Kraft Foods acquired Cadbury in 2010 after a widely publicized takeover battle.
Kraft announced its recommended offer for Cadbury in September 2009, but Cadbury’s board initially rejected the proposal as too low. The contest attracted major attention in the United Kingdom because Cadbury was a historic British confectionery company with roots dating to the nineteenth century.
The acquisition was completed in February 2010, valuing Cadbury at approximately £11.5 billion. Kraft’s purchase brought Cadbury’s chocolate, gum, and confectionery operations into the company’s international portfolio.
In 2012, Kraft Foods split into two publicly traded businesses. Its global snack-food operations, including the former Cadbury business, became Mondelez International, while the North American grocery business retained the Kraft Foods name. This later corporate change is why Cadbury is now commonly associated with Mondelez rather than Kraft Foods.