Terry's (formerly Terry's of York) is a British chocolate and confectionery brand. The original company was founded in 1767 in York, England, and was part of the city's famous confectionery triumvirate along with Rowntree's and Cravens. The company's headquarters and factory, Terry's Chocolate Works, was closed by Kraft in 2005 and production moved to Kraft factories in Europe. The business returned to the UK in 2019 as Terry's Chocolate Co located in London. Their best known products include Terry's Chocolate Orange and Terry's All Gold box of assorted chocolates which were both introduced in the 1930s.
The Terry's business has changed ownership on many occasions. Initially the company became a subsidiary of Forte Group in 1963 before being sold to Colgate-Palmolive in 1977. The company was purchased by United Biscuits in 1982, becoming the company's confectionery arm, before being sold in 1993 to Kraft Foods Inc. The Terry's name became part of Mondelēz International after the split of Kraft in 2012. In 2016 it was bought by investment company Eurazeo that formed the French confectioner Carambar & Co.
Products using the Terry's brand name are now produced in the Carambar facilities in Strasbourg.
History
The business began in 1767 as a shop close to Bootham Bar, York, selling cough lozenges, lemon and orange candied fruit, and other sweets. When Robert Berry formed a partnership with William Bayldon the firm took the name Bayldon and Berry and by 1818 the business had moved to 3 St Helen's Square, York.
Joseph Terry, who was born in Pocklington in 1793, went to York to serve as an apprentice apothecary in either Stonegate or Spurriergate. On gaining his certificates, he set up as a chemist in Walmgate. In 1823 he married Harriet Atkinson, who was either a niece or sister-in-law of Robert Berry and after closing his chemist shop he joined the Berry confectionery business, from which William Bayldon had retired in 1821.
In 1825, after the death of Robert Berry, Terry agreed to a new partnership with George Berry; they renamed the business Terry & Berry. The partnership was joined by John Coultherd, but in 1828 George Berry left and the business was renamed Joseph Terry and Company. Two years later Coultherd also left and Terry became the sole owner of the business.
Joseph Terry and Company
Using the skills he learned as a chemist, Joseph developed new lines of confectionery. He began using the developing railway network of the North Eastern Railway to distribute his products in the North of England and in London. By 1840, Terry's products were sold in over 75 towns and cities and sold various products including candied eringo, coltsfoot rock, gum balls and conversation lozenges, which were an early form of Love Hearts. The company also produced marmalade, marzipan, ketchups and jellies.
After Joseph Terry died in 1850 the company was in the control of solicitors and executors until 1854 when it was handed over to his sons Joseph Jnr, Robert, and John. Joseph quickly expanded the business; four years later he moved production to a leased site at Clementhorpe, beside the River Ouse. This allowed easy shipment of raw products into the new production facility from the Humber Estuary; twice weekly a steam ship brought ingredients, including sugar and cocoa, as well as coal to power the new steam-powered machinery. Joseph was knighted for his services to industry in 1887 and became Lord Mayor of York for the fourth time in 1890. He renamed the business Joseph Terry & Sons and it became a limited liability company in 1895. The Grade II listed St Helen's Square premises was retained by the company as a shop and restaurant until 1980 after which it was sold and the restaurant was converted into offices.