how a british brand got chocolate all wrapped up

Iconic British brand Cadbury started life in 1824 when John Cadbury opened a shop in Birmingham selling tea and cocoa. It first launched Dairy Milk in 1905 to rival Swiss chocolate and take advantage of new technology. Its Roses chocolate selection box was launched in 1938.

By The Newsroom

Published 19th Jan 2010, 17:14 BST

Updated 19th Jan 2010, 18:45 BST

The business merged with Schweppes in 1969 to create Cadbury Schweppes and it launched the sugar-filled Creme Egg in 1971.

The group became the world’s biggest confectionery firm in 2003 after buying the US Adams chewing gum business for $4.2bn.

In 2008, it demerged Cadbury Schweppes, creating Cadbury Plc and US soft drinks group Dr Pepper Snapple Group.

In March 2009, Cadbury sold its Australian beverage business Schweppes Australia to Asahi Breweries for 1.185bn Australian dollars, completing its exit from soft drinks.

It is now the world’s second-largest confectionery company behind Mars-Wrigley, making brands including Dairy Milk, Trident gum and Halls cough drops. If the deal goes ahead, it will create a company with more than 40 confectionery brands, overtaking Mars-Wrigley.

Birmingham