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Tuesday, May 23, 2023

Chocolates ! - what colour do you like ?!?

The Worshipful Company of Weavers is the most ancient of the Livery Companies in the City of London.   It existed in the year 1130, if not earlier.   The company received a Royal Charter in 1155. At present, the Company retains a connection to textiles through its contributions to the textile industry. 



How fond are you of Sweets & Chocolates ?  -  It certainly is not a cherished  feeling, when not able to have them  !  ~ one feels the whole World is merrily eating; there are eateries everywhere around .. .. but, but, one could not eat – because of health conditions – restricted in-take, and total abstinence of sweets .. .. most weak-hearted would succumb easily and would steal some sweets and eat them clandestinely ! – that feeling ! .. .. even for those who were not very fond of sweets in their childhood and for some good branded chocolates were simply not within reach !

In 1824 John Cadbury opened a grocer’s shop in Bull Street, Birmingham. Among other things, he sold were cocoa and drinking chocolate. The Cadbury manufacturing business was born in 1831 when he started to produce on a commercial scale. Cadbury Dairy Milk, first sold in 1905, is loved by millions of people in more than 30 countries.

Royal warrants of appointment were issued since the 15th century to those who supply goods or services to a Royal court or certain royal personages.  The warrant enabled the supplier to advertise the fact that they supply to the Royal family, thereby lending prestige to the brand and/or supplier.    The warrant is typically advertised on billboards or company hoardings in British English, letter-heads and products by displaying the coat of arms or the heraldic badge of the royal personage as appropriate.  

Social media is a world where interesting facts keep appearing from time to time.  In news is the fact the Cadbury uses  purple colour for its products.  Cadbury has been using the purple colour since 1914, when it was introduced as a tribute to Queen Victoria. It has always made them stand out from the rivals.  The company was given a royal warrant in 1854, making it the official cocoa and chocolate makers for the British monarch.

In 1824 John Cadbury opened a grocer’s shop in  Birmingham. In 1847 the Cadbury brothers' booming business moved into a new, larger factory in Bridge Street in the centre of Birmingham. When the Bridge Street factory became too small, George Cadbury began searching for a very special site for their new factory – Bournville. Bournville remains the home of Cadbury chocolate and in the years from its foundation in 1879, it has grown to produce millions of Cadbury chocolate products every year. Cadbury   has been a holder of a Royal Warrant from Her Majesty The Queen since 1955.  



For centuries, Cadbury was wedded with purple colour – years later came the High Court judgement in favour of Cadbury, granting it the right to prevent Nestlé and other chocolate makers using the colour Pantone 2865c on their products.  The judgment  followed a lengthy battle, instigated by Cadbury registering the colour as a trade mark in 2008. Nestlé opposed Cadbury’s initial application and challenged a trade mark ruling in 2011 which covered chocolate bars and drinks, arguing that a colour should not be protected.



Judge Colin Birss ruled that colours “are capable of being signs” and quite rightly that the specific shade of purple used by Cadbury has become distinctive of the company in relation to its products. This, combined with the comments of the registrar in the initial trade mark application by Cadbury, emphasises that an applicant who wishes to register a colour as a trade mark will need to prove that the colour has become distinctive of the goods or services it offers under the mark.

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

22.5.2o23. 

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