| key_people = Barry Bloomer(Chief Executive)
| revenue = {{decrease}} £191 million (2016)
| operating_income = {{decrease}} - £16.8 million (2016)
| net_income = {{decrease}} - £30.8 million (2016)
| num_employees = {{decrease}}3130[2]
| homepage = {{URL|www.thorntons.co.uk}}
}}Thorntons is a British chocolate brand established by Joseph William Thornton in 1911. Thorntons Limited has been owned by Italian company Ferrero since 2015.[1] Net income in its annual report of 2016 was reported at a loss of - £30.8 million with a drop in staff and number of shops across the UK. When Cadburys became part of a non-specific confectionery group, Thorntons became the largest confectionery-only parent corporation in the United Kingdom; while it retains a minority of sales of its established toffee and fudge, the group shifted its specialism, after post-war rationing ended, into chocolate and developed wide Continental, Swiss and Belgian chocolate ranges which (alongside novelties and decoration) form the bulk its sales.
The Thornton family
Thorntons began in Sheffield in 1911; a business started by Joseph William Thornton who opened the company’s first shop at 159 Norfolk St in Sheffield with Peter’s father Norman Thornton as the manager at the age of 15.[2]
2000s – trading difficulties
Following a period of rapid expansion the 2009 results showed turnover increasing to £214.8 million, but operating profit decreasing to £7.94 million. There is still a significant impact of seasonality on the sales demand and a number of strategies have been undertaken to attempt to address this issue – however, 35% of sales are still in the seven-week period before Christmas and a further 10% before Easter. The impact of this on both manufacturing and service are significant, with temporary staff covering positions.[3]
In January 2011, Jonathon Hart joined the business as CEO.[4] Following a resultant strategic review in June 2011, Thorntons announced it would close between 120 and 180 of its shops.[5][6]
In June 2015 it was announced that Italian chocolate maker Ferrero would buy Thorntons for £112 million.[13] Thorntons Ltd are 75% owned by [https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/00174706/persons-with-significant-control Ferholding Uk Ltd]. Ferholding Uk Ltd is controlled by [https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/09637211/filing-history Giovanni Ferrero] who holds over 50% voting rights.
On 17 February 2018, days after one of the biggest trading days of the year, Valentine's Day, Thornton's Cambridge shop closed down after over 25 years of operations.[7]
Publicity
Some advertising slogans:
"Chocolate Heaven Since 1911"[8]
"It's the Thorntons that counts"[9]
On 3 April 2007, Thorntons set up what is thought to be the world's first edible billboard. The 14.5 ft by 9.5 ft (4.4 m by 2.9 m) and 390 kg (860 lb) sign was erected outside their Covent Garden, London shop, and was eaten within 3 hours.[10] The structure included 10 chocolate bunnies, 72 giant chocolate eggs and 128 chocolate panels, each weighing 2 kg. The publicity stunt was decided following poor Christmas 2006 sales.See also
- List of bean-to-bar chocolate manufacturers
References
1. ^1 {{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/jun/22/thorntons-bought-by-ferrero-rocher-for-112m-pounds|title=Thorntons bought by Ferrero for £112m|author=Sarah Butler|work=the Guardian}}
2. ^{{Cite web|url=http://tomahawkpress.com/thorntons-my-life-in-the-family-business/|title=Thorntons – My Life in the Family Business {{!}} Tomahawk Press|website=tomahawkpress.com|language=en-US|access-date=2017-08-17}}
3. ^{{Cite web|url=https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/document-api-images-prod/docs/v9cQCGYoB0BhfLaLTy_faKaxERqrYOf70C-2k61FYF4/application-pdf?AWSAccessKeyId=ASIAIEPVOU2BUCEA4XHQ&Expires=1502974111&Signature=c%2FCPl6AF4s5JF%2BHygTYp%2FzEC0yk%3D&x-amz-security-token=FQoDYXdzEFkaDDWLMU9wz2uBSNz5%2BiK3A4SwjeDWUqD5rtcA46WYjCj8oouFdRPogeSd4iAnz1O%2Fp8Iq1NnxuG4JdnF3fodZTS8M771EKHNFpI2IRchrz5mLI9jmSG%2BjbhRFVzT2H%2FkBfgWyyAPc%2BAZ1EbovTMArBKffNzjyIrsA4CSADheDCyIJ2A5Sb8K5XeSgD91bvDKAFmgqrvXKSEJqEa3eh2LAB7BKG%2BT48V%2FECYv5TWn95JubGYCDRYYi8k3cx137AXisEVhm4%2F0MC9AnHZk5fB33%2BLfjvi6I%2FD9UPqM8vlVokin581Oyt9OQ4QUMwMlJf8tHIeyS5phodQssxWdrkxGPasn1efbUEeXo8YJPE8YVqucE%2BnA9Cr3rMBTGFIluVXPbfE5P55zIVNr9TTR%2F%2Bbjo7pZ7DSrfRXi6vVQaww00OzbZEBLkt92MeEObY1Gdri1EZsufR8G2S3RIO%2BuOu7rYEcXOhDnIqhot8%2FbIQc0ntUuhgkGcBpqn8xDeEim1ASjbC76tNh4o35ju%2BfQ4DieEhqWNvozRbwWppqIVaolfBM9G7tyj6gh7aCkMnHfORudUWSChZqrDEz1IWJO%2FBlE0uC79%2Bt3wctIoqYjVzAU%3D|title=Thorntons Annual Return 2009|last=|first=|date=|website=|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=17 Aug 2017}}
4. ^{{Cite web|url=https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/document-api-images-prod/docs/T9HofRpbhh8-cPVERlipOtd4a-sE1Lj9QPOxEbcU5Fk/application-pdf?AWSAccessKeyId=ASIAIOIFOPQ4QTYGZMJQ&Expires=1502974241&Signature=0CmyyRm8lsj4WBrMl1t%2FR5IRcYs%3D&x-amz-security-token=FQoDYXdzEFgaDM%2BrMe%2FypMcnPBnJLyK3A9tMDMXdqpTk48OVIbhr4jSh7ruy9MDSawhIAPgAyvtQX%2FJGagipPZqU%2FyJ2OFh3hRX2B1q3hYDpJC9foPC5cGnDXcE%2FX2nTe%2B4K13ZHIwUBQqCn0kN7oLnM8Oeqg9arawjypsrvcbgIB9PTOn61XOV%2B8%2BNUOIx1TBC30xOafU9iZvHQcKTpSzHnXAWiPVkGX1cOBO0vZOI%2FX3NqiCn3FmCBPo6I6xr5Arhk2uAM0qftZiZFDWm3QSsiiCFFrzZCF0tCNApsiH%2BPkH7YNH9FxHw9IEg58NqqAzdSJ2KGpJvXsaatbJirzWbdcNoZdfGkjYyigAmNsym3X9J8XnepMaziwPrCZWcRvZW2t3VV%2FUARb8nZjem04bI4vgHWW8MukPotF8E7A1fma%2BLwTOdXK5wAwm7%2Ff3QXSqKtmZP%2BOIwo91sV41hxjfcd4QM6zB2%2B7vQvE8PJSsX5HKeseQdy%2Be8HlW%2B1HoAi2%2BQE518GstapivFTl1i0dLbEWwTfpEqHXcC5yBqmTkjuZ0kB2vMlDv7%2Bw21Gewon%2FP04wDzw5Tdc%2BYwNIQBRHJbXBfh41elk13q5YJG985oo5PDUzAU%3D|title=Appointment of Director, Jonathan Duncan Hart|last=|first=|date=|website=|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=17 Aug 2017}}
5. ^Danaher, Tim (28 June 2011). "Thorntons to slash number of company-owned stores". Retail Week (retail-week.com).
6. ^"Thorntons PLC" (Strategy Review). 28 June 2011. FE Investegate (investegate.co.uk). "for Private Investors only".
7. ^{{Cite news|url=https://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/whats-on/shopping/thorntons-cambridge-closing-down-chocolate-14187171|title=This Cambridge chocolate shop is closing down|last=Rabbett|first=Abigail|date=2018-01-22|work=cambridgenews|access-date=2018-02-18}}
8. ^{{Cite web|url=http://www.chocolateuniversityonline.com/chocolate-heaven-since-1911/|title=Chocolate Heaven Since 1911|last=|first=|date=|website=|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=17 Aug 2017}}
9. ^{{Cite web|url=http://www.melliuk.com/thorntons.html|title=Bringing sweet news to Thorntons|last=|first=|date=|website=|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=17 Aug 2017}}
10. ^Shoppers eat chocolate billboard BBC News, 3 April 2007
11. ^1 [https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/document-api-images-prod/docs/6FiIgV_foEpgG8EDD74Qk4tEXKBPgOA7qNHBRfntqMY/application-pdf?AWSAccessKeyId=ASIAI43GYRDMHKR7SG4Q&Expires=1502695714&Signature=icPMCOZnInSGZ7Cxx%2BUn%2FcTebOo%3D&x-amz-security-token=FQoDYXdzEPr%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2FwEaDKokolmwZLPPloK%2FoyK3A0Mqd9hIGzGDsAYBBwiMYJHdm8nYxlj7jRcPRtknGTbCOCc%2Ftyj6oN3klJ6O2MOt3K%2BGtyBfGp8enAm5Znv6LXe3Rna5hkFigY71x8AnH8Mj4iAosZG5dzKqGWM4MOyJdV%2B59soteFzAAJEMiAfqPtdcrwB0kVmuxNVtG0EjMNzW7qQeH%2Ff65VuX3i2WccqdR3UN8bx7gRcWGKIZpFMGRljLc4CUOAxH8l0NMQpGA1GjH2KTxGP7XkQSMxeI35XDptkCN0hl%2B9%2FjOv6Zook6qFdPY9%2Fq2OaemFEDqA5j46o6E0cHT0wOVrGxQNstk5KsGPzqzT60XLYoUJBHfPY%2BLL99tJcIlxgqpuR0KtdnJwYRX5YLxNkwCB8mk%2F85kh2itWT8GEscO%2FUd784agl%2FGRja7I8qz67EMha3sQWF5vTSsCRdWarFEoF37Xrc%2F9uJ7y3TGURvSFqz7LodfKcMV1gWW32Hf1ZstBr0yfKcJVnncaeCz3Xcx9VskFzOMab3tOmB4eCjMcO663%2Fj9zIlf31J8F3nT5daTdLNhX8K1eEsvhAjs0a9NlG8lxLTk%2Bo9Jg1R7h4ERiWwowPPDzAU%3D Official Filed Annual Report for the 53 weeks to 27 Aug 2016] Thorntons Ltd
12. ^1 Clark, Andrew (7 May 2011). [https://www.theguardian.com/business/2011/may/08/thorntons-chocolate-brand-goes-stale "Thorntons: why the chocolate-maker has gone into meltdown"]. The Observer. The Guardian (theguardian.com). Retrieved 11 July 2015.
13. ^1 {{cite news |last1=Farrell|first1=Sean|title=Thorntons bought by Ferrero for £112m|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/jun/22/thorntons-bought-by-ferrero-rocher-for-112m-pounds|accessdate=22 June 2015 |newspaper=The Guardian|date=22 June 2015}}