Darlington’s Story

1980:

Mrs Darlington used up an excess of eggs from the family farm by producing quantities of her homemade Lemon Curd. A normal day’s output was 100 jars! She then sold the Lemon Curd throughout the surrounding towns and villages on her egg round. The local Brownies collected the jars, and Marion’s kids labelled them after school for the magnificent amount of a halfpenny each jar!

1981:

As Mrs Darlington’s now-legendary Lemon Curd became more popular, Tom Darlington transformed a few of his farm buildings into a large kitchen area. Marion hired her first employee, Janet, and Marion and Janet began producing cheesecakes to sell to local pubs and restaurants to help pay her salary. Marion expanded her product line to include her mother’s Sweet Apple Chutney, Orange Marmalade, and Lime and Orange Curds. Mrs Darlington was aided by a friendly pickles company in Manchester, who sold her some empty jars for all of her new goods.

1983:

Mrs Wright, a fruit farmer from Lancashire, approached Marion to see whether she would buy their extra fruit… Marion began to expand her repertoire by including jams. Marion’s line was picked up by two big local garden stores, where it was noticed by several good food wholesalers, who also decided to take on the range.

1985:

Ladies from the nearby hamlet, who had already been collecting eggs on the farm in the mornings, stayed a little longer to assist Marion and Janet in meeting demand. The product line began to grow to include new chutneys. A stand in the Women’s Farming Union tent at the Cheshire Show was a tremendous success, and word travelled quickly.

1987:

Marion’s daughter Sarah started working in the business, initially as a temporary stopgap that ended up lasting 32 years and counting!

1997:

As the farm buildings were struggling to cope, a big decision was made to relocate to Lancaster Fields, Crewe. Now there was room to expand the range to include many more delicious products.

2002:

Their first export order leaves to its final destination of Sweden, the start of many more to come with Bengt Siltberg at GastronoMileverantoren.

2006:

Marion’s daughter, Wendy, is tempted away from her corporate job and encouraged to put her marketing abilities towards the Mrs Darlington’s brand, making the company even more of a family affair.

2011

Our first shipments beyond Europe head out to the USA, Australia and New Zealand, along with a host of other countries.

We are delighted to stock this multi-award-winning brand, supplying it to multinationals and independents throughout Ireland.

If you’d like to try these delicious, family-made, classic condiments, you can find them throughout Ireland at numerous independent grocers, butchers, and deli’s.

If you’d like to stock Mrs. Darlington’s in Ireland, please contact us here.