# Van den Berghs and Jurgens, Ltd.

> enterprise

**Wikidata**: [Q101538116](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q101538116)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/van-den-berghs-and-jurgens-ltd

## Summary
Van den Berghs and Jurgens, Ltd. was a United Kingdom-based commercial enterprise and manufacturing company specializing in the production of margarine and similar edible fats. Officially formed in 1932 through the merger of Van den Berghs, Ltd. and Jurgens, Ltd., the company was a key UK subsidiary of Dutch parent organizations. It played a significant role in the 20th-century food and tobacco industry.

## Key Facts
*   **Official Name:** Van den Berghs and Jurgens, Ltd.
*   **Inception:** 1932
*   **Entity Type:** Organization, business, commercial company, concern
*   **Country:** United Kingdom
*   **Headquarters:** Bebington
*   **Industry:** Food and tobacco industry; specifically the manufacture of margarine and similar edible fats
*   **Primary Product:** Margarine
*   **Alternate Names:** Van den Berghs, Ltd.; Jurgens, Ltd.; Van den Berghs Margarine, Ltd.; Van den Berghs & Jurgens Ltd.
*   **Parent Organizations:** Margarine Unie (1927–1929); Van den Bergh's en Jurgen's Fabrieken N.V. (Netherlands); Hollandsche Vereeniging tot Expolitatie van Margarinefabrieken
*   **Archival ID:** 20th Century Press Archives folder ID co/049734

## FAQs
**What was the corporate history and timeline of Van den Berghs and Jurgens, Ltd.?**
The company was officially named Van den Berghs and Jurgens, Ltd. when it was incorporated in 1932. This formation merged two preceding companies: Jurgens, Ltd. (which operated from 1914 to 1932) and Van den Berghs, Ltd. (which operated from 1897 to 1932). The earliest entity in this lineage was Van den Berghs Margarine, Ltd., which existed from 1895 to 1897.

**Who owned and operated Van den Berghs and Jurgens, Ltd.?**
The UK-based firm was operated by Dutch parent companies. It was owned by Van den Bergh's en Jurgen's Fabrieken N.V., an enterprise headquartered in Rotterdam, Netherlands. It was also operated by the Hollandsche Vereeniging tot Expolitatie van Margarinefabrieken and served as a component of the Margarine Unie between 1927 and 1929.

**What did the company manufacture?**
Van den Berghs and Jurgens, Ltd. operated within the food and tobacco industry, with a strict focus on margarine. Historical classifications detail its primary business as the manufacture of margarine and similar edible fats.

## Why It Matters
Van den Berghs and Jurgens, Ltd. represents a pivotal moment in the consolidation of the European food manufacturing industry. The 1932 merger that formed the company united two historic competitors—Jurgens and Van den Berghs—under a single British commercial umbrella, creating a more streamlined and powerful entity in the edible fats market. 

The company's structure highlights the international nature of early 20th-century industrial enterprises. While operating locally in the UK (headquartered in Bebington), it was directed by Dutch interests and tied to the Margarine Unie, a massive European cartel that was a historical precursor to the global consumer goods giant Unilever. The company's operations helped shape the modern, industrialized supply chain for margarine.

## Notable For
*   **Merger of Major Competitors:** Created by the 1932 amalgamation of Jurgens, Ltd. and Van den Berghs, Ltd.
*   **Cross-Border Corporate Structure:** Operating in the United Kingdom while owned by the Rotterdam-based Van den Bergh's en Jurgen's Fabrieken N.V.
*   **Historical Link to Margarine Unie:** Operating under the Margarine Unie during the late 1920s.
*   **Focused Industrial Scale:** Dedicated entirely to the mass production of margarine and edible fats during the interwar period.

## Body

### Corporate Evolution and Name History
The history of Van den Berghs and Jurgens, Ltd. spans several decades and is defined by a series of consolidations:
*   **1895–1897:** The lineage began with the establishment of Van den Berghs Margarine, Ltd.
*   **1897–1932:** The company rebranded as Van den Berghs, Ltd. During this era, a parallel entity, Jurgens, Ltd., was also established and operated from 1914 to 1932. 
*   **1927–1929:** The organizational structure was heavily influenced by its parent company, the Margarine Unie.
*   **1932:** The two distinct branches were formally merged, resulting in the official inception of Van den Berghs and Jurgens, Ltd.

### Ownership and Parent Organizations
Although Van den Berghs and Jurgens, Ltd. was a UK enterprise, it was tightly integrated into a larger European corporate network. The firm was owned and operated by Van den Bergh's en Jurgen's Fabrieken N.V., a manufacturing enterprise based in Rotterdam, Netherlands. 

Additionally, the company was operated by the Hollandsche Vereeniging tot Expolitatie van Margarinefabrieken. Archival records also establish that the company functioned under the Margarie Unie from 1927 to 1929.

### Industrial Operations
The company's headquarters were located in Bebington, United Kingdom. Legally classified as a commercial company, business, and concern, the firm was a prominent player in the food and tobacco industry. 

According to the NACE classification detailed in the 20th Century Press Archives, its precise industrial focus was the "manufacture of margarine and similar edible fats." Its primary—and explicitly recorded—material output was margarine.

### Archival and Identifying Data
Van den Berghs and Jurgens, Ltd. is cataloged in historical knowledge bases. It holds the 20th Century Press Archives folder ID `co/049734`. Archival metadata further notes 124 associated records/folders under this ID, with the company frequently cited as "Van den Berghs & Jurgens Ltd." in historical press documentation.

## References

1. 20th Century Press Archives