US owner ‘shames noble founders’

LessthanButtons*

A MEMBER of the Cadbury family has blasted the chocolate maker’s American owner for “playing the system” to dodge a UK tax bill.

James Cadbury, 33, also said his ancestors would be “disappointed with the way [the firm] was now being run”.

He spoke after the Mirror revealed food giant Mondelez paid no corporation tax last year on its biggest UK business – despite its profits soaring to £185million.

James is the greatgreat-greatgrandson of founder John Cadbury, whose son George was driven by his

Quaker beliefs to give staff better conditions. He said: “Cadbury as a family were always about principles and ethics. They were philanthropic, giving huge amounts back.”

Asked about Mondelez UK’s tax bill, he added: “There are a lot of multinationals playing the system.”

James, whose branch of the family had not been involved in the business for years, quit his job as a City trader to start his own chocolate business, Love Cocoa, in 2016. It aims to tackle issues in the cocoa industry including deforestation and farmer poverty – and has pledged 10% of its profits to the Rainforest Foundation.

He said: “It is in my DNA to give something back.” BITTER TASTE Our story on scandal