Cadbury World

A haven for all chocolate lovers, Cadbury World is one of the most beloved visitor attractions in Birmingham and welcomes around half a million people each year. Opened in 1990, the attraction also has a sister venue in Dunedin, New Zealand, and exhibits the history of the famous Cadbury brand and how it became one of the most successful confectionery companies on the planet.

A brief history

Visitors to Cadbury World can embark on a self-guided tour of 14 zones, where they can learn about the development of the Cadbury Dairy Milk bar and the history of the Cadbury family from the 19th century onwards. The story begins with John Cadbury in 1824, who decided to sell drinking chocolate in Bull Street, Birmingham, before he began producing other drinking chocolates and cocoa in a nearby factory. By the 1850s, he manufactured cocoa and chocolate that was consumed by Queen Victoria, and as his sons, Richard and George, gained control of the business in later years, the Cadbury brand flourished to international stardom.

The Cadbury family

Cadbury World is in the picturesque Birmingham suburb of Bournville, which is the home of the renowned Bournville Centre for Visual Arts and was little more than a secluded farming hamlet until the industrial revolution. The Cadbury family, who named Bournville after the Bourn brook, took advantage of the new Victorian railway network to deliver their cocoa to London, and played a significant role in the growth and prosperity of the local community. They rewarded their workers with high wages, built an attractive and spacious model village, and opened an outdoor swimming lido at the Rowheath Pavilion in 1924.

From 2002 to 2014, Dominic Cadbury, the great grandson of John Cadbury, served as the Chancellor of the nearby University of Birmingham and also served as the Group Chief Executive of Cadbury Schweppes from 1983 to 1993, having worked at the brand for 19 years.

Local hotels

Although there is a much greater selection of hotels and bed and breakfast venues in Birmingham city centre, popular hotels near Cadbury World include the elegant country-style Westmead Hotel and the beautiful Victorian Norwood Hotel.