{{short description|Australian beverage manufacturer}} {{About|the modern manufacturer of cordials and soft drinks|more on the historic company|History of Bickford's Australia}} {{Use Australian English|date=October 2016}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}} {{Infobox company | name = Bickford's Australia Pty Ltd | logo = Bickford's_Australia_Logo.png | type = Proprietary Limited | genre = | foundation = | founder = | location_city = Salisbury, South Australia | location_country = | location = <!-- this parameter modifies "Headquarters" --> | key_people =Angelo Kotses<ref>[http://resources0.news.com.au/images/2014/02/09/1226822/054648-4ecf54aa-9153-11e3-9900-6ae4ae41740d.jpg Angelo Kotses] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170221153521/http://resources0.news.com.au/images/2014/02/09/1226822/054648-4ecf54aa-9153-11e3-9900-6ae4ae41740d.jpg |date=21 February 2017 }}, 9 February 2014, News Limited</ref> | area_served = | industry = Beverage manufacturer | products = Drink mixers and Soft drink | services = | revenue = | operating_income = | net_income = | num_employees = | parent = | divisions = | subsid = Vok Beverages | owner = Kotses family | homepage ={{URL|http://www.bickfords.net}} | dissolved = | footnotes = }} '''Bickford's Australia Pty. Ltd.''' is an Australian beverage manufacturer based in South Australia. The brand produces traditional cordials, soft drinks, and iced coffee mix originally manufactured by '''A. M. Bickford & Sons''', a pharmaceutical chemist founded by Anne Margaret Bickford in 1864.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Our History – Bickford's Australia|url = http://www.bickfords.net/our-history|website = Bickford's Australia|access-date = 2016-01-24}}</ref> In 1999, the brandname was acquired by the Kotses family and later renamed '''Bickford's Australia''', after which the brand saw a revival in popularity with the introduction of new flavours and products. In 2006, Bickford's lime juice cordial was recognised by the National Trust of South Australia as a Heritage Icon.<ref name=":0">[http://www.nationaltrustsa.org.au/heritage_icons_2006.htm#Bickfords 2006 Heritage Icon Awards] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060825040435/http://www.nationaltrustsa.org.au/heritage_icons_2006.htm |date=25 August 2006 }}, South Australian National Trust</ref>
Today, Bickford's cordials, soft drinks, iced coffee and milkshake mixes remain widely available in supermarkets across Australia and cordials are available in Countdown supermarkets in New Zealand.
== History ==
{{Main|History of Bickford's Australia}}
thumb|200px|"Anne" Margaret Bickford (née Garrett 1810–1877)After arriving in Adelaide, South Australia from England in 1839, chemist William Bickford operated a successful apothecary beginning the following year.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bickford's Company Time Line |url=http://www.bickfords.net/timeline.html |date=2010-08-27 |access-date=2016-01-24 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100827125907/http://www.bickfords.net/timeline.html |archivedate=27 August 2010 }}</ref> After his death in 1850, his wife Anne Margret was determined to keep the business running, forming a partnership initially with son Harry Bickford in 1864, "Bickford and Son".<ref name="MS">Scales, Marjorie ''An Alchemist's Dream'' pub. Ronald F. Bickford 1990 {{ISBN|0-7316-9106-7}}</ref> In 1871, William Jr joined to form "A. M. Bickford & Sons".
Looking to branch out into other markets, in 1872 they built the South Australian Cordial Factory, a bottler and aerated water factory. Production of cordials and soft drinks commenced in 1874, among the first of which was their now iconic lime juice cordial.<ref name=":1">Bickford's labels also still continue to carry the statement: "On account of spurious imitations none is genuine unless bearing the signature of ''A M Bickford & Sons''".</ref> In 1903 the firm became a limited liability company, A. M. Bickford & Sons Ltd,<ref name="enterprise">[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article37308274 A Story of Enterprise] ''The Advertiser'' 28 April 1923 p.18 accessed 31 January 2011</ref> and in 1920 commenced production of branded Coffee and Chicory Essence, (later renamed Bickford's Iced Coffee Mix), winning the gold medal at the 1930 All-Australian Exhibition.
In 1930, the company amalgamated with a number of Australian pharmaceutical companies to form the "Drug Houses of Australia" (DHA), which very successfully continued production of the "A. M. Bickford and Sons" products. Drugs and chemicals were produced under the DHA brand, whereas the cordials and soft drinks remained under the "A. M. Bickford and Sons".
In the late 1960s, DHA became the target of a corporate raider and asset stripper, and by the mid-1970s collapsed under massive debts. The remaining products were split up and sold. Reckitt & Colman acquired most major drug and chemical brands, and Melbourne businessman Peter Abbott purchased the pharmacy products and eucalyptus oil operations, which were incorporated into the "FGB" brand, as well as beverage products, which continued on under the revived "A. M. Bickford and Sons" name. In 1987, FGB sold the soft drink business to the Lloyd family, and in 1999 it was purchased by the Kotses family, returning the Bickford's brand to South Australia, and expanding their line of products to include new cordials, soft drinks, and milkshake mixes.<ref name=":2">[http://www.bickfords.net/products/downloads/Product_Catalogue_2010.pdf 2010 Product Catalogue] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304200519/http://www.bickfords.net/products/downloads/Product_Catalogue_2010.pdf |date=4 March 2012 }}, www.bickfords.net</ref>
In 2005, the company, now called "Bickford's Australia", moved operations into "a new state of the art manufacturing facility" in Salisbury, South Australia.<ref name="timeline">[http://www.bickfords.net/timeline.html Company Timeline] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100827125907/http://www.bickfords.net/timeline.html |date=27 August 2010 }}, www.bickfords.net</ref> Since then, the range of products, and the Bickford's Group has grown, forming partnerships with Vok Beverages,<ref name=":5">[http://vok.com.au/ Vok Beverages], vok.com.au</ref> Wheel & Barrow,<ref name=":6">[https://www.wheelandbarrow.com.au/ Wheel & Barrow], www.wheelandbarrow.com.au</ref> and Karma Living,<ref name=":7">[http://www.karma-living.com.au/ Karma Living], www.karma-living.com.au</ref> as well announcing plans for a new distillery for the South Australian Riverland in February 2014.<ref name=":8">{{cite news |title= Bickford's plans new spirits distillery in the Riverland |url= http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/business/bickfords-plans-new-spirits-distillery-in-the-riverland/story-fni6uma6-1226822057468 |date= 9 February 2014 |work= Adelaide.now |accessdate= 30 May 2014 }}<br> {{cite web |title= Bickford's Australia to establish a new Spirits Distillery in the Riverland |url= http://vok.com.au/bickfords-australia-to-establish-a-new-spirit-distillery-in-the-riverland.html |work= Press Release |publisher= Bickford's Australia / Vok Beverages |date= 7 February 2014 |accessdate= 30 May 2014 |url-status= dead |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20140603161448/http://vok.com.au/bickfords-australia-to-establish-a-new-spirit-distillery-in-the-riverland.html |archivedate= 3 June 2014 }}</ref>
== Products == thumb|200px|A.M. Bickford & Sons Ltd, Laboratories & Works, Waymouth Street, 1916
Bickford's Australia currently produces a variety of traditional cordials, juices and soft drinks.
'''Traditional Cordial:''' Lime Juice, Lemon Juice, Bitter Lemon, Lemon Barley, Lemon, Lime & Bitters, Bitter Lemon, Sarsaparilla, Blackcurrant, Peach Tea, Raspberry, Ginger Beer, Cloudy Apple
'''Premium Juice:''' Berries & Açaí, Cloudy Pear, Pomegranate, Super Berry Antioxidant, Cranberry, Prune, Coconut, Blueberry
'''Classic Juice:''' Tropical, Apple & Passionfruit, Apple & Blackcurrant, Apple & Peach
'''Old Style Soda:''' Lemon, Lime & Bitters, Ginger Beer, Creamy Soda, Original Kola, Sarsaparilla
'''Bickford and Sons Mixers:''' Ginger Ale, Bitter Lemon, Tonic Water, Soda Water
'''Milk Mix:''' Strawberry, Caramel, Vanilla Malt, Chocolate
'''Chiahh:''' Apple & Raspberry, Grape & Blackcurrant, Tropical
'''Esprit:''' Blueberry, Strawberry, Raspberry, Orange Tangerine, Passionfruit, Lemon Lime
Diet cordial varieties are also available. Other products produced by Bickford's include Iced Coffee Syrup (made since 1920), Fruities and Robinson's Fruit Shoot juice drinks for children, and Aqua Pura bottled water.
==See also== {{portal||South Australia|Companies}} *List of South Australian manufacturing businesses *South Australian food and drink *List of oldest companies in Australia
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.bickfords.net/ Bickford's Australia website]
Category:Australian companies established in 1874 Category:Food and drink companies established in 1874 Category:Pharmaceutical companies of Australia Category:Food and drink companies of Australia Category:Drink companies of Australia Category:Manufacturing companies based in Adelaide Category:History of Adelaide Category:Companies based in South Australia