During the 1840s, both Fry’s and Cadbury’s were producing chocolate made specifically for eating although the vast majority of production was geared towards the manufacture of cocoa.

In 1853 Fry’s launched their chocolate cream sticks, the forerunners of their chocolate Cream Bars.

Henry Rowntree and his brother Joseph Rowntree took over a struggling cocoa importer in 1862.They were about to change the nation’s taste buds forever.

In the early 20th Century, chocolate entered a new renaissance. Truffles and other European styled chocolates gained popularity in England.

During the First and Second World War, confectionery became a highly sought after, much cherished and very rare, luxury commodity. During the Second World War, sweets such as Liquorice Root Sticks and Cinder Toffee could be found in specialist shops but their consumption was limited due to rationing.

After the 1950s, sweets became more popular than ever. With advances in production techniques and the discovery of new flavours and ingredients, sweets also entered a new renaissance. Black Jacks, Fruit Salads, Refreshers, Kola Cubes and Whams and numerous other confections we still see today were borne.