Brand History

What is Cadbury Dairy Milk?

Cadbury Dairy Milk is a chocolate bar with a perfect blend of cocoa and milk... Cadbury Dairy Milk was launched in 1905 in the United Kingdom; the chocolate was envisaged by George Cadbury Junior, as product that offered a higher proportion of milk than previous chocolates. This is how the "Glass & a Half of Milk in Every Half-Pound Bar" story started and gave rise to one of the biggest chocolate brands of the 20th century.

History

History

While advertising and packaging designs evolved over the years, along with considerable technological advances in production, the recipe Dairy Milk chocolate still basically remains the same as it was 100 years ago. There is something magical about Cadbury Dairy Milk – the perfect blend of cocoa and milk giving the unique rich taste; the purple colour bringing a sense of positivity or simply the way it inspires moments of spontaneous joy.

Currently, Dairy Milk is sold across the world, and is the leading chocolate brand in countries like United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, India, United Arab Emirates and South Africa. It is available in a range of sizes suitable for all ages and occasions - from a quick snack, a single serve treat, or something to share with the family.

To this day, we believe in the power of joy, and that's why we make every chunk with generosity and love that is pure of heart. We use the best Ghanaian Cocoa & a glass & a half of milk, which has been a slogan of ours, to make sure that every delicious, chocolate-rich bite is as joyful for you to eat as it is for us to make. With Cadbury Kraft’s Dairy Milk we don't just make a chocolate, we make the world a more joyful place. 

History of Cadbury Chocolates

  • 1957
    History, 1820 - 1860
    1824

    John Cadbury, a 22 year old Quaker from Birmingham, opened a shop at 93 Bull Street, a trendy neighbourhood of Birmingham, and started selling tea, coffee, cocoa and drinking chocolate..

    1831

    John Cadbury became a manufacturer, renting an old malt house in Crooked Lane.

    1842

    By 1842, John Cadbury was selling sixteen lines of drinking chocolate and cocoa, with product names like Churchman's Chocolate, Chocolate Paste, Trinidad Cocoa and Rock Cocoa.

    1847

    John Cadbury enlarged his manufacturing business by renting a larger factory at Bridge Street, in the centre of Birmingham. That same year John entered into partnership with his brother Benjamin, and the company started trading as Cadbury Brothers of Birmingham.

    1854

    Cadbury Brothers won the Royal Warrant of Queen's Own Chocolate, for manufacturing products of superior quality and taste.

    1860

    Cadbury ran into financial difficulties, and the partnership between the Cadbury brothers was dissolved.

  • 1981
    History, 1820 - 1860
    1861

    John Cadbury retired. Leaving the company to his sons Richard and George, who became the second Cadbury brothers to lead the enterprise.

    1868

    Cadbury Brothers bought a cocoa press from a Dutch manufacturer, and launched new products with no added starch.

    1875

    The First Cadbury Easter Eggs was produced. Made of dark chocolate,

    the eggs contained 'dragees': sugar-coated chocolate drops.

    1880

    M. Frederic Kinchelman was appointed at Bournville to pass on and decipher the "secrets" of continental chocolate making.

    1893

    This year nineteen different Easter products were introduced. Many of Richard Cadbury's Easter designs were based on German, Dutch, and French originals, modified for Victorian tastes.

    1897

    The first Dairy Milk Cadbury Chocolate was created using milk powder, cocoa mass, cocoa butter and sugar.

    1899

    The business became a private limited under the title Cadbury Brothers Limited. Also this year the size of the Bournville factory was enlarged, to accommodate for the surge of new products, ideas and solutions.

  • 1981
    History, 1901 - 1940
    1905

    Cadbury Dairy Milk was launched to rival Swiss products and take advantage of new innovations and technologies.

    1906

    Bournville Cocoa was introduced to contest against 'Alkalized Cocoas' such as Van Houten.

    1914

    J.S. Fry & Sons launched Fry's Turkish Delights: a rose-flavoured Turkish sweet covered in milk chocolate.

    1915

    Milk Tray became the first everyday box of chocolates – the Milk Tray was stylish but lacked the flourishes of fancy boxes common in the era.

    1919

    J.S Fry & Sons merged with Cadbury to form the British Cocoa and Chocolate Company (BCCC).

    1920

    A Cadbury employee notices how chocolate drained off the moulds formed a steam of folded chocolate and came up with the idea of Cadbury Flake.

    1925

    In this year Cadbury sold 14 Easter Lines while Fry sold 50 including chocolate cream novelties.

    1929

    The Crunchie bar, honeycomb covered in thick milk chocolate was launched by J.S Fry & Sons division.

    1938

    Cadbury Roses was launched, with a rose design on distinctive blue packaging.

  • 1981
    History, 1941 - 1980
    1948

    Cadbury Fudge was launched. The bar became a household name for its advertising jingle 'A finger of Fudge is just enough...'

    1958

    Picnic, a chocolate bar combining caramel, raisins, and peanuts with Cadbury Milk Chocolate was launched.

    1967

    The Aztec bar was launched to compete with Mars. The launch was support with

    a generous TV campaign and shop front advertising involving life-size cardboard cut-outs of Aztec warriors in shops/markets across the United Kingdom.

    1970

    Curly Wurly was introduced. In 2008 Curly Wurly was voted as the best 'retro' chocolate bar still in general production.

    1971

    1971 saw the launch of Cadbury's Creme Egg.

  • 1981
    History, 1981 - Present
    1981

    After a mammoth TV advertising campaign the Wispa bar was launched across the world. The product became one of the most celebrated chocolate brands of the 80s.

    1985

    Coconut Boost was introduced. Since then this product has evolved into a myriad of versions and forms.

    1996

    Fuse was introduced. The Fuse sold 40 million bars in its first week; in less than eight weeks became UK's favourite confectionery item.

    1998

    Cadbury Miniature Heroes was launched. The tub shaped product contained miniature bars of Cadbury Dairy Milk, Twirl, Fudge and Crunchie, and was pitched as an all in one product by Cadbury.

    2007

    Wispa was relaunched for a limited period after an internet campaign by "Wispa fans" to bring it back.

    2008

    Creme Egg Twisted was introduced into the market - Filled with fondant 'goo' the Twisted bar was launched to make the Cadbury Creme Egg experience available all year round.

    2010

    Cadbury is acquired by Kraft Foods