Our history

The history of Maxons Ltd. is very much centred around the enterprise of one man - Ralph Pitchfork - who wanted to be his own boss and improve the living standards for his growing family.

Ralph Pitchfork was born in 1913, the son of a Sheffield newsagent, who, on leaving school in 1931, when employment was scarce following the great depression, managed to gain employment with one of his father's suppliers - a local wholesaler. He remained with them until 1950, when he purchased a local wholesale and manufacturing confectioners in Sheffield.

The wholesaling company traded as Ralph Pitchfork Ltd. with the manufacturing arm trading as Maxons Ltd.

Following the end of sweet rationing in 1953, both the wholesale and manufacturing companies began to expand and, in 1958, Ralph Pitchfork merged his two companies with those of another Sheffield confectioner of a similar size.

Henry Dixon Ltd. had existed since the late nineteenth century and had acquired a significant reputation and history in the area.

The merger created a substantial wholesale company that traded under the name of Dixon Pitchfork Ltd. The enlarged Maxons included not only the Maxons branded range, but also added the Dixons range to its portfolio of products - these included the regional favourites; Mint Rock, Cherry Balsams and Buttermints.

It was also in the 1960s that the registered name of Jesmona Black Bullets was acquired in from a company in the North East of England and the production of their weigh-out jars, pre-packs, 1/2lb and 1lb tins was moved to the factory in Sheffield.

The wholesale company of Dixon Pitchfork Ltd. was sold in the late 1960s and eventually, like many privately owned wholesale confectioners lost its identity to one of the national groups.

Maxons continues as a privately owned, independent, manufacturing company under the direction of Ralph's son - Roger Pitchfork, and grandsons - Chris & Richard Pitchfork. The traditional brands of Maxons, Dixons, and Jesmona account for the majority of production that is distributed predominantly in the North of England through the wholesale distribution networks.

However, there is also a growing own-label business making for many regional wholesalers and various niche markets. Notable amongst these are the rapidly expanding "heritage" markets as well some of London's prestigious department stores.

Maxons products are also available in Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand.