Cocoa: The ideal food drink?

Chocolates were not always sweet. They originated from cacao plants which were used for their medicinal properties in West Africa. As a result of colonies and unfortunate labour conditions in trade, cacao’s seeds were used to make chocolate. With sugar and milk, chocolate bars, butter and cocoa became an important delicacy in Britain. Cadbury was one of the families that succeeded in setting up chocolate factories during the Industrial Revolution. The Cadbury family were part of the Quaker community who were leading the chocolate industry in the 19th century, developing a unique business model, which alongside growth and success also contained a social consciousness. Their main factory was set up in Bournville, a site south of central Birmingham, England – a model town that also features a community bath and recreational facilities. Especially at a time of hardship for the working class, Bournville, and with it the Cadburys stood out as an enterprise of “conscientious capitalism”.

After Cadbury’s merger with Fry in 1919, the mid 20th century in India saw an increase in Cadbury-Fry factories in Bombay with popular slogans like “Bournvita, The Ideal Food Drink”. Interestingly, in the mug cake recipe below, the ingredient dairy milk is used to indicate Cadbury dairy milk which became a household name in many parts of India.