The Kimpton's story is a fascinating chronology of a merchanting business built up by determined and enterprising traders.

It began in 1882 when Charles H. Kimpton, a young man in his early 20's, founded the company in London's Mincing Lane, the trading hub for city merchants, as a commodity trader. In 1890, his brother Ernest S. Kimpton joined him in a partnership that was to last until 1929 when Kimptons became a limited company.

Whilst trading in a wide range of commodities, including Botanical Drugs, Herbs and Spices, the Kimpton Brothers slowly began to build up a reputation as particularly reliable suppliers of Honey. In those days Honey in casks was traded at the Mincing Lane auctions, being passed to the brokers by Importers and coming under the hammer in general auctions of goods varying from Ambergris to Zanzibar Gum.

In the early 1920's Charles' sons Anthony C. W. Kimpton and John A. Kimpton joined the company. The two sons assumed control of the company in 1929 when Kimptons became a limited company. Charles Kimpton, nevertheless, continued to take an active interest in the company until his death in 1934 aged 74. Anthony and John Kimpton decided that the future of the company lay in increased specialisation and that only by being experts in each particular field of business, could the company continue to flourish. Under their guidance Kimpton's activities evolved into a few specialised areas, in each of which they set out to become the principal merchants. The company's already substantial business in Honey was built up by Anthony Kimpton, whilst John Kimpton specialised in Natural Gums with particular success trading in Gum Tragacanth.

In 1949, a chance meeting led to Anthony Kimpton, visiting Italy and obtaining exclusive representation in most parts of the world for a leading Cherry shipper. Kimptons developed this cherry business becoming involved in supplying large amounts of cherries from this and other origins.

In 1954, a visit to New Zealand set the seal of success on Kimpton's activities in the Honey field, when Anthony Kimpton successfully negotiated an agreement granting Kimptons sole European representation for that country's exports. This was soon after followed by Kimptons acquiring an agency for Australian Honey exports.

In 1960 Kimptons acquired John Shackleford, a New Zealand trading company. In 1964 Kimptons moved into the field of Vanillas with the acquisition of London merchants H. Mayer Senior and in 1966 the take over of James Laing (London) Ltd., one of the most important European merchants of Gum Arabic, with its own subsidiary in the Sudan, made Kimpton's interests in the Tragacanth, Karaya and Arabic group of gums one of the largest in Europe.

In 1975, Kimpton Brothers acquired the well established Spice Trading Company of Evans, Gray&Hood Ltd., who specialised in the importation and trading of spices to the processing and manufacturing trades in Europe. They had also developed an interesting business in Eastern Speciality Foods, which had started long ago in the 1950's. The two companies were amalgamated together and traded from the same offices, although due to the reputation of Evans, Gray&Hood it was decided to encourage them to develop this brand.

In the following year, the Kimpton family decided to divest themselves of their company and sold their shares to Croda International PLC in Hull. Kimpton's and Evans Gray&Hood remained and grew as a vibrant part of Croda until October 1990. Their role remained unchanged, although a new division in Industrial Chemicals was added to assist Croda in sourcing raw materials for their large chemical processing plants around the world. This relationship has continued to develop even after the sale of Kimpton's in October 1990.

In 1983, it was identified that there was a growing market in health foods and a division called the General Trade was established which has grown to be one of the leading importers and distributor of this wide range of foods in the United Kingdom.

In October 1990, Croda International PLC, sold the Kimpton Group to Fein&Company of London, a private trading company established in 1843. Fein&Company already had offices in Hong Kong and Moscow and to this was added further offices in Turkey and China. In addition, a joint venture seed cleaning operation was established in Mersin, Turkey to improve the quality of exports from that country direct to European manufacturers.

Another area in which Kimptons have specialized is in Natural Waxes, particularly Carnauba. Kimptons have also developed large interests in Bees Wax and are closely involved in Mineral Waxes.

For the future the company is set on a policy of increased expansion. The original Kimpton Brothers policy of expansion by specialization is still the company's outlook to the future.