A chocolate chip off the old block CADBURY FAMILY MEMBER’S NEW BIZ
THE great-great-grandson of legendary chocolate tycoon George Cadbury is taking on the old family firm – with backing from Richard Branson.
James Cadbury is “depressed” by the standard of chocolate sold by his ancestor’s company since US food giant Kraft bought it in 2010.
And he wants to show them where they are going wrong after being handed a Virgin start-up loan to help expand his firm Love Cocoa.
James said: “Lots of people grew up loving Cadbury’s. It was really disappointing when they got taken over. As a family we couldn’t do anything. American chocolate is very different. When you go to America and pick up a bar, it isn’t great.
“You have to get the right balance. Our dark chocolate is our most popular and that has a lot less sugar than milk chocolate. When I go through American immigration they say, ‘You’re the Creme Egg man!’. Brummie James’s Quaker ancestor George built Cadbury’s into the world’s most famous chocolate brand at Bournville, Birmingham, in the late 19th century. The company became famous for its charitable deeds, including giving money to hospitals and looking after its workers, who did not have to work Sundays or Bank Holidays. But his descendants lost control following Kraft’s hostile takeover. Kraft has been slammed for its methods. Two years ago it was revealed the iconic Creme Egg would no longer be made using Dairy Milk to cut costs. James, 32, said of his famous ancestor: “Hopefully y he’d be happy if he was looking down on me me.” He add added: “There’s a lit little bit of Cadb Cadbury’s inheritance still in the famil family, but my ancesto cestors gave most of it a away to charities a and hospitals. “I t took a Virgin top- up loan, which shows we weren’t born w with a silver spoo spoon – £ 10,000 – to get the brand t together.og I alw always wanted to do it.”