Fry's Chocolate Cream

Fry's Chocolate Cream is a chocolate bar developed by J. S. Fry & Sons and currently manufactured by Cadbury. Launched in 1866, Fry's Chocolate Cream is the first mass-produced chocolate bar and is the world's oldest chocolate bar brand.[1][2][3] The original chocolate bar consists of a plain fondant centre enrobed in plain chocolate. Variants include Peppermint Cream, Orange Cream, Raspberry Cream and Strawberry Cream.

Fry's Chocolate Cream
Original Fry's Chocolate Cream.
Product typeConfectionery
OwnerCadbury
CountryUnited Kingdom
Introduced1866 (1866)
Related brandsFry's Peppermint Cream
Fry's Orange Cream
Fry's Raspberry Cream
MarketsUnited Kingdom
Previous ownersJ. S. Fry & Sons

History

Fry's Chocolate Cream was first produced in 1866 and is considered the direct descendent of Fry's Cream Stick produced in 1853. The Cream Stick was the first industrialised and affordable chocolate bar. In 1875, Fry's Chocolate cream was remoulded to the shape it still has today. During production, it once exceeded half a million units per day and the foil wrapping and label would appear in 1925. The Orange Cream and Peppermint Cream, followed by Fry's Five Centre, were introduced in 1934. [4]

Bomber crews in RAF Bomber Command were regularly issued with Fry's Chocolate Creams before missions.[5]

Products and branding
Enamel sign advertising Fry's Chocolate, pre-1925

There are currently five variants of Fry's Cream:

  • Fry's Chocolate Cream[6]
  • Fry's Peppermint Cream[7]
  • Fry's Orange Cream[8] (Discontinued 2015, relaunched 2018)
  • Fry's Raspberry Cream[9]
  • Fry's Strawberry Cream (Relaunched 2020 Limited edition)[10]

Over the years, other variants existed:

  • Fry's Five Centre (orange, raspberry, lime, strawberry, and pineapple), produced from 1934 to 1992.[11] Five Centre was also sold with a combination of orange, coffee, vanilla, lime, and raspberry centres. It is probable that other combinations were sold at one time or another. (For example, one reproduction 1950s advert shows a blackcurrant flavoured segment in place of vanilla [12])[13]
  • Fry's Strawberry Cream
  • Fry's Pineapple Cream
  • Fry's Fruit Medley – from the 1960s

An unsuccessful mid-1990s relaunch attempt also saw new variants available under the modernised "Fry's Spirit" branding for a while:[14]

  • Fry's Spirit Berry Margarita
  • Fry's Spirit Piña Colada
  • Fry's Spirit Velvet Dream (cream liqueur)

Whether the Five Centre title was dropped briefly and relaunched as Fruit Medley (then changed back again) or they sat alongside each other despite essentially being the same bar is unclear.

Cadbury also produced a solid milk chocolate bar called Five Boys using the Fry's trademark from 1902 until 1976. Cadbury produced milk and plain chocolate sandwich bars under the Fry's branding also.

Fry's chocolate bar was promoted by model George Lazenby, who later portrayed James Bond in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, in 1969.

Location and ownership

The Fry's chocolate bar was first produced in Union Street, Bristol, England in 1866, where the family name had been associated with chocolate making since c. 1761. In 1923, Fry's (now Cadbury) chocolate factory moved to Somerdale Garden City, Keynsham, England.

Following a 2010 takeover of Cadbury plc by Kraft Foods, the Somerdale factory was closed on 31 March 2011 and its machinery shipped to Warsaw, Poland. Then, after acquisition of Cadbury by Mondelez International [15] production was relocated and Warsaw plant became part of Lotte Wedel.[16]

See also

References
  1. Mintz, Sidney (2015). The Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets. Oxford University Press. p. 88 and 157.
  2. The first ever chocolate bar suitable for widespread consumption having been created by J. S. Fry & Sons in 1847, in Union Street, Bristol, England."Sweet sweets nostalgia". BBC News. 28 May 2008. Retrieved 30 May 2008.
  3. Byrne, Eugene (21 April 2019). "Family disgrace, betrayal and tragedy: Fascinating facts about Bristol's chocolate history". Bristol Post Live. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
  4. Chrystal, Paul. Chocolate: The British Chocolate Industry. Shire Publications. p. 19-21. ISBN 978 0 74780 841 1.
  5. https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/16/a3420316.shtml
  6. "Fry's Chocolate Cream". Cadbury. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
  7. "Fry's Peppermint Cream". Cadbury. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
  8. "Fry's Orange cream". Waitrose.
  9. "Fry's Raspberry Cream 3pk". B&M Stores. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  10. "Fry's Strawberry Cream 3pk". Iceland. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  11. "Chocolates of the Past". Cadbury. Archived from the original on 8 April 2009. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
  12. http://www.retrocards.co.uk/prodshow/BP_FRAME_037___Frys__Five_Centres_Chocolates__1950s___Framed_Print_35x45cm_Black_/BP-FRAME-037-frys-five-centres-chocolate-1957.html
  13. Sweet Talk, Whittaker, Nicholas, Orion Books, London, 1998
  14. "wrappers@tuckshop.net". Jakehowlett.com. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
  15. Mondelez International
  16. "Chocs away as staff leave Cadbury's factory for last time". Bath Chronicle. 31 March 2011. Retrieved 31 March 2011.


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