In celebration of Her Majesty The Queen’s historic 70-year reign, Cadbury, a proud holder of the Royal Warrant since 1854, has shared an exclusive look at its chocolate archive. Commemorating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee by offering a sneak peek behind the doors to its archives, Cadbury shows how momentous royal occasions from The Queen’s reign have been memorialised in chocolate form.
The collection also reveals how while some flavours have evolved throughout the brand’s 197 year history, the nation’s liking for others like caramel remain as popular today as they did when they were first introduced to Cadbury Milk Tray in 1936. Cadbury is celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee by giving the iconic Cadbury Dairy Milk bar a new regal makeover to mark the momentous milestone. Featuring a distinguished stamp of approval of the Pageant company who lead on celebratory events for the Jubilee, the new Cadbury Dairy Milk bar design reflects the long-standing relationship between Cadbury and the monarchy’s historic milestones.
The Platinum Jubilee celebrations continue with much-loved Cadbury Roses receiving a royal makeover, with the iconic blue tins adorned with a regal, red and diamond crown design. Named after the rose bushes that grew at Cadbury’s home, Bournville, and the favourite flowers of founding Cadbury brother John’s great-granddaughter who was also the first female director of the Cadbury company, Dorothy, when Cadbury Roses launched in 1938, the flavours were different to those people are familiar with today.
Unusual Cadbury Roses units from its 84-year history have included: Pineapple Creme, Truffle & Turkish, Pistache Marzipan, Apricot Cup, Marzipan, Black Cherry Creme, Montelimar Nougat, Raspberry Conserve, Tangerine Creme, Cushion and Cocoa Pod.
Cadbury has a long history of associations with the monarchy, with its first Royal Warrant as chocolate and cocoa manufacturers awarded in 1854. At the time, the business was known as Cadbury Brothers and owned by founding duo John Cadbury, and his brother Benjamin Head Cadbury.
The trend of creating new packaging to mark Coronations, Jubilees and birthdays started well before Queen Elizabeth II’s reign, with the earliest recorded special Cadbury tin produced for the Coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra in 1902. By Queen Elizabeth II’s reign, Cadbury had celebrated many Royal events. However, her Coronation in 1953 remains the most remembered by Cadbury of any royal event to date.
To mark the occasion Cadbury created its largest volume of products yet. These included an assortment box of Cadbury Dairy Milk Tray mixes, with a majestic picture of The Queen on horseback. With chocolate tins shown to become treasured keepsakes, tins of similar chocolates were also created in both regal royal blue and cream designs. Cadbury Milk Tray units in 1953 included: Almond Whirl, Lime Creme, Caramel, Marzipan Diamond, Turkish Delight, Vanilla Creme, Rose Creme, Nougat, Valencia Croquante, Coffee Creme, Noisette and Walnut.
Children from the time will fondly remember the Cadbury Coronation pencil box which contained ten Cadbury Dairy Milk Neapolitans. Now adults, these people will likely now be looking to hand this box down to their children for safekeeping in their own treasured collections.
The Cadbury Coronation pencil box was one of three different designs of special chocolate tins made for distribution by local authorities to school children. One million of these tins were sold across the country.
As sales planning for these lines were in place before de-rationing following World War II, they were based on the assumption that rationing would still be in force. Therefore, products sold out in record time with demand far exceeding the supply.
Queen Elizabeth II later granted her own personal Royal Warrant to Cadbury in 1955. In 1977, The Queen’s Silver Jubilee was celebrated with a limited-edition collectable assortment tin made up with Cadbury Milk Tray chocolates.
Units at the time included: Orange Creme, Nougat, Strawberry Creme, Hazel Charm, Coffee Creme, Caramel, Nut Whirl, Turkish Delight, Fudge, Nut Crunch, Cokernut and Hazel in Soft Toffee. The tin also featured seven flavours that had been introduced since the 1953 Coronation Milk Tray assortment.
When The Diamond Jubilee rolled around in 2012, Cadbury manufactured a limited-edition product Cadbury Dairy Milk 400g bar. This was presented in Cadbury’s famous 1950's logo, created to honour the 60 years of Her Majesty's reign. This was the first time a Cadbury Dairy Milk bar was given a royal makeover throughout The Queen’s reign.
Cadbury has continued to conduct research into the popularly of its flavours and how they are packaged over time so its products evolve to match the nation’s changing tastes.
Sarah Foden, Cadbury Archivist comments: “We are very proud to have such an extensive collection of packaging celebrating Royal events from the past 120 years in the Cadbury Archive, featuring limited edition materials spanning 120 years. As you would expect some tastes and flavours have evolved, for example the early days of Cadbury Milk Tray and Cadbury Roses included Gooseberry Creme and Peach creme. Today these flavours are no more, but caramel remains, with its popularity not wavering for a century. I’m delighted Cadbury is launching the new packaging for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and continuing the company’s proud tradition of celebrating royal jubilees. I love both of the new designs and I look forward to adding examples of both into the Archives where they will be persevered for posterity”.
