[Archived] Cadbury'S Sold

[mellison24]

Sorry I spoke

I was merely jesting, my good man. But I do think it's a shame. Am I right in saying Crown isn't a Darwen enterprise anymore? Or are there still links in the town, after the factory was pulled down?

[thenodrog]

Cadbury World is a great family day out. I would urge those who have never visited to do so soon before Bournville closes.

Hey I took the kids around Cadbury World tour a decade or more ago...... and came back with the overiding impression that old George Cadbury was either a paedophile or a sex maniac or both! All that business of him taking underpriviledged kids and their mothers under his wing didn't quite ring true to me.

I kept being reminded about what they say about all overly religious types.... Good book in one hand and prick in the other!

Sorry if I've spoilt your illusion Jimbo.

btw It was a bloody awful tour too. Amateurish and all we got was one high cocoa chocky before being exited through the back of their shop. Seemed to work cos lots of folk were filling plastic bags full of cadbury chocolate brands.

In all honesty I am saddened by the sale. Over Christmas I attended Cadbury's World and learning about the history of the company was extremely interesting. It was honestly the first time in a while that I have felt proud to be British. It is a fantastic brand and I think I'll always consider it to be British.

We have relatives in the US who insist that we take lots of Cadbury's chocolate over when we go as chocolate over the pond is awful.

Personally I think ours is too and that Belgian and Swiss are miles better.

btw imo they can have Cadbury's if they want...... just don't let em anywhere near Thorntons and their Continetals brand.

[jim mk2]

While Cadbury's workers worry about their families' futures following the takeover, the American CEO walks away with £30m (apologies for the Daily Mail link)

http://www.dailymail...-job-fears.html

Just remembered that it was Kraft who also took over Terry's of York. The factory is now closed and Terry's famous chocolate orange is now made in Poland.

http://www.independe...way-509122.html

Cadbury's staff have every right to be worried. Kraft are not to be trusted.

[JAL]

The business i'm involved in was taken over recently by a foreign competitor, these new owners have just asked, why is the British management team paid three times more than their equivalent management team.

Interesting times ahead.

[adopted scouser]

The closure of Rover at Longbridge was astonishing. Rover was Britain's last volume car manufacturer yet by the end of the day of the closure announcement it wasn't even the lead story on the evening news. Same question, does anyone care ?

But that was the difference wasn't it ? Cadbury continue to be the leading brand in terms of overall volume ahead of Mars, and streets ahead of Nestle.

Rover cars were rubbish, apart from the overpriced 75.

[philipl]

It is sad, not so much because of the British aspect (Bournville chocolate is already made in France) as a good company has been taken over by a rubbish one.

Kraft are doing the same thing as the Glazers- borrowing the dosh and burdening the victim.

[mellison24]

It is sad, not so much because of the British aspect (Bournville chocolate is already made in France) as a good company has been taken over by a rubbish one.

Kraft are doing the same thing as the Glazers- borrowing the dosh and burdening the victim.

Glazers from Gridiron to Football.

Kraft from Cheese to Chocolate.

Not right at all!

[MCMC1875]

I think it's sad.

It seems that Cadbury's is a great company with a social conscience, will that now evaporate since it's in foreign hands?

Also, the new owners may decide to move production abroad to lower costs of production so that they can get their money back ASAP. British jobs are at stake.

As said earlier, the company was a plc, not sure what the govt could've done about it?

The country's whole economy seems to revolve around the fortunes of a bunch of braced-up spreadsheet-fiddlers in the City, they are way too powerful for the good of the country, but Labour has not had the guts to rein them in (this is a general point about the credit crunch). Too much of our GDP emanates from services, rather than actual physical goods.

Come on Bryan, wise up.

Once any company sells a majority of its's shares it is fair game. Closer to home, Matthew Brown bought Theakstons and bleated when Scottish & Newcastle came calling. Cadbury were previously Cadbury Schweppes, prior to restructuring and did anyone cry foul when they bought Fry's or Trebor Bassett? Confectionery jobs have been going overseas steadily for years, hastened by the minimum wage. Masterfoods (Mars) UK strongholds were Liverpool Rd & Dundee Rd in Slough but not many complained when Liverpool Rd (M&Ms, Revels, sugar products, etc) was shut to move production to Eastern Europe. Cadbury were already planning to shut Somerdale, Bristol (home to Picnic, Curlywurly, Topic, Double Decker and others). On the Nestle front, they bought Rowntree's of York for the Kit Kat brand and nothing else. How many tears were shed for Mackintosh of Halifax previously swallowed up (no pun intended) by Rowntree?

[mellison24]

Come on Bryan, wise up.

Once any company sells a majority of its's shares it is fair game. Closer to home, Matthew Brown bought Theakstons and bleated when Scottish & Newcastle came calling. Cadbury were previously Cadbury Schweppes, prior to restructuring and did anyone cry foul when they bought Fry's or Trebor Bassett? Confectionery jobs have been going overseas steadily for years, hastened by the minimum wage. Masterfoods (Mars) UK strongholds were Liverpool Rd & Dundee Rd in Slough but not many complained when Liverpool Rd (M&Ms, Revels, sugar products, etc) was shut to move production to Eastern Europe. Cadbury were already planning to shut Somerdale, Bristol (home to Picnic, Curlywurly, Topic, Double Decker and others). On the Nestle front, they bought Rowntree's of York for the Kit Kat brand and nothing else. How many tears were shed for Mackintosh of Halifax previously swallowed up (no pun intended) by Rowntree?

I think the outcry is because it's the original, isn't it?

[MCMC1875]

I think the outcry is because it's the original, isn't it?

And weren't Fry's, Trebor Bassett, Mackintosh, Rowntree, Terry's, etc????

[broadsword]

I'm not an expert on business by any means, but I can well believe what you say.

American company launches takeover for British firm makes good headlines though. They put a spin on it that we're losing part of our heritage/ industry/ whatever to those Yankee pirates, it gets people indignant and makes them want to know more.

I guess it's just a sign of teh times that we live in that we're a manufacturing outpost for global companies, and our lightly-regulated financial markets appeal to any number of financial organisations.

Are any of Fry's old products still made? I don't think I've seen any of them on sale, i'm assuming not.

[Exiled in Toronto]

And weren't Fry's, Trebor Bassett, Mackintosh, Rowntree, Terry's, etc????

Small detail, but Fry's merged with Cadbury's in 1917 and Mackintosh with Rowntree in 1969, so they were not taken over as such. Both mergers were because the firms involved felt that alone they would not be able to compete effectively in the future. Indeed, Rowntree begged to join the Cadbury-Fry combine (called the British Cocoa and Chocolate Company) in 1930, but were rebuffed.

The Nestle purchase of Rowntree Mackintosh and the Kraft one of Cadbury are different in that both were unwelcome by companies who felt perfectly capable of coping on their own.

Your point about Cadbury's puchase of Trebor and Bassett remains though.

Are any of Fry's old products still made? I don't think I've seen any of them on sale, i'm assuming not.

Fry's Turkish Delight and Fry's Chocolate cream are still made today. Unfortunately, the machine that made Fry's Five Centres finally gave up the ghost a few years back.

Crunchie and Picnic were both originally Fry brands but were rebranded Cadbury's in the 1970's when Fry's ceased to operate as a stand-alone entity

[broadsword]

guess you still get Fry's.

http://www.sweets2.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=fryscreambars

Although they've stopped making trebor mints i think

[MCMC1875]

Small detail, but Fry's merged with Cadbury's in 1917 and Mackintosh with Rowntree in 1969, so they were not taken over as such. Both mergers were because the firms involved felt that alone they would not be able to compete effectively in the future. Indeed, Rowntree begged to join the Cadbury-Fry combine (called the British Cocoa and Chocolate Company) in 1930, but were rebuffed.

The Nestle purchase of Rowntree Mackintosh and the Kraft one of Cadbury are different in that both were unwelcome by companies who felt perfectly capable of coping on their own.

Your point about Cadbury's puchase of Trebor and Bassett remains though.

Fry's Turkish Delight and Fry's Chocolate cream are still made today. Unfortunately, the machine that made Fry's Five Centres finally gave up the ghost a few years back.

Crunchie and Picnic were both originally Fry brands but were rebranded Cadbury's in the 1970's when Fry's ceased to operate as a stand-alone entity

Some years ago, I visited Cadbury's plant in Dublin, home of Timeout, Wispa, Boost, Flake and others. The Flake line began thus: bloke shovelling cocoa powder from wheelbarrow into hopper!

[mellison24]

And weren't Fry's, Trebor Bassett, Mackintosh, Rowntree, Terry's, etc????

I meant THE original. As in, the first of the lot. I may be mistaken but that's what I was led to believe: That Mr. Cadbury invented chocolate to stop the enormous gin consumption at the time.

[Claytons Left Boot]

Anyway John, just bought your book. I said I would.

Hope you can sleep easy in the fact that your £1.50 royalty cheque will have disappeared the next time you make yourself a cup of coffee!!

Who'd a thewt it - a young lad from 'treacle mines.....

Get in touch the next time you're over (we finish in Zurich in March/April) and we'll catch a game together.

[Exiled in Toronto]

Anyway John, just bought your book. I said I would.

Hope you can sleep easy in the fact that your £1.50 royalty cheque will have disappeared the next time you make yourself a cup of coffee!!

Who'd a thewt it - a young lad from 'treacle mines.....

Get in touch the next time you're over (we finish in Zurich in March/April) and we'll catch a game together.

Thanks for that - I shall spend it at the drive-through coffee shop this morning and toast you!

[Ozz]

On a related note, it's 57 years today since Sweet Rationing ended!

[Ozz]

Cadbury announces 400 job losses in the first closure since the takeover. BBC News.