By Tim Lambert
1,500 BC The people of Central America begin to drink chocolate
1500 AD The Aztecs drink chocolate
1500s The Spanish bring chocolate to Spain. Later chocolate drinking spreads to other parts of Europe.
1657 A chocolate house opens in England where you can buy a drink of chocolate
1765 The first chocolate factory in America opens
1795 Steam engines are used to grind cocoa beans making chocolate cheaper
1847 The first chocolate bar is made
1849 The first box of chocolates is made
1875 Milk chocolate is invented
1899 Queen Victoria sends every one of her soldiers fighting in the Boer War a chocolate bar
1905 Dairy Milk is introduced
1908 Toblerone goes on sale
1910 Walnut Whip goes on sale
1915 Milk Tray goes on sale
1920 Flake goes on sale
1921 Fruit and Nut goes on sale
1923 Milky Way goes on sale in the USA
1929 Crunchie goes on sale
1930 Snickers and Freddo go on sale
1932 Mars Bar goes on sale. So does Terry’s Chocolate Orange and All Gold.
1933 Whole Nut goes on sale. So does Black Magic.
1935 Aero and Kit Kat are introduced
1936 Maltesers and Blue Riband go on sale. Dairy Box and Quality Street also go on sale.
1937 Smarties, Rolo and Milky Bar go on sale
1938 Cadbury’s Roses go on sale. Ruth Wakefield invents chocolate chip cookies
1951 Bounty goes on sale
1957 Munchies go on sale
1958 Picnic goes on sale
1959 Caramac goes on sale
1960 Galaxy goes on sale
1962 Topic goes on sale. After Eight goes on sale.
1963 Toffee Crisp goes on sale
1967 Twix goes on sale
1971 Yorkie, Double Decker and Lion Bar go on sale
1983 Wispa goes on sale