Cadbury dropped from royal list after 170 years

Cadbury, one of Britain’s most iconic chocolate makers, has lost its royal warrant under King Charles, ending a tradition that began in 1854 during Queen Victoria’s reign.

The Birmingham-based chocolatier is among 100 brands stripped of this honour since Charles ascended to the throne.

The royal warrant, which recognises suppliers to the royal household, is granted for up to five years.

Businesses are notified by letter if their warrant is not renewed but are not given an explanation.

Cadbury now has one year to remove all royal branding from its products.

The company, founded in Birmingham in 1824 and owned by US-based Mondelēz International, expressed disappointment over the decision.

Mondelēz UK’s profits dropped by a third to £88.1m for the year ending December 2023, marking another setback for the company.

It comes amid calls from campaigners urging the royal family to distance itself from companies operating in Russia, including Mondelēz.

The decision to strip Cadbury’s warrant does not appear to be linked to these pressures, as other companies involved in the campaign have retained their warrants.

Only two chocolate brands, Bendicks and Prestat, remain on King Charles’s list of approved suppliers, along with the conglomerate Nestlé.

Other major brands, including Unilever, also lost their royal endorsement in the latest review.