Henry Jones IXL

Henry Jones IXL is an Australian food brand best known for jams, marmalades, conserves, sauces and other fruit-based products. Its history began in Hobart, Tasmania, where Henry Jones established H. Jones & Company in 1891. Jones had entered the jam industry through employment at George Peacock's jam factory from 1874, and used the experience to build an independent fruit-processing business. The IXL name is traditionally associated with Jones's personal motto, commonly rendered as “I excel in everything I do” or “I will excel in everything I do.” The company expanded beyond Tasmania during the 1890s. In 1895 it purchased a Melbourne building that became known as The Jam Factory and began manufacturing jams and spreads there. H. Jones & Company was incorporated as a limited-liability company in 1903. Following Henry Jones's death in 1926, Achalen Palfreyman became the company's leading figure and served as chairman until 1965. Palfreyman had himself started in the industry as a fourteen-year-old office boy at George Peacock's factory. For much of the twentieth century, Henry Jones IXL operated as a substantial Australian food-processing business, with IXL functioning as its principal consumer brand. The company's products became associated with everyday Australian pantry use, especially the glass tumblers in which some IXL jams were sold. The portfolio later extended beyond traditional preserves to fruit bars, fruit snacks, gourmet spreads, reduced-sugar products and tumbler-format ranges. In 2004, the business was described as Australia's leading fruit-spread manufacturer, with IXL holding a significant share of the national market. Ownership changed several times. In 1974, Henry Jones IXL merged with Elder Smith Goldsbrough Mort & Co to create Elders IXL, under the managing directorship of John Elliott. The business was later sold in 1989 to the United States-based J.M. Smucker Company. In 2004, SPC Ardmona acquired the Henry Jones IXL business and its related Taylors brand. The principal processing facility was at Kyabram in Victoria's Goulburn Valley, close to SPC's manufacturing operations in Shepparton and Mooroopna. SPC itself became part of Coca-Cola Amatil in February 2005. In 2019, the IXL brand and Kyabram factory were sold to Kyabram Jam Company as part of the broader sale of SPC by Coca-Cola Amatil. The new ownership included Malaysian investment, with Malaysian Holstein Milk Company identified as the majority owner of Kyabram Jam Factory. In March 2025, the brand returned to Australian ownership through the Modcor Group and its subsidiary IXL Foods Pty Ltd. The business restored a classic IXL jam range, including Plum, Apricot, Raspberry, Forest Fruits, Breakfast Marmalade and Strawberry, and resumed distribution in Asian markets. IXL products are sold through independent Australian supermarkets and selected retailers, including IGA, Drakes, Ritchies and Foodland. In Malaysia, distribution has included Village Grocer, AEON Supermarkets, Grocer Houz and Bila Bila Mart; in Singapore, the brand has been available through NTUC FairPrice. The company's newer product-development direction includes The Real Jam Co. range, announced for Woolworths with Strawberry, Plum, Apricot and Orange Marmalade variants, alongside an intended expansion into fruit and dessert sauces. IXL's positioning combines heritage, Australian provenance and familiar household preserves with contemporary range extensions.

Henry Jones established H. Jones & Company in Hobart in 1891 after gaining experience in the fruit-preserves trade at George Peacock's jam factory. The IXL name became associated with the company through Henry Jones's personal maxim, usually expressed as “I excel in everything I do.” The company expanded to mainland Australia in 1895, when it acquired a Melbourne building that became known as The Jam Factory and began producing jams and spreads there. The business was incorporated as a limited-liability company in 1903. After Jones died in 1926, Achalen Palfreyman became the company's dominant executive figure. Palfreyman had started his working life at George Peacock's factory and later served as chairman of Henry Jones IXL from 1926 to 1965. During the twentieth century, the company developed into a major Australian food processor, while IXL became its best-known consumer label. Its products included jams, conserves, marmalades, spreads and sauces, and later expanded into fruit bars and snacks. IXL packaging, particularly its reusable glass tumbler format, became familiar in Australian households. The business entered a series of ownership and structural changes in the late twentieth century. In 1974, Henry Jones IXL merged with Elder Smith Goldsbrough Mort & Co to form Elders IXL. The combined company was associated with managing director John Elliott. In 1989, the Henry Jones IXL business was sold to the United States-based J.M. Smucker Company. SPC Ardmona acquired the Henry Jones IXL and Taylors businesses in 2004, and the IXL manufacturing operation was centered at Kyabram in Victoria's Goulburn Valley. The facility was located near SPC's other sites around Shepparton and Mooroopna. Coca-Cola Amatil acquired SPC Ardmona in February 2005. In 2019, Kyabram Jam Company acquired the IXL brand and Kyabram factory during the disposal of SPC-related assets. The ownership structure included Malaysian investment, and Malaysian Holstein Milk Company was identified as the majority owner of the Kyabram Jam Factory. The brand subsequently continued to operate in the preserves category while retaining its Australian heritage. In March 2025, IXL returned to Australian ownership through the Modcor Group and IXL Foods Pty Ltd. The company reintroduced a traditional flavour selection, including Plum, Apricot, Raspberry, Forest Fruits, Breakfast Marmalade and Strawberry. It also resumed distribution in Asian markets, with reported retail availability in Malaysia and Singapore. The brand's current strategy combines heritage products with broader fruit-based innovation. A related The Real Jam Co. range was announced for Woolworths, with plans to extend into fruit sauces and dessert sauces.

• 2025

  Return to Australian ownership

  [1]Henry Jones IXLen.wikipedia.org

  The brand became part of the Australian-owned Modcor Group through IXL Foods Pty Ltd, with restoration of several traditional flavours.

• 2019

  Kyabram Jam Company acquisition

  [1]Henry Jones IXLen.wikipedia.org

  Kyabram Jam Company acquired the IXL brand and Kyabram factory.

• 2005

  Coca-Cola Amatil ownership

  [1]Henry Jones IXLen.wikipedia.org

  Coca-Cola Amatil acquired SPC Ardmona, adding IXL to its portfolio.

• 2004

  SPC Ardmona acquisition

  [1]Henry Jones IXLen.wikipedia.org

  SPC Ardmona acquired the Henry Jones IXL and Taylors businesses.

• 1989

  Sale to J.M. Smucker

  [1]Henry Jones IXLen.wikipedia.org

  The Henry Jones IXL business was sold to the United States-based J.M. Smucker Company.

• 1974

  Formation of Elders IXL

  [1]Henry Jones IXLen.wikipedia.org

  Henry Jones IXL merged with Elder Smith Goldsbrough Mort & Co to form Elders IXL.

• 1903

  Company incorporated

  [1]Henry Jones IXLen.wikipedia.org

  H. Jones & Company was formed as a limited-liability company.

• 1895

  Expansion to Melbourne

  [1]Henry Jones IXLen.wikipedia.org

  The company purchased a Melbourne building later known as The Jam Factory and began producing jams and spreads there.

• 1891

  H. Jones & Company established

  [1]Henry Jones IXLen.wikipedia.org

  Henry Jones founded the Hobart-based company that later became associated with the Henry Jones IXL name.

An established Australian pantry brand centered on fruit preserves, traditional flavours and heritage packaging, with more recent emphasis on Australian ownership, Asian distribution and adjacent fruit-based products.

• Jams and fruit spreads

  IXL Fruit Jams

  The core IXL range consists of fruit jams and spreads sold in familiar household flavours. The restored line-up includes Strawberry, Plum, Apricot, Raspberry and Forest Fruits. IXL's identity in this category is closely tied to Australian pantry traditions and, historically, to glass tumbler packaging.

• Marmalades

  IXL Marmalades

  IXL's marmalade offering forms part of its traditional breakfast-preserves portfolio. Breakfast Marmalade is among the flavours identified as part of the range restored under IXL Foods' Australian ownership.

• Gourmet and reduced-sugar spreads

  IXL Specialty Spreads

  The wider product portfolio has included gourmet spreads, reduced-sugar varieties and tumbler-format products, extending the brand beyond standard everyday jam and addressing different taste and dietary preferences.

• Fruit snacks

  IXL Fruit Bars and Snacks

  Under SPC Ardmona, products marketed under the IXL name included fruit bars and fruit snacks. These products broadened the brand from breakfast and baking uses into portable fruit-based snacking.

• Jam range · 2026

  The Real Jam Co.

  The Real Jam Co. is a related range announced for Woolworths with four 500-gram variants: Strawberry, Plum, Apricot and Orange Marmalade. IXL Foods also indicated plans to extend the range into fruit sauces and dessert sauces.

• 2026

  Launch of The Real Jam Co. rangeProduct launch

  Background

  IXL Foods pursued range expansion beyond the core IXL-labelled preserves portfolio.

  Action taken

  The company launched or announced The Real Jam Co. range for Woolworths in four 500-gram variants and outlined plans for fruit sauces and dessert sauces.

  Aftermath

  The move extended the company's presence in mainstream supermarket preserves and created a platform for further fruit-based products.

  Source

• 2025

  Restore heritage flavours after the return to Australian ownershipStrategy

  Background

  Following the transfer of the IXL brand to Modcor Group and IXL Foods Pty Ltd, the company sought to reinforce the brand's Australian heritage and reconnect with its established preserves identity.

  Action taken

  IXL Foods restored a traditional flavour line-up including Plum, Apricot, Raspberry, Forest Fruits, Breakfast Marmalade and Strawberry, while also resuming distribution in Asian markets.

  Aftermath

  The brand continued retail distribution in Australia, Malaysia and Singapore and began developing adjacent jam and sauce products.

  Source

1. 1Henry Jones IXLen.wikipedia.org