Did you know that the British chocolate bar ‘Yorkie’, is named after the city in which it was made…York?
Invented in 1976 by established confectionery firm Rowntree, the chunky milk chocolate ‘Yorkie’ was the company’s attempt to compete with Quaker-founded rivals Cadbury, and their long established Dairy Milk (created in 1905).
However, had it not been for the outbreak of World War II, the macho Yorkie could have been stuck with one of it’s original suggested names – ‘Rations’.
Creators Rowntree were aiming to create a substantial chocolate bar snack, primarily aimed at men. The name ‘Rations’ was a leading favourite as it was suggested that the thick, chocolate chunk bar would provide ample rations for fueling big, active and physically strong men whilst doing all their big, manly things. But the association with war-time austerity in the 1940’s and 1950’s caused the name to be re-considered – rationing didn’t end in Britain until 1954.
After the name ‘Rations’ was dismissed, and with names ‘Jones’, ‘Trek’ and ‘O’ Hara’ milk chocolate falling at the final hurdle, the decision was to name the bar after the company’s long heritage in their home city of York, eventually giving us the ‘Yorkie’.
Founded in Victorian Yorkshire in 1862, the firm took their name from Quaker businessman Henry Rowntree, who bought a cocoa-works in the city of York. But it wasn’t until he was joined by his brother Joseph Rowntree that the direction of the company expanded into confectionery, and the fortunes turned for the family-owned firm with the launch of ‘Rowntree’s Fruit Pastilles’ almost twenty years later in 1881.