Chocs away with 200 years of Cadbury

And there I’m saying it, it’s the best sweet attraction bar none so chocs away with 200 years of Cadbury.

You probably think little of what’s gone into your favourite Dairy Milk, Flake, Crunchie, Fudge or of course Bourneville when you munch ’em.

But, of course, as well as magical chocolate there is 200 hundred years of love with a story which would give Wonka a run for its money.

Which was how it was with Roald Dahl inspired by the great Birmingham chocolate maker to work as a chocolate taster as a young boy.

Where Dahl tasted many have gone before and since with my own brown-eyed chocoholic daughter going back for repeats.

After Cadbury had given her her four bars of chocolate at the end of our tour.

The real Dahl

Now, for those who have never been to Cadbury in Bourneville (yes, it is the name of the village) then why not?

Because it is without doubt a tale worthy of a big-screen movie… a land of sweet imagination.

For Willie Wonka here read George Cadbury and for the oompah-loompahs substitute the honest men, women and children of Birmingham.

Who all availed of George’s socially-conscious Quaker ideology.

Because the Cadburys got into the cocoa and chocolate field because of their opposition to alchohol… and here we differ.

An interesting Boering story

And here a tale from the history of Cadbury when they stood up to Queen Victoria.

Vic had wanted Cadbury to send a morale-boosting New Year’s tin of chocolates to each soldier fighting in the Boer War in South Africa in 1900.

Only as Quakers they were confirmed pacifists.

The companies did not want to put their logos onto the chocolate tins but the Queen wanted to show that she was purchasing quality chocolate for her soldiers.

So they stamped their names on the chocolate bars.

Best bar none

Now back to Bourneville and the forward-thinking Cadburys wanted to ensure that his employees’ lives in and out of work were as comfortable as they could possibly be.

Which meant that he built them cottages.

And a playground for children, country outings and summer camps.

While the men played football, hockey and cricket while tennis and squash courts were also added.

Along with a bowling green and swimming pools with heated changing rooms.

And Cadbury too were all for holidays with Saturday half-days for its workers.

So chocs away with 200 years of Cadbury.

Here’s to the next 200 of the best chocolate bar none.