Expert chocolate makers

When Joseph Thornton, a travelling confectioner, opened a sweet shop in Sheffield, little did he know how popular Thorntons would become.​ Originally selling treats such as Violet Cachous and Sweet Lips, the popularity led to Norman bringing his brother, Stanley, on board. The brothers didn’t start making their own hand-made truffles and fondants until the 1920s… this is when the true craftsmanship of Thorntons began.

1922 saw the start of Thorntons personalising chocolates, with the brothers hand-icing Easter eggs. Along with our delicious chocolates, our Special Toffee also appeared in the 1920s – 1925 to be precise. The recipe for this particular favourite took 50 attempts to get just right, and this same recipe is still used today, albeit with a few tweaks.

Before long there was a purpose-built factory for Thorntons to produce its confectionery creations. As the business continued to expand and its popularity grew, production was moved to Derbyshire, just down the road from where it is today, and has stayed there for almost 40 years. This location saw the introduction of our Fabulous Fudge and the creation of our original Continental range.

In 2015, Thorntons became part of the Ferrero Group. This led to reimagining and remastering of some of the most popular Thorntons chocolates and also the introduction of some new creations.​