Production has begun on a fresh historical drama chronicling the Cadbury dynasty.
Filming for The Cadburys is taking place in Birmingham for the U&Original production, which draws from Deborah Cadbury’s work Chocolate Wars.
The programme will follow the family’s establishment of their enterprise beginning in the nineteenth century, encompassing their celebrated Dairy Milk chocolate that remains popular today.
Viewers can anticipate witnessing brothers Richard and George navigating the confectionery sector despite beginning with an unprofitable venture in the 1860s.
Among those appearing in the new drama are ex-EastEnders actor Ben Hardy, Harry Gilby from The Last Kingdom, and Slow Horses performer Joanna Scanlan.
The complete cast lineup for The Cadburys is as follows:
Harry Gilby portraying George
Toby Regbo playing Richard
Jessica Barden as Maria
Pearce Quigley as John
Ben Hardy cast as Francis Fry
Mathew Baynton as Joseph Rowntree
Joanna Scanlan as Dorothy Adlington
Poppy Gilbert as Elizabeth Adlington
Felicity Montagu as Mary Brown
Adam Hashmi as William Singh
Oli Green as Howard Lloyd
Alexander Butler as Frank Sheldon
The Cadbury family narrative begins with John Cadbury launching a grocery business in 1824 in Birmingham, where he retailed food provisions alongside cocoa and chocolate beverages.
John blended the drinking chocolate himself using traditional grinding methods, and it swiftly gained considerable popularity, according to Cadbury.
Owing to this success, John acquired premises and commenced manufacturing operations in 1831, with assistance from his sons George and Richard.
The family operation relocated to expanded facilities in 1847, and John stepped down in 1861 due to health issues, leaving his sons to manage the company.
Cadbury noted that conditions were challenging, and George reportedly expressed that he would consider himself fortunate to ever see annual profits reach one thousand pounds.
However, a significant shift occurred when the brothers adopted a different method for processing cocoa, and in 1879 they commenced construction of an additional factory in Bourn, which they named Bournville, incorporating the French word for town.
Discussing the company’s contributions during wartime, Cadbury outlined how during the First World War, the company’s dairy supplies were redirected to Birmingham residents, manufacturing facilities were repurposed for producing dried vegetables and fruit pulp, and structures were converted into medical facilities.
When the Second World War commenced, the Bournville facility focused on producing gun doors for Spitfires, containers for aeroplane flares, aircraft components, protective respirators, and fuel containers.
More information regarding the family’s heritage and the confectionery empire is available through the Cadbury website.
The Cadburys will consist of six episodes and is slated for release in 2027, marking over two centuries since the Cadbury family first began selling cocoa and chocolate beverages.