Thorntons Chocolates

Thorntons is a historic British chocolate brand that traces its roots back to 1911, when Joseph William Thornton opened his first shop in Sheffield. The brand grew to become a staple of the British high street, famous for its Continental selection and personalized icing on chocolate plaques. For over a century, the brand operated as an independent British entity, building a reputation for premium gifting chocolates and specialized retail outlets across the United Kingdom.

In 2015, the landscape of the brand changed significantly when it was acquired by the Italian confectionery giant Ferrero Group. While Thorntons closed its physical retail stores in the UK in 2021 to focus on online sales and supermarket distribution, the heart of its manufacturing remains in Alfreton, Derbyshire. Today, the brand is managed under the Ferrero umbrella, combining British heritage in chocolate recipes with the global scale and expertise of the Italian owner.