MacRobertson's

MacRobertson's

1930s Freddo advertisement with the distinctive MacRobertson's signature logo
Country	Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia
Introduced	1880 (1880)
Discontinued	1967 (1967) (purchased by Cadbury-Fry-Pascall)
Company
Founded	1880
Founder	Sir Macpherson Robertson KBE
Products	Freddo frogs Old Gold Snack Cherry Ripe

MacRobertson's, officially the MacRobertson's Steam Confectionery Works, was an Australian company that produced chocolates and various other confectionery. Some of its historical brands exist today, most notably Freddo frogs, Old Gold, Snack, and Cherry Ripe, all owned by Cadbury Australia.

History

The company was founded in 1880 by Sir Macpherson Robertson and takes its name as a portmanteau of his first and last name. The company was based for over 100 years in Fitzroy, Victoria, but later moved to Ringwood, Victoria. The company also became known for introducing chewing gum and fairy floss to Australia.

Macpherson Robertson died in 1945 and in 1967, his heirs sold the company to Cadbury-Fry-Pascall, the Australian arm of the British confectioner, which in 1971 merged with Schweppes Australia to become Cadbury Schweppes Australia. The newly merged company continued to manufacture many of the former company's products including: Freddo, Old Gold, Snack, Columbines and Cherry Ripe; which continued to display the company's distinctive logo on its wrapper until 2002. In 2009, Cadbury Schweppes separated from its beverage business and became Cadbury Australia, which continues to operate the former company's factory in Ringwood.

External links

• Sir Macpherson Robertson at Australian Dictionary of Biography