How the Cadbury Creme Egg became an American Easter icon

Unlike in England, the candy is a uniquely seasonal treat in the U.S. [View on web]( [A wrapped Cadbury Creme Egg alongside a partially unwrapped egg that is broken in half.]( Photo-illustration by Lille Allen; Cadbury Creme Egg by David Cooper/Getty There is no clearer sign that Easter — and thus, spring — is approaching than the appearance of Cadbury Creme Eggs on candy shelves across the country. With its ovoid chocolate shell and sweet filling, visually reminiscent of the inside of an egg, the Cadbury Creme Egg is [arguably Easter’s most recognizable candy](. The British candy company sells more than [220 million of the eggs in Britain]( each year, a testament to its broad, nostalgic appeal. But the Cadbury Creme Egg is also a candy anomaly. “There’s not another thing out there like the Cadbury Creme Egg, it’s both terrifying and delectable,” says candy historian Jason Liebig. “If you get the Cadbury Mini Eggs, for example, those aren’t dissimilar to other treats you can get throughout the year. Jelly beans are a lot like Mike & Ike’s. But a Cadbury Creme Egg? You’re not getting anything like that at any other time of the year.” And for many Americans, Easter is also the only time of year that we’re eating Cadbury-branded chocolate at all. Founded in the 1820s in England, Cadbury is now part of Mondelez International, a massive, multinational company that operates more than 80 countries across the globe. Cadbury began filling chocolate eggs with cream in 1923, following a merger with fellow British chocolate company Fry’s. The Cadbury Creme Egg, as we know it now, was [introduced in the early 1960s](. In the U.S., the memorable [Cadbury Bunny commercial]( helped cement the Creme Egg’s status as an Easter icon. A television staple for anyone who grew up in the ’80s and ’90s, it starred a clucking bunny extolling the virtues of the Creme Egg. Perhaps you remember the 1994 iteration, which featured a pig, cat, and other critters “auditioning” for an opportunity to be the Cadbury Bunny. In 2019, Cadbury USA took the casting call public, encouraging fans of the brand to submit their own pets as contenders. [Recent winners]( include an English bulldog, a frog, and a [one-eyed rescue cat](. — Amy McCarthy, reporter [Read the full story]( If you like this email, please forward it to a friend. If you aren't signed up for this newsletter, you can [do so right here](.  [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( This email was sent to {EMAIL}. Manage your [email preferences]( or [unsubscribe](param=today). View our [Privacy Notice]( and our [Terms of Service](. Vox Media, 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, Floor 11, Washington, DC 20036. Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved.