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THE MARKET
Whether sharing with friends, giving as a gift or
savouring a well-earned treat, confectionery is
enjoyed by nine out of ten Australians regularly.
Milk chocolate is still the most popular variant,
followed by dark then white chocolate. A notable
trend is the increasing number of people switching
to dark chocolate – this is due to the growing taste
for dark chocolate, plus it is seen as the ‘healthier’
alternative as it is higher in antioxidant flavonoids
thanmilk chocolate.
Darrell Lea is one of only a handful of chocolate
manufacturing retailers inAustralia, and the world.
Having their own network of retailing stores allows
themto have the highest level of control over quality
and presentation of their products, whilst ensuring
that their customers receive an exceptional level of
service and attention.
ACHIEVEMENTS
Fromhumblebeginnings sellingconfectionery from
a pushcart, Darrell Lea nowhas a national presence
of more than 1000 company owned stores and
partner outlets acrossAustralia, whilst employing
more than 1000 people to support national and
international operations.
In 2000 the company expanded
into the export market with their first
shipment of liquorice to North
America. Darrell Lea liquorice is now
sold in over 10,000 outlets around the
world, largely in the key markets of
the US, UK and Canada. In just four
years liquorice exports have grown
to 12% of total revenue.
With demand for their unique Soft
Eating Liquorice
continuing to grow,
the company has
been credited with
creating a new soft
eatingnichecategory
within the global
liquoricemarket.
In 2007, Darrell
Lea celebrates its
80th birthday. The
company remains a
100%whollyowned
(4th generation)
Australian family
business.
HISTORY
The origins of the Darrell Lea company started in
the early 1900s whenHarry Leamastered the art of
confectionerymaking inPerthwithhis first creation,
Bulgarian Rock, which he sold in a simple street
pushcart.
Harry then established a fruit and vegetable shop
inSydney’sManly area. But as theGreatDepression
approached and business dwindled, particularly
during the winter, Harry and his family started to
cook Bulgarian Rock and Peanut Brittle at the back
of the fruit shop. It
was an instant hit!
In 1927 the first
dedicated confectio-
nery shop (named
after
Harry’s
youngest son –
Darrell) was opened
in Sydney’s Hay-
market.Onmost days
the shop sold out by
early afternoon and
the family started
cooking in the
kitchen out the back
for the next day.
During
the
Depression years of the 1930’s the company
expanded its Sydney stores. Confections were
delivered to these stores twice a day, originally by
horse and cart and later by Model T Ford.
The 1950’s saw Darrell Lea’s iconic Rocklea
Road®made for the first time from the Lea family
recipe. In 1957 the now famousDarrell Lea shop on
the corner of King and George Street in Sydney
was opened as the NSWflagship store. In the same
year the family first developed and sold their unique
Soft Eating Liquorice.
Business continued to prosper and a large
factory was established in Kogarah, NSW. By this
time flagship stores had opened in the key
metropolitan cities. They are all still operational to
this day.
OnOctober 30, 1980, a disastrous
fire destroyed 90% of the manu-
facturing facilities at Kogarah. By
1982 the factory was rebuilt and
equipped with new, modern
machinery. Manufacturing is still
carried out at this site today.
The 1990s saw new stores
continue to be opened around
Australia, as Darrell Lea underwent
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