In 1900, the company's products were sold in 172 countries; further, their global reach saw their advertising posters feature scenes from around the world.

The cake is believed to have been part of the rations of Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s Terra Nova Expedition in 1910–1913.

Initially, the business was a small biscuit baker and confectioner shop at number 119 London Street, Reading, Berkshire.

[7] In 1838, Joseph Huntley was forced by ill-health to retire, handing control of the business to his older son Thomas.

The company soon outgrew its original shop and moved to a factory on King's Road in 1846, near the Great Western Railway.

In 1865, the company expanded into the European continent, and received royal warrants from Napoleon III and Leopold II of Belgium.

The company provided free biscuits for first-class rail travellers from Paddington, urging them to look out for the works in Reading.

[4] The tins found their way as far abroad as the heart of Africa and the mountains of Tibet; the company even provided biscuits to Captain Scott during his 1910 expedition to the South Pole.

In 1921, Huntley & Palmers accept the invitation from London's Peek Frean to merge so both firms formed a holding company, "Associated Biscuits Manufacturers Ltd."[11] with a capital of 2.5 million.

[16] It came to light that one freelance artist commissioned to design biscuit tins for Huntley & Palmers (including one based on an original artwork by Kate Greenaway[17]) had placed secret images in his designs, such as depictions of copulating dogs, copulating people, and a man with a cannabis joint during the 1970s.

Their aim is to bring the name of Huntley and Palmers back into the mainstream, with several products ranges focusing on different market sectors, and including, once again, biscuit tins.