The History of Colman’s Mustard

In 1814, Jeremiah Colman founded Colman’s in the vicinity of Norwich, England and began making mustard. He was known for taking good care of workers and their families. When he and his nephew James (whom he adopted as his own son) both passed away in the 1850s, James’s son, Jeremiah James Colman, took over operations of the family business and greatly expanded it. He introduced famous bull's head logo in 1855 and moved operations closer to the railway and river. He employed cloth workers who had recently lost their jobs as a result of the industry moving north and was known for taking exceptionally good care of his employees, including building them a school, many homes, and even coffins. He also provided sick benefits and pension plans. The familial company continued to grow and used a flavorful combination of white and brown mustard seeds in both their dry and prepared mustard products that made them very popular. In 1866, Colman’s was even granted a royal warrant. In 1903, Colman’s purchased the rival mustard company Keen Robinson and Co. and merged with Reckitt and Sons and 1913. The Colman's Mustard Shop and Museum opened in Norwich's Royal Arcade in 1973. In 1955, Unilever acquired Colman’s and in 2018, the conglomerate made the decision to close the historic Norwich factory, although a new factory designed to handle part of the manufacturing process was later opened in Honingham. Today, Colman’s mustard is beloved for its distinct flavor and is widely considered to be the most popular British-style mustard available today.