Remembering John Cadbury

For most of us, Cadbury is almost a synonym for chocolates. Ranging from their caramel toffees like Eclairs to their big bars of Dairy Milk, Cadbury has won hearts all over the world for decades.

But do you know the man behind Cadbury? The man who brought drinking chocolate powder that you love to the markets?

In the year 1824, a 22-year old man from a Quaker family, John Cadbury opened up a grocery store at 93 Bull Street in Birmingham in a tiny space next to his father's shop that sold silk and draperies.

During his early days, John advocated for social justice and equality and actively campaigned against issues like child exploitation and animal cruelty.

Being a member of a non-conforming Christian group, John disapproved the consumption of alcohol and drugs and in an attempt to rescue the young men and women of his society from its abuse, he began selling tea and coffee products as substitutes. In addition to these products, out of his own personal interest, John sold cocoa and drinking chocolate which he made using his mortar and pestle. He added sago flour to counter the high cocoa butter content and special ingredients like treacle and starch to his chocolates for health benefits. John had a knack for marketing and consequently the demand for his chocolates rose. People took home chocolates from his store in big blocks from which they made chocolate sauce and chocolate drinks.

John's business prospered over the years and he expanded the production by renting a small factory in Crooked Lane, not very faraway from his store and in a very short period he became one of the leading producers of drinking chocolate and cocoa.

Later in 1847, he moved to a larger factory in Bridge Street and went into partnership with his brother Benjamin with whom he began trading under the name – Cadbury Brothers of Birmingham.

Cadbury Brothers were granted their first Royal warrant by February 4, 1854, as “manufacturers of cocoa and chocolate to Queen Victoria” which the company holds till this date.

John was living his dream when his wife met an untimely death in 1855. Her death drove him into severe depression and he lost the will to work for the company. As a result, business began to decline in the late 1850s and Cadbury Brothers pulled out of retail business leaving the future of the company in the hands of John's son, Richard Cadbury. A demoralised John retired from the company in 1861 and dedicated the rest of his life to civic and social work till his death on May 11, 1889.

After his death, Richard and his brother George took over the bankrupt company with much reluctance and after almost five years of hardwork and thrifty living, business picked up for the new Cadbury brothers. In a matter of few years, they began launching hundreds of products after having set up the Bournville village, inspired from their father's philosophy of inclusiveness and equality and took the company to unimaginable heights of success and propserity.

Today, we remember John Cadbury on his 130th death anniversary for creating a product using just a mortar and a pestle and for kickstarting a company that went on to become the world's second largest confectionary brand finding a place in the homes and hearts of millions.