These are nine of the most famous Sheffield-born companies which went on to conquer the nation and in some cases the globe, often becoming household names in the process.
They include a confectionery giant, a fashion empire and an educational success story started by a couple from their Sheffield bedroom which is now worth an estimated £500 million.
Many of these businesses are still going strong in the Steel City, while others have moved elsewhere or hit hard times.
Did you know all of these firms started out in Sheffield, and are you aware of the stories behind their formation and the creation of their most famous products?
You may notice some famous Sheffield firms are missing from this list because, while they deserve to be more widely known, they’ve yet to achieve national recognition.
Beres pork sandwiches, for example, remain one of Sheffield’s best-kept secrets, while Henderson’s Relish is not yet widely found on supermarket shelves outside the city, though that is surely set to change.
1. Topshop
Topshop began life in the 1960s in Sheffield and would grow to become one of the biggest names in fashion on Britain's high streets. It started out in 1964 as a section in the basement of the city's famous Peter Robinson department store. It proved such a success that it soon established itself as a stand-alone store aimed at girls and young women, and spawned a sister business called Topman. Topshop went into administration in 2020, before being bought by ASOS the following year. | Picture SheffieldPhoto: Picture Sheffield
2. Simpkins sweets
You may not recognise the name Simpkins but chances are you've tried one of the boiled travel sweets in their distinctive metal tins, which the company gave the world. Simpkins has been producing throat lozenges, glucose products and sweets since 1921, from the same site in Hillsborough, where it makes around five million sweets a week. The family business was founded by Albert Leslie Simpkin, after he returned from World War One. He was injured at the Somme and the idea for the boiled sweets came to him while he was being treated for shrapnel wounds. Wounded soldiers were given liquid glucose but this went everywhere and Albert came up with the idea to boil it instead. | Picture Sheffield/Sheffield NewspapersPhoto: Picture Sheffield/Sheffield Newspapers
3. Batchelors (tinned peas and Cup a Soup maker)
Batchelors, which is famous for Cup a Soup and tinned peas, including mushy peas, was founded in Sheffield in 1895. It really took off after launching processed peas, which had been soaked and canned, saving householders a job. In 1937, the firm opened a huge new factory at Wadsley Bridge, covering 12 acres. It remained open until 1982, when Batchelors closed the site, ending its links with Sheffield. Production today takes place in Worksop and Ashford. | Sheffield NewspapersPhoto: Sheffield Newspapers
4. Thorntons
Thorntons began life in Sheffield in 1911, with Joseph Thornton opening the company’s first shop, the Chocolate Kabin, at 159 Norfolk Street. He entrusted his 14-year-old son Norman to run the shop, and Norman - together with his brother, Stanley, concocted sweet treats including ‘Violet Cachous’, ‘Sweet Lips’ and ‘Phul-Nanas’. By the 1920s they were making chocolate truffles, crystallised fondants and their famous Thorntons special toffee. At its height, the firm employed 4,500 at more than 370 high street shops and 229 franchise counters across the country. In 2021, the firm announced it was closing all its stores, though it continues to trade online. | SubmittedPhoto: Submitted