Thursday 30 October 2014

Cadbury's Cocoa Essence

Cadbury's Cocoa Essence

Spotted in York Castle museum, York.


Cadburys cocoa essence. York castle museum, York. Box of cocoa powder.

Cadbury's began in 1824 when John Cadbury opened a Grocer's in Birmingham. Among his products was cocoa and drinking chocolate. Fast forward to 1842 and the shop was selling 16 types of drinking chocolate and 11 varieties of cocoa.

Cadburys cocoa essence. York castle museum, York. Box of cocoa powder.


In 1866 The Cadbury brothers had taken over the shop and bought an innovative dutch press which could mass produce cocoa powder. The way the press worked meant no more starchy additives added to the essence and transformed the British cocoa business. They could now market it as "Absolutely pure. Therefore best" which boosted sales and flung the company forwards from small business to worldwide cocoa producer. Who knows, without the cocoa essence maybe another company would have bought the dutch press and we'd all be eating Gray's Dairy Milk instead.

Personally I don't like the Bourneville pure cocoa today, I find it quite grainy so I always go for Asda's own brand or the co-op fairtrade.


More info about the history of Cadburys;  Cadbury - the story

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