A History of Cadbury

Book excerpt: The history of the world-famous confectioner—maker of the Cadbury Creme Egg—from nineteenth-century shop to multinational brand. When John Cadbury came to Birmingham in 1824, he sold tea, coffee, and drinking chocolate in a small shop on Bull Street. Drinking chocolate was considered a healthy alternative to alcohol, something Cadbury, a Quaker, was keen to encourage. By 1879, the Cadburys were ready to make their historic move to Bournville, where they established their famous “factory in a garden,” built on the sprawling Bournbrook estate. A History of Cadbury recounts the history of this beloved British chocolatier and looks at the social impact the company has had, both on the chocolate and cocoa business and on British culture at large. This is the story of how Cadbury began, how it grew, and how it diversified in order to bring its chocolates and candies to one generation after the next.