History

1862-; York

The foundation of the company is usually dated from 1862 when Henry Isaac Rowntree acquired a cocoa, chocolate and chicory workshop at the back of a Castlegate shop in York from Tuke, Waller & Copsie (itself dating back to 1725).  The partnership of H I Rowntree & Co was formed in 1869 when Henry’s brother, Joseph Rowntree, joined the firm.  The company was initially a cocoa and chocolate manufacturer but the business really began to take off with the addition of French style ‘Crystallized Gum Pastilles’ to the product portfolio in 1881. In 1890 construction began on a new factory complex at Haxby Road in York and the firm began moving their operations to this new site from 1892. 

Rowntree & Co was incorporated as a limited company in March 1897 and in 1901 a successful range of table jellies were introduced.   Many of the company’s most iconic household brands e.g. Aero, Kit Kat, Black Magic, Smarties, were developed in the 1930s.

From the 1930s to the 1960s the business continued to expand and several other companies were acquired or formed by Rowntree during this period.  In 1969 Rowntree & Co Ltd merged with John Mackintosh & Sons Ltd (manufacturers of famous toffee-based confectionery brands such as Rolo, Munchies, Toffee Crisp and Quality Street) to become Rowntree Mackintosh Ltd.  The company went public in 1987 and became Rowntree plc.  In 1988 the business was acquired by Nestlé and became Nestlé Rowntree, a division of Nestlé UK Ltd.

Archive Content

Date range: 1930s-present

Scope/formats

The Rowntree account was acquired by the J. Walter Thompson London advertising agency in 1931 and the company was firstly asked to advise on Motoring chocolate, cocoa, gums and milk chocolate, as well as the market for chocolate assortments.    

The J Walter Thompson London Advertising Agency Client Account
Files and Other Office Papers:
JWT client account files for the Rowntree account (1930s-1960s)
Reference: HAT 50

The JWT Archive:     
1. Data books for Rowntree’s Cocoa and Table Jellies 1931-1938    
2. Guard books, containing advertising proofs, covering the full range  of Rowntree products 1931-1989)
Reference: JWT

The David Lamb Collection
Records donated by the ex-Rowntree advertising manager 1970s-1980s
Reference: HAT 21/286