Market Drayton business to star on BBC’s Inside the Factory

A Market Drayton business renowned for its creativity and craftsmanship is set to shine on national television as BBC One’s Inside the Factory Christmas Special goes behind the scenes at Image On Food Ltd – home of Original Biscuit Bakers and the historic Billington’s Gingerbread brands.

Image On Food Ltd, based in Market Drayton – famously known as the ‘home of gingerbread’ – welcomed Inside the Factory presenters Paddy McGuinness and Cherry Healey in September 2024 for an exclusive look at the fascinating process behind its much-loved hand-iced biscuits.

The festive episode follows the journey of Original Biscuit Bakers’ Christmas range, focusing on the popular Santa and Reindeer biscuit design. Viewers will see every step of the process, from the arrival of raw ingredients to the finished biscuit treats ready for dispatch across the UK.

Along the way, the programme will showcase the artistry and precision that goes into creating these delights, including mixing the delicious signature dough, rolling, cutting, baking, robotic flooding and the intricate hand-icing by talented artisans that makes Original Biscuit Bakers’ creations so distinctive in quality.

Original Biscuit Bakers has been delighting customers for more than three decades with its hand-iced biscuit novelties, stocked in quality farm shops, visitor attractions and national retailers such as Waitrose and Booths. Their Christmas collection includes festive favourites such as Santa, Reindeer, Gonk, Snowman, Snowflake, Santa Man and Penguin – each biscuit lovingly crafted and decorated to bring joy to every celebration.

Although the episode focuses on Original Biscuit Bakers’ festive creations, Image On Food Ltd is also home to another Shropshire icon – Billington’s Gingerbread. Crafted in Market Drayton since 1817, this historic recipe combines secret spices, a dash of rum and golden syrup to create crisp gingerbread fingers that have been enjoyed for over 200 years. This enduring tradition sits alongside the company’s innovative hand-iced biscuits, making Image On Food Ltd a true champion of both heritage and creativity.

The business continues to go from strength to strength with production continuously ramping up. Last year alone, the factory produced an astonishing 3,686,460 gingerbreads – weighing in at 185 tonnes – across 94 hand iced designs.

Managing Director Gemma Williams said, “We were delighted to welcome the Inside the Factory team to our factory and share the passion and craftsmanship that goes into every biscuit we make on site. Gingerbread is such an important part of our local heritage here in Market Drayton and we’re proud to keep this tradition alive while continuing to innovate and bring joy to our customers across the UK.

"It was a wonderful experience to meet Paddy and Cherry – they were genuinely interested in every detail and brought such energy and excitement to our factory. We hope viewers enjoy getting a sneak peek behind the scenes and seeing the care and creativity that goes into every biscuit we produce.”

The Christmas Special episode of Inside the Factory featuring Image On Food Ltd will air on BBC One on Tuesday 23rd December at 8pm, offering viewers a unique glimpse into the world of gingerbread and hand-iced biscuits.