BLACK Magic and Dairy Box have been made in York for more than 70 years, but the long tradition finally comes to an end tomorrow.
Nestlé Rowntree has confirmed to The Press that its York factory will stop manufacturing the popular boxed chocolate brands by the end of this week.
Production of Black Magic will then transfer to a Nestlé factory at Zora, in the Czech Republic, with Dairy Box going to a plant in La Penilla, Spain.
The chocolate boxes are the first household names to fall victim to the massive re-structuring of the York factory announced by Nestlé Rowntree last September, which is also set to result in the loss of a total of 645 jobs.
Other brands are to follow later, including Smarties, which is going to a factory in Hamburg, Germany. The company said today it was unable to say when Smarties production would transfer, although workers have told The Press that it is set to happen towards the end of the year. Several key products, including KitKat, Aero and Polo, will still remain in York, despite the restructuring.
A Nestlé spokeswoman said today it would continue to ensure Black Magic and Dairy Box were enjoyed by their loyal consumers.
She said: "Both brands will continue to offer a selection of high quality chocolates in updated packaging."
After the restructuring proposals were announced last September, the trades unions questioned the departure of every brand, but quickly accepted the rationale for the loss of the two chocolate assortments.
The spokeswoman was unable to say how many jobs were going with the loss of the two specific products, but confirmed some staff would be redeployed while others would be taking redundancy. A union spokesman was unable to say how many jobs would be affected.
A worker told The Press that big leaving parties were being planned tomorrow to mark the end of production.
Black Magic was launched in 1933, when a 1lb box cost two shillings and ten pence (14p) and it was immediately given a romantic theme, with early radio advertising featuring dramatisations of romantic rendezvous starring the chocolates.
Generations of romantic boyfriends and husbands have since given them to their sweethearts on Valentine's Day and other big occasions.
Dairy Box was launched in 1936 as Dairy Assortment, at one shilling (5p) for an eight ounce box. Nowadays, six Dairy Box sweets are eaten every second in the UK.
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