York's reputation as a centre of chocolate manufacturing rests largely on two family names that grew from modest shop beginnings into global brands. For more than a century, Rowntree's and Terry's shaped the city's economy and identity, leaving a legacy that survives today in museum exhibitions and familiar sweet-shop shelves.
Rowntree's: From Castlegate to Global Brands
Henry Isaac Rowntree, a Quaker, founded Rowntree's in 1862 at Castlegate in York. The company introduced Fruit Pastilles in 1881; by 1887 these accounted for roughly a quarter of the firm's tonnage. Fruit Gums followed in 1893. The inter-war years brought some of Rowntree's best-known products: the Aero aerated milk chocolate bar and the Chocolate Crisp — later renamed Kit Kat — both launched in 1935. Smarties appeared in 1938, initially sold loose before being packaged in cardboard tubes. After Eight thin mint chocolates were launched in 1962, and the Yorkie and Lion bars followed in 1976.
In 1969, Rowntree merged with John Mackintosh and Co to form Rowntree Mackintosh. The company was acquired by Nestlé in 1988 for £2.55 billion, after which the Rowntree corporate entity ceased to exist in 1991, becoming part of Nestlé UK. Nestlé has since invested more than £200 million in the York site, making it one of the world's largest confectionery factories.
Terry's: A York Family Name
Terry's traces its origins in York to 1767, when the business was established as a confectionery shop. Under the Terry family, the firm became known for products such as Terry's Chocolate Orange, introduced in 1932, and Terry's All Gold, launched in the 1930s. The company passed out of family hands in 1963, when the Forte group purchased it. Colgate-Palmolive acquired Joseph Terry & Sons in 1977 for £17 million, and United Biscuits bought it in 1982 for £24.5 million. In 1993, United Biscuits sold the Terry's Group to Philip Morris and its subsidiary Kraft Foods for £220 million.
Takeovers and Factory Closures
The closure of the Terry's Chocolate Works in York on 30 September 2005 ended nearly two and a half centuries of Terry family-linked production in the city. The closure cost 316 jobs. Peter Terry, the last surviving member of the Terry family to manage the York factory, returned to the site in 2004 and expressed sadness at the impending shutdown, according to the York Press. Ian Johnston, who served as managing director of Terry's in York from 1963 to 1977 and as chairman until 1982, had previously modernised manufacturing, introduced television advertising and overseen an expansion in sales and profits; he died in 2012, the York Press reported.
Remembering York's Chocolate Heritage
York's connection to chocolate is now preserved in part by York's Chocolate Story, a visitor attraction that offers guided tours, chocolate-making experiences, a shop and a café. The attraction traces the history of chocolate manufacturing in the city, with particular attention to Rowntree's and Terry's.