The Surprising History of the Terry’s Chocolate Orange

By Amelia Kondor

Terry’s Chocolate oranges are a staple in my household during the Christmas season. They are one of my all-time favourite chocolates, and I’m sure I am not alone in that opinion, with over 66 million sold every year (“Terry’s Chocolate”). Despite loving them so much, I never think about them outside of the month of December. That led me to thinking, How do they stay in business if I never see chocolate oranges outside of Christmastime? How did such a unique chocolate come to be in the first place? The answer to the first question is pretty obvious. The companies that produce Terry’s Chocolate oranges sell a lot of them. They also produce other products, including Terry’s Chocolate for Easter (“Terry’s Chocolate”). The answer to the second question is a lot more interesting.

The chocolate orange doesn’t just have an interesting history, but a long one. A confectionary opened in York in 1767, and after Joseph Terry joined it, the confectionary started producing chocolate, in addition to other treats, such as candied orange peels (“Who’s Terry?”). When they first started producing chocolate oranges, they weren’t actually chocolate oranges. They first made chocolate apples (“Who’s Terry?”)! Chocolate oranges as we know them today weren’t produced until 1932 (“Who’s Terry?”). Even after their initial creation, their path to becoming the beloved treat we know today was tumultuous. As their website says, “When World War II began, non-essential production like confectionary was stopped across England. The York factory became a shadow factory, aiding the war effort by creating and repairing aircraft propeller blades” (“Who’s Terry?”). After World War II, production of chocolate resumed, Terry’s expanded to new products, and the beloved chocolate orange returned.

Works Cited

“Terry’s Chocolate Orange.” Camembarco.com, www.carambarco.com/en/marques/terrys/. Accessed 03 Jan. 2024.

“Who’s Terry?” Terryschocolate.com, www.terryschocolate.com/whos-terry/. Accessed 03 Jan. 2024.

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