The launch and success of Fry's Milk chocolate in the 19th Century led to a whole variety of other brands introduced.

The Spanish conqueror of Cortez brought back cocoa and the chocolate drink to Spain in the 16th century, but it wasn't until 1657 that the first shop to sell drinking chocolate was opened in London, to be followed by many more. The competition for customers was great and they soon diversified to sell tea, coffee and cocoa. Much later some of these shops began the process of grinding their own cocoa beans, and soon the availability of chocolate became widespread with some shops being more successful than others. Initially the chocolates were popular with the wealthy, but when import taxes on cocoa fell, cheaper products became available.

Each locality developed it's own favourite flavour but competition, mechanisation and better distribution led to the gradual realisation of all the products available. Many of the early firms were started by the Quakers whose clean living made them prefer cocoa to alcohol with names such as Fry, Cadbury, Rowntree, Terry and Mackintosh.

Other companies infiltrated the British market which soon became established as the biggest chocolate eaters of all!

Toblerone from Switzerland - Ritter from Germany - Van Houten from Holland to name but a few.

Originally it was chocolate - plain chocolate, be it in drinks or bars, but gradually other flavours were introduced Caramel, Nuts & Raisins, Coffee etc etc., with almost any other product wrapped in chocolate - even ice cream!

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