JS Fry & Sons, better known as Fry's, was founded by a Quaker, Joseph Fry (1728-1787), in Bristol in 1761. The company grew rapidly in the 19th century, making use of innovations such as the introduction of a Watt's steam engine to aid its manufacturing processes, as well as experimenting with recipes and developing moulded confectionery.
In 1847, Fry's created the first solid chocolate bar, followed by the first mass-produced bar, Fry's Chocolate Cream, in 1866. Over the following decades the firm continued to innovate, launching more than 220 products including the UK's first chocolate Easter egg in 1873. A newspaper advert from 1931 describes Fry's “plain chocolate eggs, milk chocolate eggs, gaily ribboned eggs filled with confectionery, eggs with wristlet watches and necklaces, eggs in vases, and last but…
