Cadbury dropped from royal warrant list for first time in 170 years

LONDON: Cadbury, once among 100 suppliers to the royal household, has been removed from King Charles’s list of royal warrants. This chocolatier was first granted royal endorsement in 1854 by Queen Victoria and was reportedly a favorite of Queen Elizabeth II until her passing in 2022.

However, it is now one of 100 brands and products to have their warrants withdrawn under King Charles, as indicated by the latest list published by Buckingham Palace’s Royal Warrant Holders Association, reported The Guardian.

This marks the second list announced by the king since taking the throne. The only two chocolatiers remaining on the list are Bendicks and Prestat, while the conglomerate Nestlé continues to be included.

Luxury chocolatier Charbonnel et Walker Ltd has also been dropped from the list since the last one issued under Queen Elizabeth II’s name in April 2023. Royal warrants, which have been awarded since the 15th century, formally recognize companies and individuals that supply goods or services to the royal household. Each warrant is valid for up to five years. The king originally issued warrants in 1980 when he was still the Prince of Wales.

Notable brands missing from the latest list include Unilever, known for products like Marmite, Magnum ice cream bars, and Pot Noodles. This news comes as a setback for Cadbury’s owner, Mondelēz UK, which saw a one-third drop in profits for the year ending December 2023, totaling £88.1 million. Cadbury, Britain’s most renowned chocolate brand, was controversially acquired by U.S. firm Kraft in 2010, leading to a division that formed Mondelēz International, its current owner.

According to the Daily Mail, those who have lost their royal warrants were notified of the decision by letter but were not provided with reasons. They have one year to remove any branding associated with the royal warrant from their products.

However, some firms have been granted warrants for the first time, including those associated with Queen Camilla, such as hairdresser Jo Hansford and Wartski jewellers, who crafted the king and queen’s wedding rings in April 2005.