Merlin Entertainments Buys Cadburys World

Merlin Entertainments Buys Cadburys World by Emily Clark last updated on February 08, 2022

Merline Entertainments has agreed to acquire the operations of Cadbury World for a period of fifty years. The deal includes buying the brand licenses from Mondelez International.

Merlin Entertainments is the biggest theme park company in Europe while Mondelez International is the owner of Cadbury.

Merlin has a large roster of attractions in the United Kingdom and a few to name include Sea Life, Legoland and Madame Tussauds. The Cadbury World was opened in 1990 with an investment of about 6 million pounds at its Bourneville factory site. Currently, it receives over 600,000 visitors a year and is considered one of the most popular attractions in the West Midlands.

The site became a part of Kraft in 2010. The takeover of Cadbury was equipped with controversies and later was forced to spin-off it as Mondelez.

Mondelez International UK managing director Louise Stigant said the Cadbury World has been enjoyed by millions of families since it opened in 1990 and it truly offers a unique experience to visitors from across the UK and overseas as well.

He added that the company looks for building up a strong foundation to help families continue to enjoy for generations to come. Cadbury is reaching its 200th anniversary and the partnership may bring heritage and history along with joy of chocolate to more people.

Meanwhile, Merlin's chief development officer Mark Fisher said he is delighted to have the Cadbury World in their bouquet of entertainments. Cadbury has been admired for a long and has been a favorite chocolate brand. The two companies have worked successfully in the past across a range of experimental activities in the UK theme parks.

Fisher added further that they are excited to further continue the relationship with Cadbury and would bring to life the fun experiences, smells and sights to chocolate lovers.

The theme park group was founded in 1999 and is currently equipped with over 130 attractions that include holiday villages and hotels. It has expanded in 24 countries the UK businesses include Blackpool Tower, Chessington World of Adventures and Dungeons.

It went public on the London Stock Exchange in 2013. Six years later the company was taken private in a 6 billion pounds buyout that was led by Kirkbi, which took a stake in it in 2005 and controls the Lego empire.

Merlin is learned to be developing the attraction with unmissable 4D chocolate adventure, making the world's biggest Cadbury shop and more.

Cadbury was founded in 1824 in Birmingham. It moved the manufacturing to Bournville in 1879.