Birds Factory
In the 1960s Birds moved to Banbury. Some years later the red and yellow 'chicks' that were on the railings in Digbeth were removed and taken to the Banbury site. They are still outside the factory now. The company is now part of the Kraft group and the custard and desert business has, i believe, been sold. Kenco coffee is now produced in Banbury. The brand when it was in Birmingham was Maxwell House. It was then part of the huge General Foods of America corporation. Many factory workers and their families moved to Banbury in the 60s, myself included. During the transfer a number of Alanways Coaches (Birmingham company) used to travel up the old A41 carrying the workers, who had moved, back to Birmingham to work everyday. After about 18 months all machinery had been removed and the processing started in Banbury. As far as I recall there was also another factory/ warehouse in Bradford street near the bottom of the hill. I believe that at one time it may have been the home of 'phosphor bronze' a metal working company.