The Excelsior brand is a long-established product of the Jamaica Biscuit Company, whose name and reputation are based on its famous Excelsior Water Crackers, usually referred to as biscuits in Jamaica. The company, with its flagship brand was established in 1911.
The Jamaica Biscuit Company was originally Jamaican owned, established by Lionel DeMercado and Alfred DaCosta with John Crook of the United States. Their factory was one of the first of its kind to be established in Jamaica and was located at 2 Church Street, Kingston 11.
It operated with only one oven and was confined to just the one product, which, from its introduction to the market, was remarkably successful. The Excelsior brand was established with the crackers and was retained when the company started to diversify its product line.
Excelsior Water Crackers were packaged in 2lb tins made at the company's workshop built on to the Church Street location. In 1952, a new factory was built when they moved to their present site at 206 Spanish Town Road.
