Sweet discoveries at Dunedin Cadbury factory

A former chocolate factory has revealed some sweet treasures. The Cadbury site occupies a large block of land between Dunedin’s oneway system but it is being demolished to make way for the $1.4 billion Dunedin Hospital rebuild. At its peak, hundreds of employees worked at the factory, producing favourites such as Caramilk, Dairy Milk, Roses, Jaffas, Buzz Bars and Pinky Bars. Among the items uncovered at the site were plans for the Curly Wurly machine and the chocolate fish mould, as well as 16 books of business records. Those books cover from 1899 to 1988, detailing the business affairs of Hudson & Co and its subsequent merger with Cadbury. Megan Lawrence, principal archaeologist at New Zealand Heritage Properties, said any finds on the new Dunedin hospital site were recorded, with the Hudson & Co books likely to find a new home in a museum or collection.