Cadbury's Chocolate Factory, Tasmania
| Proprietary Limited Company | |
| Industry | Chocolate making |
| Founded | 1922 |
| Headquarters | Claremont, Tasmania |
| Products | Chocolate, soft drinks |
| Website | Cadbury's |
Cadbury's Chocolate Factory is a working chocolate factory belonging to the Australian division of international confectionery company Cadbury (a division of Mondelez International), and is located in Claremont, Tasmania. Despite being an active production facility, Cadbury's Claremont has a rich history with 18 heritage listed buildings on the site. The factory still features pure granite "conching" machines which are over 60 years old but are still in use. Due to its long history, and the general appeal of chocolate, the factory was a major Tasmanian tourism attraction for families until its on-site visitor centre closed in 2015.
Following Cadbury UK's successful 1922 merger with rival chocolatiers, Fry's, Cadbury's decided to expand overseas. As Australia was one of the company's largest export markets, it was decided to be an appropriate location for their new operations. Tasmania was chosen as the location following extensive research, due to the state's cheap provision of hydro electricity by the Hydro Electric Commission, cool climate and the availability of high-quality fresh dairy production and supply.[1]
The building of the new complex was a massive undertaking, and the new facility was modelled upon Cadbury's Bournville facilities, down to the provision of housing, shops, and sports and other facilities for the employees. The new estate was called "Cadbury's Estate" and was located on the banks of the Derwent River in Claremont to the north of Glenorchy.[1]
Most of the milk used to make Cadbury's products is sourced from the North-West region of Tasmania and processed at Cadbury's Burnie milk depot. The milk is then transported to Hobart in B-Double road tankers.
Cadbury's Claremont is the largest chocolate factory in Australia, and the Southern Hemisphere.
A range of promotional materials, guides and histories of the operation have used since the 1920s the phrase 'By mountain and sea'.
From 1948, the factory conducted public tours of the facility, which were a popular tourist attraction, however these were discontinued in 2008 due to health and safety regulations adopted by the company globally.[2] The tours were replaced with a visitor centre at the site. During the 2013 federal election campaign, then-opposition leader Tony Abbott offered a $16 million grant to develop and upgrade the visitor centre. The money was not provided, with the Abbott government and parent company Mondelez stating that they had not met the criteria for the grant.[3] The visitor centre was closed on 18 December 2015.[4]
Ephemera and publicity materials
- (1930s) By mountain and sea: a souvenir of your visit to Cadbury's Claremont, Tasmania. Claremont, Tas. Cadbury. Printer: Sungravure
- (1960s) Cadbury's: the story of Tasmania's famous factory by mountain and sea. Claremont, Tas. Cadbury-Fry-Pascall Pty. Ltd.,
References
- 1 2 "Cadbury". The Companion to Tasmanian History. University of Tasmania. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
- ↑ "Cadbury ends tours at its Tasmania factory". The Sydney Morning Herald. 15 April 2008. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
- ↑ Darby, Andrew (5 April 2015). "Tony Abbott's sweet Cadbury deal collapses". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
- ↑ Lohberger, Loretta (18 December 2015). "Hobart's Cadbury visitor centre and shop closes today after decades as a drawcard". The Mercury. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
External links
Coordinates: 42°47′34.8″S 147°16′3.5″E / 42.793000°S 147.267639°E