Thorntons


Thorntons is a British chocolate brand established by Joseph William Thornton and his father in 1911. The company has been owned by Italian firm Ferrero since 2015, in a sale at £112. A net loss in its annual report of 2016 was −£30.8 million, a result prompting a drop in staff and shops nationwide. Since Cadbury became part of a wider food group, Thorntons has the largest confectionery-only parent company in Britain. It has established toffee and fudge lines but the group shifted its specialism, after post-war rationing ended into chocolate especially its wide Continental, Swiss and Belgian chocolate sets which, form the bulk of sales.
Through the 2017-18 financial year, sales and production increased; a few shops have been opened and some diversified into cafés. Reducing its need for fixed capital kept in its own shares, as is common for subsidiaries, the company reverted to a private limited company in English corporate law in November 2016 receives notices in group to its registered office in Greenford, outer West London, retaining its main office and production in an old town in Amber Valley, between Derby and Sheffield.

History

The Thornton family

Thorntons began in Sheffield in 1911; a business started by Joseph William Thornton who co-opened the company's first shop at 159 Norfolk Street with Peter's father Norman as the manager at the age of 15.

2000s – trading difficulties

After rapid expansion the 2009 results showed turnover increasing to £214.8 million, but operating profit decreasing to £7.94 million. A perennial seasonality in sales disappointed strategists and employees – 35% of sales were in the seven-week period before Christmas and 10%: shortly before Easter Day. The scale of impact of this on manufacturing and service are more pronounced than the average in the food sector, necessitating temporary staffing.
In January 2011, Jonathon Hart joined the business as CEO. Following a resultant strategic review in June 2011, Thorntons announced it would close between 120 and 180 of its shops.
In June 2015 it was announced that Italian chocolate maker Ferrero would buy Thorntons for £112 million. Thorntons Ltd are 75% owned by Ferholding UK Ltd in turn controlled by Giovanni Ferrero.

Publicity

Main advertising slogans:
On 3 April 2007, Thorntons set up a very rare edible billboard: exceeding 4 metres length; and - it was framed outside their Covent Garden, London shop - and eaten within three hours. The structure included 10 chocolate bunnies, 72 giant chocolate eggs and 128 chocolate panels, each weighing. The promotion sought to regain lost custom to competition and a move away from deluxe chocolate gifts in recent festive sales.