Cadbury World celebrates 200 years of chocolate with a sweet tribute to its founder

Cadbury World, the popular chocolate-themed attraction in Birmingham, is marking the 200th anniversary of the Cadbury brand with a special tribute to its founder, John Cadbury. 

The attraction has recreated the original shop that John opened in 1824 at Bull Street, Birmingham, using nothing but Cadbury chocolate.

The chocolate shop, which stands at 85cm tall and weighs 30kg, took five days to make by the skilled chocolatiers at Cadbury World. Every detail of the shop, from the cobbles and bricks to the windows and door, was handcrafted using milk and white chocolate. The shop also features 43 mini Cadbury Dairy Milk bars in the window, as well as artwork inspired by the original shop.

It is a replica of the first business venture of John Cadbury,  who started as a tea dealer and coffee roaster, and later expanded to selling cocoa and chocolate. The shop was the first in Birmingham to have plate glass windows with mahogany frames, which John cleaned every day. The shop also displayed Chinese vases and oriental figurines that contained black and green tea.

The chocolate shop will be on display at the newly revamped Bournville Experience, which opens in March at Cadbury World. The Bournville Experience is a museum that showcases the history and heritage of the Cadbury brand and the Quaker values of the Cadbury family. 

The museum also features the Gill Cocks collection, which contains more than 1,000 pieces of Cadbury memorabilia, as well as busts and artefacts of George and Richard Cadbury, the sons of John who moved the business to Bournville.

Colin Pitt, Education and Heritage Centre Manager at Cadbury World, said: “We are always so impressed by the stunning creations our chocolatiers create here at Cadbury World, and with such an important milestone year for the brand, this one had to be extra special. We’re proud of the Cadbury story and guests of all ages really enjoy learning the heritage of the brand here at the attraction, so what better way to honour the 200 years of Cadbury than with a throwback to where it all began, the Bull Street shop! We look forward to welcoming guests to the attraction to celebrate with us and learn the full 200-year story at the new Bournville Experience.”

The Bournville Experience is part of an ongoing £8m investment by Merlin Entertainments in Cadbury World, which also includes a new Cadbury Chocolate Quest ride, a new interactive Have a Go zone, and an upgraded Advertising Avenue. Guests can also enjoy the 4D Chocolate Adventure zone, chocolate making demonstrations, and plenty more chocolatey fun.

Cadbury World is open daily. For more information and to book tickets, visit www.cadburyworld.co.uk.