John Cadbury owned a cocoa factory in Brimingham’s Bridge Street in the mid-19th century. John had two sons George and Richard Cadbury. The factory was in the decline in 1861. It was making losses. The raw-material cocoa was controlled by 40 confectionery traders. The brothers introduced 4000 pounds inherited from their mother to restore the factory’s health. They also introduced a cocoa drink. The chocolate was made accidently when cocoa powder was mixed with cocoa fat and sugar to make a rich creamy paste which was moulded and set. A rival firm Fry & Sons  introduced mint chocolates. Cadbury was suffering. George travelled to Netherlands and bought new cocoa press that the Dutch used to make a smoother chocolate. Cadbury’s drink was promoted on the basis of its purity. By 1868, the campaign gained momentum. They improved packaging of the chocolates. All this worked. The business flourished for nearly 50 years.

The history is given in a book Chocolate Wars penned by Deborah Cadbury, daughter of the Cadbury family.

Cadbury was valued at 5 billion pounds in 2000. Kraft Food of the US acquired it in 2010. The combined business stands at 37 billion pounds.

The sinful brown bar of Cadbury has survived.