Balfour family descendant Kristina Hebdon concerned by sale of Balfours to interstate company

A descendant of the family behind the iconic Balfours bakery is fearful for the historic company’s future after it was sold to an interstate pie maker.

A member of the original Balfour family admits she’s concerned about the sale of the iconic SA baker to an interstate rival.

Balfours has been bought by Aus Pie Co, the Western Australian manufacturer of Mrs Macs Pies, and will take over on August 1.

Kristina Hebdon, the great granddaughter of John Gordon Balfour – understood to be the inventor of the frog cake – said it was a “sad day” and the new owners who won’t have the “passion” for Balfours’ SA products.

The founder of the Balfours bakery, John Balfour. Picture: Supplied

“I felt saddened to hear this news, 170 years of proud South Australian history now in the hands of an interstate company,” she said.

“Yes I’m sure many are disappointed and worried about any future changes to product lines.

“The fact a family-owned company with such a long and iconic South Australian presence is now in the hands of a company which will not inherit the passion for their uniquely SA products.”

There was an air of uncertainty around the company’s Dudley Park factory on Friday.

A factory employee, who wished not to be named, said “all lower level employees” have been promised job security despite the change in ownership.

Aus Pie Co said it had plans to take the SA brand national, but would not rule out job losses in the takeover.

A historic photo of the Balfours factory and workforce. Photo: Balfours

Balfours is famous for its range of pies, pasties and sausage rolls, along with a wide selection of sweets, but it perhaps best known for its unique green, pink and brown frog cakes.

Balfours has been owned by South Australian company San Remo since 2008, with that organisation stating it was “first and foremost a pasta company” and that “the time has now come for us to focus on growing our significant core business globally”.

Ms Hebdon said she felt it “hadn’t been the same” since the company left Balfour family ownership in the late 1990s.

Aus Pie Co chief executive Bruce Feodoroff told 7NEWS on Thursday that “it’s business as usual plan at this point of time to grow the brand”.

“Currently the market for Balfours is about 85 per cent in South Australia and we look to take it nationally.”

However Mr Feodoroff stopped short of ruling out the possibility of redundancies in the future.

“We don’t know until we get further insight into the business,” he said.

The treats have become something of a symbol of South Australia since they were first created back in 1922.

The company is almost as old as South Australia itself, tracing its origins back to 1853 – 17 years after the colony’s foundation.

According to the company’s website Scottish immigrants James Calder and his wife Margaret (nee Balfour) established their first bakery and shop at 130 Rundle Street in Adelaide.

Six years later, Margaret’s nephew, John Balfour, joined the firm as an apprentice. The firm became famous for its biscuits, even supplying them to royalty when Queen Victoria’s son, Prince Alfred, visited Australia in 1867.