Thorntons's Slogans & Taglines

Thorntons is a British chocolate brand founded in October 1911 by travelling confectioner Joseph William Thornton in Sheffield, England. Originally established as the "Chocolate Kabin" selling boiled sweets and simple confections, the business was managed by Thornton's 14-year-old son Norman before his brother Stanley joined in 1921 to form Thorntons Limited. The brand's defining moment came in 1925 when Stanley Thornton spent fifty attempts perfecting the Special Toffee recipe, which remains in use today. In 1954, Swiss confiseur Walter Willen joined the company, introducing Continental European techniques that transformed Thorntons into a serious chocolatier with the iconic Continental range. The brand went public in 1988 and expanded to over 500 shops across the UK, becoming synonymous with personalised chocolate gifts and hand-iced Easter eggs. Core offerings today encompass the Classic Collection, Continental range, Seasonal Collection, and personalised gifts. Brand messaging has evolved from the iconic heritage slogan Chocolate Heaven Since 1911 to the 2000 platform The Art of the Chocolatier, and more recently to Uniquely Thorntons, celebrating distinctive taste combinations. In 2015, the brand was acquired by the Ferrero Group, marking a new chapter in its century-long legacy.