The history of traditional sweets and chocolates in the 1900s in UK and USA including a list of 7 iconic chocolates and sweets first introduced during the 1900s, such as Toblerone, Cadbury Milk Chocolate Bar, Bourville Dark Chocolate Bar, Wine Gums, Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar or Tootsie Roll.
The early 1900s in the UK saw the dominance of the Liberal and Conservative parties. This period was marked by political reforms, including the expansion of voting rights and the introduction of social welfare programs. World War I (1914-1918) also had a profound impact on British society and politics, leading to shifts in government policies and social attitudes.
The early 1900s saw the rise of department stores and mass-produced consumer goods in the UK. Retailers like Selfridges and Harrods became household names, offering a wide range of products, including confectionery. Cadbury, Rowntree’s, and Fry’s were among the leading confectionery manufacturers of the time, producing popular sweets such as Dairy Milk chocolate, Fruit Gums, and Fry’s Chocolate Cream. Traditional British sweets like boiled sweets, liquorice, and toffee were popular as they were still more affordable than chocolate.
TRADITIONAL SWEETS & CHOCOLATE HISTORY
- Victorian Traditional Sweets History >>
- History of Traditional Sweets in 1920s >>
- History of Chocolates & Sweets in 1930s >>
1. Cadbury Dairy Milk (1905 – UK)
Whilst ‘Dairy Milk’ sound like a description, it’s actually a brand name for Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate bar. The bar was first introduced in the United Kingdom in 1905 and was created by George Cadbury Jr, who was given the challenge of developing a milk chocolate bar with more milk than anything else on the market. The result was Cadbury Dairy Milk, which contained a higher proportion of milk than previous chocolate bars and quickly became the market leader in the UK after its launch. By 1914, Dairy Milk was the company’s best-selling chocolate bar.
In the 1950s, Dairy Milk became one of the first chocolate bars to be advertised on television in the UK, with the famous slogan “a glass and a half of milk in every half pound” emphasizing the bar’s high milk content.
Over the years, Cadburries started to introduce different flavours of Dairy Milk chocolate bar, often using their other chocolate bars such as Crunchie or Daim as a flavour. Other flavours include: Dairy Milk Caramel, Dairy Milk Silk (with almonds), Dairy Milk Fruit & Nut, Dairy Milk Oreo, Dairy Milk Mint Oreo, Dairy Milk Orange, Dairy Milk Hazelnut, Dairy Milk Chopped Nut, Dairy Milk Tripple Chocolate and many more.
MORE SWEETS HISTORY
- History of Traditional Sweets in 1940s >>
- Wartime Sweets & Chocolates History >>
- History of Sweets & Chocolates in the 1950s >>
2. Toblerone (1908)
Probably the most famous Swiss confectionery bar is Toblerone. First made in 1908 and still produced in the Swiss capital of Bern, we have Theodor Tobler and his cousin Emil Baumann to thank for this distinctive towering addition to the chocolate landscape. The name “Toblerone” is a blend of “Tobler” (the creator’s name) and “torrone,” an Italian word for nougat. The triangular shape of Toblerone bars is inspired by the Swiss Alps, paying homage to the chocolate’s Swiss origins. The logo also includes an image of a bear, a symbol of the city of Bern.
In 2016 two peaks were removed from the chocolate bar and larger gaps were introduced between each peak, in two of the bars in the United Kingdom, to cut the weight of the bars and reduce costs, while retaining the same package size.
3. Bournville (1908 – UK)
Bournville is dark chocolate bar produced by Cadbury, a British chocolate company that is owned by Mondelez International. The brand is named after the Bournville area of Birmingham, England, where the Cadbury factory is located.
Bournville chocolate was first introduced in 1908, and it was marketed as a high-quality, “plain” chocolate bar that was made with a high percentage of cocoa solids. The bar was initially sold in a distinctive purple wrapper with a gold seal, which has become an iconic symbol of the brand. Bournville chocolate has a great dark chocolate flavour and is often used in baking recipes. The brand has since expanded to include a variety of flavours, such as Bournville Old Jamaica, which is infused with rum and raisins.
MORE SWEETS HISTORY
- History of Sweets & Chocolates in 1960s >>
- Traditional Sweets in 1970s >>
- History of chocolates in 1980s >
4. Tootsie Roll (1907 – USA)
Tootsie Roll is a classic American candy that was invented in 1907 by Leo Hirshfield. It is a chewy chocolate-flavoured candy with a distinctive cylindrical shape.
Tootsie Roll was named after its creator’s daughter, Clara “Tootsie” Hirschfield. Leo Hirshfield, the founder of the candy company, named the candy after his daughter’s nickname, which he affectionately called her from a young age.
Tootsie Roll has been referenced in various forms of pop culture, including songs, movies, and television shows. One of the most famous references is the 1970s song “The Tootsie Roll” by the musical group 69 Boyz, which sparked a popular dance craze.
Over the years, Tootsie Roll Industries has introduced several variations of the original Tootsie Roll, including Tootsie Pops (hard candy lollipops with a Tootsie Roll centre), Tootsie Fruit Chews, and Tootsie Frooties (chewy fruit-flavoured candies).
MORE SWEETS HISTORY
- The story behind traditional Spanish churros >>
- Traditional Boiled Sweets History >>
- The history of a traditional toffee sweets >>
5. Fruit Gums (1909) – Maynards (UK)
Fruit Gums were introduced by Maynards in the UK in 1909. They are soft, chewy sweets flavoured with fruit juice and shaped like various fruits, for example strawberry, orange, lemon, blackcurrant, and lime.
Maynards Fruit Gums were invented by Charles Riley Maynard, who founded the company with his brother Tom in 1909. The brothers started by selling their sweets from a small shop in London, eventually growing their business into a successful confectionery brand.
Maynards Fruit Gums were originally sold in jars at the Maynard brothers’ shop, where customers could buy them by weight. Fruit Gums became particularly popular during World War II, when they were included in soldiers’ rations as a morale-boosting treat.
6. Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar (1900 – USA)
The Hershey Milk Chocolate Bar was first introduced by Milton S. Hershey’s company, The Hershey Chocolate Company, in 1900. Milton S. Hershey was inspired to create a smooth and creamy milk chocolate bar after tasting Swiss-made chocolate during a trip to Europe.
Hershey revolutionized the chocolate-making process by developing a method known as the Hershey Process, which involved using fresh milk to create a smoother and creamier chocolate. This process set Hershey’s chocolate apart from other chocolate manufacturers of the time.
One of the key factors contributing to the popularity of the Hershey Milk Chocolate Bar was its affordability – the chocolate bar was produced, so that the cost could be affordable for the average consumer.
Over the years, Hershey’s has expanded its range of chocolate products to include various flavours and formats, including Hershey’s Special Dark, Hershey’s Cookies ‘n’ Creme, and Hershey’s Kisses.
MORE SWEETS HISTORY
7. McCraw’s Old Fashioned Taffy (1908 – USA)
This is lovely oldfashioned soft chewy taffy, originally made by Charles McCraw. The original taffy flavours include vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and banana.
This blog post was originally written on 23 February 2024 and last updated on 23 February 2024
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