Famously every bar once contained a glass and a half of milk, but what Cadbury no longer has is royal approval, having been removed from King Charles' list of purveyors.
The chocolatier was first given royal approval by Queen Victoria in 1854 and was reportedly a favorite of Queen Elizabeth II until her death in 2022.
However, it is among 100 brands and products whose warrants have been revoked under King Charles, with the latest list published by the Royal Warrant Holders Association at Buckingham Palace.
This is the second time the king has made an announcement since ascending the throne. Bendix and Prestat are the only two chocolatiers named, but the conglomerate Nestlé also remains on the list.
Luxury chocolate maker Charbonnel & Walker was also removed from the list for the last time in April 2023 in Queen Elizabeth II's name.
A Royal Warrant has been awarded since the 15th century and formally recognizes a company or individual as supplying products or services to the Royal Family.
Each warrant is granted for up to five years at a time. The king first issued a warrant in 1980 when he was Prince of Wales.
Another big brand not on the list is Unilever, which makes products such as Marmite, Magnum Ice Cream Bars and Pot Noodles.
The news was a blow to Cadbury's owner Mondelez UK, with profits falling by a third to £88.1m for the year ending December 2023.
Britain's best-known chocolate maker was controversially acquired by US company Kraft in 2010, before part of the business was split off to become current owner Mondelēz International.
The Daily Mail reported that those who lost their warrants were informed of the decision by letter, but not the reason.
They have 12 months to remove brands associated with the Royal Warrant from their products.
Some companies, including one linked to Queen Camilla, were granted warrants for the first time. Among them are hairdresser Joe Hansford and jeweler Mr. Wartsky.
The latter created the King and Queen's wedding rings when they married in April 2005.
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Cadbury was founded in 1824 in Bournville, Birmingham, and was the subject of a campaign to get King Charles to distance himself from Mondelēz International as it continued to operate under Vladimir Putin's government.
Activists from B4 Ukraine said the company is one of the companies indirectly contributing to Russia's war effort by continuing to operate in the country.
“We call on the Royal Family to stand in solidarity with Ukraine by demonstrating that companies contributing to Ukraine's suffering and destruction are not entitled to the privileges and honor of Royal Warrant,” campaigners said. sent a letter to the King before his birthday in 2016. The Telegraph reported in June.
However, the decision does not appear to be related to the election campaign, as Bacardi and Samsung are also on the list and remain Royal Warrant holders.
In a statement to the Guardian, a spokesperson for Mondelēz International said: “Cadbury is a much-loved brand that has been part of British life for generations and remains a beloved brand. It's a popular chocolate.”
“While we are disappointed that we were not among the hundreds of businesses and brands in the UK to be granted a new warrant, we are proud to have previously obtained a warrant and fully respect this decision. ”
Buckingham Palace told the Guardian it does not comment on individual royal warrants.
