Our history

• 

  Believe it or not, we’ve just turned 79 years young, and reaching this grand age has got us reminiscing.
  We may just be a humble fruit loaf, but we’ve had such an exciting history and we can’t help but share it.
  So flick the kettle on, butter up a slice of you-know-what, and immerse yourself in our unique tale…

• 

  1893 – 1920

  Way back in 1893, Soreen’s creator Mr John Rahbek Sorensen was born. Originally from
  Denmark, Sorensen arrived in the UK after an epic journey from Melbourne in 1920.

• 

  1932 – 1934

  In 1932, Rahbek bought a property on Drake Street in Hulme, Manchester. Two years later he set
  up John Sorensen Bakery Equipment & Co, selling everything from pastry brakes to bun
  dividers.

• 

  1935 – 1937

  Over the next few years, John went on to purchase further properties, including a little place in Beswick, Manchester.
  It was here that John started to sell his own baked goods.

  Becoming something of a local legend, John baked his way through every type of cake imaginable,
  but it was his ‘Sorensen Malt Cake’ that shot him to fame.
  Soon, word of this squidgy loaf spread, and John would often have a queue of hungry customers outside his shop.

• 

  1938

  In 1938 John met with William Mason, a local manufacturer of bakery ovens. By the end of the meeting,
  John had sold the bakery business for £300. With this, Imperial Bakeries Limited (Manchester)
  was formed with William and his wife Peggy as the company directors.
  However, John’s legacy lived on in the trading name; Soreen.

• 

  1940

  Despite the breakout of World War II and the strict rationing of ingredients, by the early 1940’s,
  Imperial Bakeries was a successful business with one oven, four bakery staff and two shop assistants.
  Apart from the mixing, all products were made by hand and delivered in a
  small sales van to local shops within a five-mile radius.

• 

  1942

  Unfortunately, this progress was brought to an end in 1942, when a Blitz bomb reduced the bakery to rubble.
  Thankfully, all the staff were on holiday for oven maintenance so no one was hurt.

  Larger premises were found in Buckley Street, Higher Openshaw, and production resumed.
  Once out of the oven, each loaf was hand wrapped with a single sheet of waxed paper,
  adorned with a red Soreen logo and a bunch of purple grapes to illustrate the inclusion of fruit. Sound familiar?

• 

  1980's

  In the 1980’s Soreen focused its marketing efforts on promoting the health benefits of its growing product range, and how the complex carbs contained in each loaf were perfect for providing longer lasting energy. Soreen also teamed up with Adidas, who supported Soreen’s new ‘health’ campaign with joint adverts and competition prizes.

• 

  1999

  Soreen signed to become a sponsor of the North West, First Division football team, Bolton Wanderers. Being local to the Soreen bakery, staff would often travel to watch home matches to cheer the team on and see the Soreen brand advertised at the pitch side and within the match programme.

• 

  2000

  Soreen became the official sponsor of Leigh Centurions Rugby team. With this, Soreen branded was included in adverts, the match programme, media and there were numerous photo opportunities with the team. The Centurions would be sent regular bulk amounts of Soreen product to feed their enormous appetites and to fuel their training sessions.

• 

  2006

  Soreen kept up their commitment to healthy living and sport and in 2006 a four-year sponsorship deal was struck with up and coming, and soon to be Olympic cycling

  champion, Sir Chris Hoy. It was the ideal opportunity to boost Soreen’s health credentials and Sir Chris would attend events such as Race for life and Tour of Britain as an ambassador for Soreen.

• 

  2010

  Soreen broke the world record for the most power generated by cyclists within a 24 hour period of pedalling. On 2^nd October, after 24 hours of peddling at the Manchester Velodrome, the Soreen team had produced 72, 414 watt hours meaning that they were World Record holders.

• 

  2014 – present day

  Over the years, Soreen has continued to grow. In 2014 we joined the Samworth Brothers family,
  who have provided enough investment to ensure that we can continue on our yellow brick road.
  Our business may have come along way, but Soreen’s history clearly demonstrates one thing –
  if a product is great, it will last the test of time. Here’s to another 79 years.