Fry's Chocolate Cream is a chocolate bar developed by J. S. Fry & Sons and currently manufactured by Cadbury. Launched in 1866—nineteen years after Fry's created the first moulded, solid chocolate eating bar (in 1847)[1][2]— Fry's Chocolate Cream is the first mass-produced combination candy bar and is the world's oldest chocolate bar brand.[3][4][5]
Technically considered a combination bar because it combines chocolate with other ingredients,[3] the original Fry's Chocolate Cream chocolate bar consisted of a plain fondant centre enrobed in plain chocolate. Variants include Peppermint Cream, Orange Cream, Raspberry Cream and Strawberry Cream.
In the 1960s, Fry's Chocolate Cream was advertised on British television by the model George Lazenby who became famous as 'The Big Fry' man—the commercials rivalled Cadbury Milk Tray advertised by the 'Milk Tray Man'—a role which saw Lazenby catch the attention of the James Bond producers.[6]
History
Fry's Chocolate Cream was first produced in 1866 and is considered the direct descendant of Fry's Cream Stick produced in 1853,[3][7] which was probably inspired by French chocolates;[8] similar chocolats à la crème made with fondant were sold by chocolatiers at the time.[9] The Cream Stick was the first industrialised and affordable chocolate bar. In 1875, Fry's Chocolate Cream was remoulded to the shape it still has today.[10] During production, it once exceeded half a million units per day and the foil wrapping and label would appear in 1925. The Orange Cream and Peppermint Cream, followed by Fry's Five Centre, were introduced in 1934.[7][11]
In the Second World War, British bomber crews in the RAF Bomber Command were regularly issued with Fry's Chocolate Creams before missions.[12][unreliable source?]
In 2022, the original milk free recipe was abandoned with the inclusion of skimmed milk powder in the list of ingredients.
Fry's Five Centre (orange, raspberry, lime, strawberry, and pineapple), produced from 1934 to 1992.[18] Five Centre was also sold with a combination of orange, coffee, vanilla, lime, and raspberry centres.[7] It is probable that other combinations were sold at one time or another; for example, one reproduction 1950s advert shows a blackcurrant flavoured segment in place of vanilla.[19] The Five Centre bar was renamed Fruit Medley during the 1960s, but this was later reversed.[7]
Fry's Pineapple Cream
An unsuccessful mid-1990s relaunch attempt also saw new variants available under the modernised "Fry's Spirit" branding for a while:[20]
Fry's Spirit Berry Margarita
Fry's Spirit Piña Colada
Fry's Spirit Velvet Dream (cream liqueur)
Cadbury also produced a solid milk chocolate bar called Five Boys using the Fry's trademark from 1902 until 1976. Cadbury produced milk and plain chocolate sandwich bars under the Fry's branding also.
In 2021, Fry's launched a hot chocolate powder which can be blended with milk.
Lazenby commercials
In the 1960s, Fry's Chocolate Cream was advertised by model George Lazenby as 'The Big Fry' man, making him a celebrity in the UK.[6] The television commercials rivalled CadburyMilk Tray which has been advertised by the 'Milk Tray Man'.[6] Dyson Lowell, a casting director for James Bond, saw the Fry commercials and contacted Bond producer Harry Saltzman in the belief Lazenby could be groomed for the role of 007.[6] Lazenby later portrayed James Bond in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, in 1969.[6]
Location and ownership
The Fry's chocolate bar was first produced in Union Street, Bristol, England in 1866, where the family name had been associated with chocolate making since c. 1761. In 1923, Fry's (now Cadbury) chocolate factory moved to Somerdale Garden City, Keynsham, England.
Following a 2010 takeover of Cadbury plc by Kraft Foods, the Somerdale factory was closed on 31 March 2011 and its machinery shipped to Warsaw, Poland. Then, after acquisition of Cadbury by Mondelez International [21] production was relocated and Warsaw plant became part of Lotte Wedel.[22]
^Swinnen, Johan F. M.; Squicciarini, Mara P. (2016). The Economics of Chocolate. Oxford University Press. p. 17. In 1847, the British chocolate company Fry & Sons prepared the first chocolate bars (solid chocolate for eating) by mixing cocoa powder, sugar, and cocoa butter (instead of water)
^"J. S. Fry & Sons Chocolate Tin". Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 31 October 2023. In 1847, Fry's made the first molded chocolate eating bar by removing excess cocoa butter, then slowly adding it back into the melted chocolate
^ abcMintz, Sidney (2015). The Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets. Oxford University Press. p. 88 and 157.
^The first ever chocolate bar suitable for widespread consumption having been created by J. S. Fry & Sons in 1847, in Union Street, Bristol, England."Sweet sweets nostalgia". BBC News. 28 May 2008. Retrieved 30 May 2008.
^Clarence-Smith, William Gervase (2003). "Slow mechanisation, 1850s-1870s". Cocoa and Chocolate, 1765-1914. Taylor & Francis. p. 54. However, Fry's experimented with eating chocolate, copying French assortments and producing 'chocolate creams'
^Audot, Louis-Eustache (1855). "Pralines de chocolat à la crème". Almanach des ménagères et des gastronomes pour 1856. Audot, libraire-éditeur. pp. 35–41. On l'emploie encore [pâte de fondant] entourée de chocolat, et alors on l'appelle crème, « pralines de chocolat à la crème, » ce qui donne bien une idée de son moelleux. [...] Ces bonbons, chez les bon fabricants, se vendent 6 fr. la livre. [We also use it [fondant paste] surrounded by chocolate, and then we call it "crème", "pralines de chocolat à la crème", which gives a good idea of its softness. [...] These bonbons, from good manufacturers, sell for 6 francs per pound.]
^Chrystal, Paul (2013). Chocolate: The British Chocolate Industry. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 20.
^Chrystal, Paul (18 October 2011). Chocolate: The British Chocolate Industry. Shire Publications. pp. 19–21. ISBN978-0-74780-841-1.
