Chocolate Wars

The 150-Year Rivalry Between the World's Greatest Chocolate Makers

By: Deborah Cadbury

Narrated by: Deborah Cadbury

With a cast of characters that wouldnt be out of place in a Victorian novel, Chocolate Wars tells the story of the great chocolatier dynasties, through the prism of the Cadburys. Chocolate was consumed unrefined and unprocessed as a rather bitter, fatty drink for the wealthy elite until the late 19th century, when the Swiss discovered a way to blend it with milk and unleashed a product that would conquer every market in the world.

Thereafter, one of the great global business rivalries unfolded as each chocolate maker attempted to dominate its domestic market and innovate new recipes for chocolate that would set it apart from its rivals. The contest was full of dramatic contradictions: The Cadburys were austere Quakers who found themselves making millions from an indulgent product; Kitty Hershey could hardly have been more flamboyant yet her husband was moved by the Cadburys tradition of philanthropy. Each was a product of their unique time and place yet they shared one thing: they want to make the best chocolate in the world.

©2010 Deborah Cadbury (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"This tale of capitalist rivalry mixed with Quaker values makes for a very sweet journey." ( Booklist)

Great book..... well worth it! Really well done

This is a fabulous book and well worth the listen to.... did not want it to end. Deborah Cadbury does a great job on the history of her family from the first days of experimenting with cocoa and then chocolate production and brings it right through to the modern day until they were bouht out by Nestle (the bad guys.!) This book has elements of history, science, technology, business, marketing, and religious history (Quaker history) all very well woven together. It really shows how the ethics in business nowadays has gone downhill and bows only to the bottom line in profits and does not take into account workers at all. Deborah Cadbury does a grea job in narration, I don't always like a woman narrating but the softness of her voice and the English accent is not too pronounced (excuse the pun). This is the best book I have read (you know what I mean) in a long time and I would highly recommend it to any ex-pat like myself as we have grown up with the brands she discusses with their history and development. There is even significant discussion of the development of the American chocolate market of Hershey's and Mars so very, very pertinent. Super Work!

History of chocolate and so much more

Would you listen to Chocolate Wars again? Why?

I have listened to this book more then any other book in my life. I am a chocolate lover and history buff and this book has so much to it and all told from and by a Cadbury. Deborah Cadbury did such an amazing job on this book. No only will it give you the history of chocolate from the start of cadbury it brings you right up to date to when cadury was sold to Kraft. So much history and such a well thought out book.

Who was your favorite character and why?

all of them as this is a history of the chocolate world and the industry so many of us love.

What does Deborah Cadbury bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Yes, because unlike so many other audible books this one was written and is being told you by a Cadbury. Deborah also has an amazing voice and tells you not only her families history but her countries history from the start of the cocoa bean in the UK to the land of chocolate in Swiss and across the Pond to chocolate town and the from Chicago to NJ and the Mars family to the company that would take her families business away Kraft.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Chocolate wars history of an Industry

Any additional comments?

Even for some strange reason your not a chocolate lover but want to know some if the vast history of the UK or the Mars family or Milton Hershey or even Industry as a whole you will love this book. Plus Deborah has an amazing British Voice with such passion on this subject you will love this book. This is my go to book when I am in between things to listen to. Just love it

Needed an Editor and not based in reality at all times

A lot of good information but meandered from topic to topic and was hard to follow. I had to rewind a lot so it took me 15 months to get through this book.

Ms. Cadbury years for a time when the titans of industry w we’re not solely concerned about profits for their company. Her grandparents might have been that way but caring about profits is not a modern day idea. Ask the slaves in the Roman Empire . What about the enslaved people in the US and Britain. Thankfully the Quakers were ahead on this but examples of profits over people is not a new modern idea. Rockefeller, Carnegie, Frick, Vanderbilt and more.

Great info but hard to follow and unbearable at times that the Cadbury family was so much better and mor moral than anybody else in the business world. I love the Quakers but damn Deborah but this is spread too thick

Light on the War

Mostly Cadbury details. The Cadbury family story began in the 1600’s, which was totally unnecessary. The Mars/Hershey war was more of a side note. An entire chapter was given to the sake of Cadbury to Kraft

Highly recommended!

I thought this book was very well written. The story is absorbing from start to finish. It is not so much about chocolate as it was about the Quaker business ways. I think after reading this most people would wish they worked for Cadbury's in their "Utopia" called "Bourneville". I grew up near Hershey, PA and Milton S. Hershey built the town on the Cadbury model.
After reading this I must say how sad the sale to Kraft actually is.
I highly recommend this read, chocaholic or not.

Quaker Capitalism

we thoroughly enjoyed this audio book as we drove across the country. it was interesting ng to learn the history and focus of Quaker Capitalism where doing ng good is good for business. Hopefully it is not a bygone era.

A Sweet Read

Cadbury provides listeners here a view of the history of and competition between Cadbury, Mars, Hershey, and Nestlé - hence the "Chocolate Wars." Covering about 150 years of history, Cadburry engages the listener in stories, analysis, and presentation of historical context surrounding the chocolate confection industry. I approached this book to learn about the industry and I certainly found it a sweet read. Most interesting to me were sections on the work of both Cadbury and Hershey in preparing and providing for their employees. Sections dealing with Cadbury and the slave trade were revealing as were sections detailing how the Quaker Religion influenced Cadbury and the family as they adapted to the industrial age. This is an interesting book worthy of every listener's time. The reading of Deborah Cadbury is excellent.

Awful narration - lip smacking and swallowing ugh

Great book but god they need to redo the recording. Absolutely terrible - breathing into the mic, lip smacking, swallowing sounds - gross. I expect better.

A fascinating look at candy as commerce

We thoroughly enjoyed this book which we read as an audio book on a cross-country trip. The battles between competing, largely Quaker companies in Britain was fascinating. It got a little tedious as th story was brought into the modern, more capitalist era.

can’t get over the narration

i’m sorry, but i’d suggest you read this book. i appreciate its read by its author, but it’s too difficult to follow. should’ve considered a professional.