The Van Dal shoe company belong to the larger company of the Florida Group Ltd, which were originally founded by Adelman Goodman in the early parts of the 1900's. Adelman and his group originally produced their shoes in London, but as his two sons entered into the business they decided to move their manufacturing business to Norwich in 1936.

Norwich was quickly becoming an integral location for shoe manufacturers, and Adelman and his sons arrival added to the boom of the shoe industry. In Norwich alone there were 12,000 people employed in twenty-six shoe factories, which were producing a whopping 7 million shoes every year. However, the Florida Group were not lost amongst this mass production, outshining many of their competitors with their stylish and comfortable shoes, continually adapting to the fashions and creating shoes that were innovative in their comfort. Adelman Goodman died in 1938, but his business was continued with his two sons, who continued his hard work and dedication, continuing to produce their unbranded ladies' shoes until 1946.

It was during 1946 that they took the decision to begin specialising in wider fitting, high quality shoes under a brand name – 'Van Dal'. The choice of name remains a mystery today, many believe the name to have Dutch origins, but no-one is sure of its true meaning. However, one thing is for sure, the Van Dal footwear brand name has become known worldwide for its continuing production of stylish shoes that maintain a level of comfort that is rarely produced by other shoe manufacturers. They have been able to do such a thing with their dedication to the brand that Adelman first produced, with the current Chairman being the grandson of Adelman.