Darrell Lea facts for kids
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| Industry | Chocolate Confectionery Food and drink |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1927 |
| Founder | Harry Lea |
| Headquarters |
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Australia
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Key people
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Darrell Bernard Lea |
| Products | Chocolate, liquorice and other confectionery |
| Owner | Quadrant Private Equity |
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Number of employees
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200 (2018) |
Darrell Lea is a well-known Australian company. They make yummy treats like chocolate, liquorice, and other sweets. Their main office is in Ingleburn, a suburb of Sydney. For 85 years, the Lea family owned and ran the company. In 2012, the company faced financial challenges. It was then bought and reorganized by new owners.
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The Story of Darrell Lea
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The Darrell Lea company was started by Harry Lea. He was born in London in 1876. In 1888, he moved to Western Australia. Harry began making sweets in 1917. He worked in the back of his fruit shop in Manly.
In 1927, Harry opened his first shop in New South Wales. It was in Sydney's Haymarket. This shop was both a milk bar and a sweet shop. Even during the Great Depression in 1929, the business grew. A new shop opened on Pitt Street. By 1935, a factory was set up at 1 York Street. Harry's first famous sweet was an almond nougat called Bulgarian Rock.
Family Growth and Expansion
Harry's two middle sons, Monty and Harris Lea, started a factory in Melbourne. Their first shop there opened in 1940 on Swanston Street. 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 market. Darrell Lea (who was born around 1927) became the chairman. But in 1982, the company became private again. Jason Durard Lea, Monty's son, became the managing director in 1983. Darrell Lea passed away in 1990. 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 money problems. The company decided to go into a process called "voluntary administration." This means experts helped them figure out what to do. The company was losing a lot of money each week. Many of their stores had to close. Sadly, almost 200 jobs were lost.
New Owners Take Over
In September 2012, a family called the Quinns bought Darrell Lea. They also owned a pet food company. The Quinns made big changes to the business. Many jobs were lost, leaving only 83 employees. All the company-owned stores closed by September 2012.
The Quinn family invested about $30 million into Darrell Lea. They built a second factory in Ingleburn. They also decided to focus on their most popular products. They stopped making over 500 different items. This helped the company stop losing money. Darrell Lea products then started being sold in big supermarkets. These included IGA, Coles, and Woolworths.
In 2018, a company called Quadrant Private Equity bought Darrell Lea from the Quinn family. The Quinns still kept a part of the company.
Delicious Darrell Lea Products
Before 2012, Darrell Lea made over 800 different products. These included chocolate boxes, sugar-free items, and sweets for fundraising. They also made 60 special items for Easter and Christmas. Darrell Lea is very famous for its "Rocklea Road" recipe. This is Australia's most well-known version of Rocky Road chocolate. After the company was reorganized, they decided to focus on their best-selling items. This helped them sell more of their most popular sweets.
The Purple Colour Case
In 2008, Darrell Lea won an important legal case. Another chocolate company, Cadbury, had sued them. Cadbury uses the colour purple for its Dairy Milk chocolate. They said Darrell Lea was trying to trick customers by using a similar purple colour on their packaging. But an Australian judge decided that Darrell Lea was not trying to fool anyone. Darrell Lea was allowed to keep using the shade of purple.
Helping the Community
Darrell Lea cares about its community. They have helped a local high school. This support helps students finish their studies. The company also supports The Lorna Hodgkinson Sunshine Home. This home helps people with severe intellectual disability find jobs. Darrell Lea also helps other groups. These include the Starlight Foundation and Variety Club. They also support local youth groups.
