Darrell Lea facts for kids
 |
|
| Industry | Chocolate Confectionery Food and drink |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1927 |
| Founder | Harry Lea |
| Headquarters |
,
Australia
|
|
Key people
|
Darrell Bernard Lea |
| Products | Chocolate, liquorice and other confectionery |
| Owner | Quadrant Private Equity |
|
Number of employees
|
200 (2018) |
Darrell Lea is an Australian company. It makes and sells yummy treats like chocolate and liquorice. The main office is in Ingleburn, a suburb of Sydney. The Lea family owned the company for 85 years. In 2012, the company faced financial trouble. It was then bought and changed by new owners.
Contents
History of Darrell Lea
_King_and_George.JPG)
The Lea family owned Darrell Lea for a long time. Harry Lea started the company. He was born in London in 1876. Harry moved to Western Australia in 1888. He began making sweets in 1917. This was in the back of his fruit shop in Manly.
Early Shops and Factories
Harry opened his first shop in New South Wales in 1927. It was in Sydney's Haymarket. This shop was a milk bar and a sweet shop. During the Great Depression in 1929, he opened another shop. This one was on Pitt Street. In 1935, a factory was set up at 1 York Street. Harry's first special sweet was an almond nougat. He called it Bulgarian Rock.
Harry's two middle sons, Monty and Harris Lea, started a factory in Melbourne. Their first shop there opened in 1940. It was on Swanston Street.
Family Expansion
Harry Lea passed away in 1957. His oldest son, Maurice Lea, opened five shops in Brisbane in 1966. He delivered fresh sweets until he retired in 1996. Robert Lea, Harris's second son, opened a shop in Adelaide in 1966.
In 1968, the company joined the stock exchange. This meant people could buy shares in the company. Darrell Lea (who lived from about 1927 to 1992) was the chairman. The company became private again in 1982. Jason Durard Lea, Monty's son, was in charge from 1983 to 1998. In 1992, the Darrell Lea chocolate factory in Kogarah was rebuilt. This happened after a fire the year before.
Changes in Ownership
In 2012, Darrell Lea faced big financial problems. The company was losing a lot of money each week. Many of its stores had to close right away. This meant nearly 200 people lost their jobs.
Later in 2012, a family called the Quinns bought the company. They also owned VIP Petfoods. The Quinns made many changes to the business. They closed the last company-owned stores. They also cut over 500 products from the list. This helped the company stop losing money. Darrell Lea sweets continued to be sold. You could find them in stores like IGA, Coles, and Woolworths.
In 2018, a company called Quadrant Private Equity bought Darrell Lea. They paid about $200 million. The Quinn family still kept a part of the company.
Darrell Lea Products
Before 2012, Darrell Lea made over 800 different products. These included chocolate boxes and sugar-free items. They also made special items for Easter and Christmas. The company is very famous for its "Rocklea Road" recipe. This is Australia's most well-known version of Rocky Road chocolate. After the company was restructured, they focused on selling their most popular products.
Legal Challenge
In 2008, Darrell Lea won a legal case. Another chocolate company, Cadbury, had sued them. Cadbury said Darrell Lea was using a similar purple color on its packaging. Cadbury uses purple for its Dairy Milk chocolate. But the Australian judge decided that Darrell Lea was not trying to trick customers.
Community Support
Darrell Lea helps the community in different ways. They have supported a local high school. This helps students finish their studies. They also help The Lorna Hodgkinson Sunshine Home. This home employs people with severe intellectual disability. The company also supports groups like the Starlight Foundation and Variety Club. They help other local youth groups too.
