Darrell Lea Chocolate Shops is an Australian company that makes and sells chocolate. It is privately owned by the Lea family, and is the largest privately owned confectionery manufacturer in Australia. It was established as a company in 1927.
Darrell Lea has 81 privately owned outlets and 1,838 outlets that are owned by independent contractors. During peak times, Darrell Lea employs at least 1200 people.
Darrell operates solely in Australia, though its products are now available worldwide through distributors in the USA, UK, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa.
The two popular products are Darrell Lea Original Soft Eating Liquorice (black) and iconic Milk Chocolate Rocklea Road. Darrell Lea's offers several confectionery product lines ranging from box chocolates, to fresh licorice, to sugar-free products and fundraising bars.
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Darrell Lea has been in the ownership of the Lea family since it was founded by Harry Lea. Lea started the first shop in New South Wales in 1927 in Sydney's Haymarket. During the Depression, a shop became vacant in Pitt Street, and a factory was built under the arches of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. His first almond noughat creation was called Bulgarian Rock.
Monty and Harris Lea, two sons of Harry, opened a manufacturing operation in Melbourne, with their first shop in Swanston Street, in 1940.
Harry Lea died in 1957. Maurice Lea opened five shops in Brisbane in 1966 and delivered fresh stock until he (Maurice) retired in 1996.
In 1962, Monty’s son Jason Durard Lea (28 September 1942 - 12 September 2005),[1] later the Managing Director of the Company from 1983 to 1998, commenced full-time employment with the company as a trainee manager.
Robert Lea, Harry's Grandson, opened a shop in Adelaide in 1966.
In 1982 the Kogarah factory was rebuilt due to a fire two years before, and set up with modern chocolate-making machinery.
In 2004, Darrell Lea licorice was a dessert ingredient at the wedding of Mary Donaldson to Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark.
Their range comprises 500 products, with 60 extra items created for Easter and Christmas, including:[2]
In recent years Darrell Lea has had many demands for their liquorice from overseas, in particular the U.S., United Kingdom and Canada. They offer an ordering service to this end.
Darrell Lea's line of soft licorices are sold in Canadian shops as well as Target department stores and Trader Joe's grocery stores in the United States. To see which outlets worldwide sell Darrell Lea products go to the Darrell Lea website.*Darrell Lea Chocolate Website
Darrell Lea has sponsored a local high school in order to assist students in continuing their studies to completion, and a local facility which works with people with intellectual disability. Additionally, the company helps organisations such as Starlight Foundation and the The Variety Club, as well as other local youth groups.