John Cadbury

  • Cadbury

Born in 1801, John Cadbury worked with a tea dealer during his teens and early twenties. In 1824, Cadbury opened his own tea and coffee shop. He had a small selection of cocoa and ‘drinking chocolate’, two products that later became his best-selling items. Nearly ten years later, Cadbury began making his own cocoa and chocolate. Cadbury was joined by his brother Benjamin in 1847, and the business received a royal warrant as official confectioners for Queen Victoria seven years later.

John Cadbury is renowned for his dedication to his employees. He paid them well and was extremely involved with their satisfaction, establishing work councils responsible for resolving all employee grievances. He also kept a doctor on hand to maintain workers’ health and wellbeing, and campaigned constantly against child labor. Cadbury also helped found the Animals Friends Society, which later became the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

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