Charity bosses 'deeply sorry' for Quaker chocolatier Rowntree's links to slavery

Charity bosses have said they are "deeply sorry" after famously philanthropic confectionery company Rowntree’s was linked to slavery and apartheid.

The family business behind Kit Kat was founded by Quakers in 1862, and under Joseph Rowntree became known for philanthropy which continues to this day through charitable organisations.

But the company guided by Christian values profited from slavery, according to research begun following Black Lives Matter protests, and charity bosses have apologised for its “appalling” history.

The independent Rowntree Society, a charity which documents this history, yesterday announced that during its rise from York grocery to multinational the company benefited from “unfree labour and other forms of racial exploitation during the eras of colonialism and apartheid”.

Celia McKeon, chief executive of the separate Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust, said: "We are appalled by what we have learned about these abhorrent practices, which are at odds with our Quaker values and our commitment to building a more just society."

Independent sister organisations the Rowntree Foundation and Reform Trust said they were “deeply sorry” for historic connections to slavery and exploitation.

According to internal research begun last year, these included selling “commodities of empire” made by slaves during Rowntree’s beginnings as a York grocers’ in 1822.

Once established as confectioners, the company bought cacao from Portuguese colonies that used slave labour, and used Indian workers in indentured servitude on its Caribbean plantations.

As late as the 1980’s, according to research, the company’s South African subsidiary “used summary dismissal and forced unemployment to suppress unrest among its black work force” during the era of apartheid.

While social reformer Joseph Rowntree was not directly involved in exploitation, according available evidence, the charities continuing his legacy stated they would “investigate this part of our history more fully” as part of “anti-racist” work.

The Rowntree Foundation has historically tackled poverty, the Charitable Trust causes of conflict, and the Reform Trust issues of social justice.

The Rowntree Society stated that the popular historic focus on “contributions of the Rowntree family and businesses to civic philanthropy” had been misleading, and ignoring the company’s colonial links amounted to “turning a blind eye”.

Nestle, which bought Rowntree’s in 1988, said in a statement: "This is a very important piece of work that expands the well-known history of the Rowntree's Company and recognises the significant impact of colonialism at the turn of the 20th Century.

"Nestlé is a diverse, global company that is firmly anti-racist and has zero tolerance for slavery. We will continue to learn from the actions of our predecessors."