Peek Freans

Peek Freans is a global brand of biscuits and related confectionery owned by various food businesses. It was formerly a biscuit-making company based in Bermondsey, London, England. James Peek (1800–1879) was one of three brothers born in Dodbrooke, Devon, to a well-off family. In 1821, the three brothers founded a tea importation company, established as Peek Brothers and Co., in the East End of London. By the 1840s, the company was importing £5,000,000 of tea per annum. In 1824, Peek married Elizabeth Masters (1799–1867). The couple had eight children. By 1857, two of his late-teenage sons had announced that they were not going to join the family tea import business. Peek wanted them in a complementary trade and proposed that they start a biscuit business. After founding the business, one of the sons died in his early 20s, the other quickly decided on a different course and emigrated to North America.