Mortons Flour began as Robert Morton and Co. in Ballymena Co. Antrim in 1835. In that year Robert Morton a local merchant acquired a brewery on the Galgorm Road in Ballymena, Northern Ireland and converted it to a flour mill.

For a period maize was ground during the Potato Famine, but the expertise in milling wheat was being continually developed. The quality of the flour and the efficiency of the mill was greatly improved in the 1880s with the installation of modern milling machinery. Success continued during the 20th Century. As roads improved Mortons Flour became available to bakeries and shops throughout Northern Ireland.

The famous bird logo was introduced in 1920 and many people even today remember stories of the linen flour bags being converted into sheets, but continual washing was required to remove the blackbird logo.

By the late 1980s the Ballymena site was too small for a modern mill and Robert Morton and Co. was acquired by Andrews Flour and in 1992 flour was moved to the Percy Street mill in Belfast. However, the Mortons Flour characteristics have all been maintained in its milling and to this day it continues to be one of the leading Northern Ireland supermarket brands.

Check out www.andrewsflours.com for more information.

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