United Kingdom – After 170 years, Mondelez-owned Cadbury has lost its royal warrant, a prestigious endorsement that was first granted to the Birmingham-based chocolatier by the British royal family in 1854.
Cadbury received its first royal warrant as a chocolate and cocoa manufacturer from Queen Victoria in 1854. The prestigious ‘Royal Warrant of Appointment,’ typically granted for a period of five years, honors companies that supply goods or services to the monarchy, allowing them to display the royal coat of arms on their products as part of advertising or on stationery.
However, in the latest review of the prestigious list by King Charles III, Cadbury is among the few firms notably absent, alongside consumer goods firm Unilever.
Cadbury’s US owners, Mondelez International, also expressed disappointment over losing the royal warrant they had proudly held for more than a century.
“Whilst we are disappointed to be one of hundreds of other businesses and brands in the UK to not have a new warrant awarded, we are proud to have previously held one, and we fully respect the decision,” a spokesperson for Mondelez International said.
No specific reasons have been given for why the iconic chocolate maker was dropped, but earlier this year, campaign group B4Ukraine reportedly urged the King to revoke warrants from companies ‘still operating in Russia’ following the invasion of Ukraine. Mondelez and Unilever were among those named in the campaign.
Prof. David Bailey of Birmingham Business School told the BBC that losing the royal warrant could increase costs for Cadbury, as the brand must remove it from all packaging. He described the warrant as a “seal of approval” with significant economic benefits.
Meanwhile, King Charles III has granted royal warrants to 386 companies that previously held them under Queen Elizabeth II, including prominent names like John Lewis, Heinz, and Nestlé. The updated list also features several food and drink firms, such as Moët & Chandon, Weetabix, and chocolatiers Bendicks and Prestat Ltd.
The announcement of Cadbury losing its royal warrant comes shortly after the brand celebrated its 200th anniversary earlier this year.