Cadbury: Timeline of the Bournville chocolate maker's sweet success as it celebrates 200 years


From a small shop in Birmingham to the nation's favourite chocolate brand - here we take a look back at the story of Cadbury as it celebrates 200 years.

The global empire, which cemented itself as an icon of Birmingham and Bournville, has been delighting the nation's tastebuds for two centuries.

From its humble beginnings in 1824 to becoming an iconic household name, Cadbury has remained a steadfast companion in the lives of Britons, synonymous with cherished memories and traditions.

Timeline of how Cadbury become a global empire:

1824: John Cadbury opened the first Cadbury shop at 93 Bull Street in Birmingham, complete with plate glass windows with mahogany frames, which he was said to have cleaned every day. He sold cocoa and drinking chocolate, which he prepared himself using a pestle and mortar, amongst other things.

John Cadbury opened a grocery shop on Bull Street exactly 200 years ago.

1866: Launch of cocoa essence, marking a major turning point for Cadbury.

1875: First chocolate Easter egg. It was made with dark chocolate and had a smooth, plain surface. They were filled with sugar-coated chocolate drops known as 'dragees'.

1905: Cadbury Dairy Milk launched.

1915: Milk Tray unveiled - Cadbury says before the launch of the Cadbury Tray, gift chocolates were very expensive, so the company opened up a way for more people to afford them.

1920: Creation of the Flake - Cadbury Flake became famous as the chocolate that comes with 99 ice cream cones.

1971: Creme Egg created.

1983: Launch of the Wispa - it was launched nationally in 1983 after a trial run in the North East of England. However, Cadbury discontinued it in 2003. Online petitions and campaigns were set up by Wispa fans - with the firm eventually bringing them back in 2008.

1990: Cadbury World opened - it welcomed more than 350,000 visitors in its first year.

2010: Cadbury was taken over by US food company Kraft.


'It's a living legacy,' Duncan Cadbury celebrates the company's 200-year history


Duncan Cadbury is one of a few still bearing the Cadbury name working to continue its legacy through the Bournville Village Trust.

And he spent time working in the factory too.

Speaking to ITV News Central, Mr Cadbury said: "I think, primarily the excitement and thrill that there's still something here that John Cadbury way back in those early days, but particularly Richard and George, who developed Bournville, it's still here.

"It's a living legacy."


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