Every year July 7th is celebrated as world chocolate day. The fermented treat has cemented its position as the world’s most popular form of indulgence for centuries now. While India celebrated its sweet tooth with traditional mithai, chocolate which was brought in by the British soon became a popular contender.
Cadbury entered the Indian market in 1948 and transformed the way sweets were consumed in the country. Today with 14 chocolate brands, the conglomerate enjoys a loyal customer base and a hefty market share of over 50%.
Until 1965, all the cocoa consumed in India was imported. Cadbury then set up an experimental farm in Kerala which later evolved into large scale plantations across Tamilnadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. ”One third of the cocoa used in making Cadbury chocolates come from our cocoa plantations across India and the rest from Ghana, Ecuador etc,” says Nitin Saini, chief marketing officer, Mondelez India, Cadbury’s parent company.
