Terry's Chocolate Orange is nearly a century old, and the shape most people picture — the segmented ball you tap on the table and unwrap — isn't actually the one we stock. Here's the real history, and what we can honestly offer.
Where it started
Terry's launched the Chocolate Orange in 1932 at Terry's Chocolate Works in York, originally called the "Dessert Chocolate Orange". It followed the Chocolate Apple, released six years earlier in 1926, which was phased out in 1954 once the orange version became the clear favourite. The ball itself — a sphere of milk chocolate moulded and scored into segments so it separates like a real orange — has stayed essentially the same shape ever since.
"Tap it and unwrap it"
The old advertising line describes an actual mechanic, not just a slogan. Each ball is moulded with the segment lines already scored in, so a firm tap on a hard surface splits it cleanly along those lines underneath the foil wrapper. That's genuinely how the product is built to work.
A caramel version exists — just not from us
Terry's also sells a Chocolate Caramel Milk Ball, a separate segmented-ball product with a caramel filling. It's a real Terry's line, but it isn't one we currently carry, so if that's specifically what a search for "chocolate caramel ball" is looking for, this isn't the place to find it.
What we actually stock: the bar
What we do carry is the bar format: Terry's Milk Chocolate Orange Bars 3 Pack 105g, sold as a wholesale case of 16 x 3-packs. It's the same orange-oil-flavoured milk chocolate as the classic ball, just moulded into bars rather than segments — a better fit for multipack displays, tuck shops or vending than a ball would be, and there's no tapping required.
This is a special-order line for us, so allow around two weeks for delivery — the price stays the same as always, it just isn't held on the shelf in bulk.
Where it's made now
Terry's has changed ownership more than once since 1932. Since 2018, Chocolate Orange production has been based in Strasbourg, France, under Carambar & Co, though the York-born name and recipe have carried over.
FAQ
What's the difference between the Chocolate Orange ball and the bar?
The ball is the classic segmented sphere, moulded and scored so a tap splits it cleanly along the segment lines. The bar carries the same milk chocolate and orange flavour but is moulded flat, with no tapping needed — better suited to multipacks and cases.
Does Supreme Sweets sell the classic segmented Chocolate Orange ball?
Not currently. Our range is the bar format only, sold as a wholesale case of 3-packs.
Is there a Terry's Chocolate Caramel Ball?
Yes, Terry's does make one, but it's a separate product from the Chocolate Orange and it isn't a line we currently stock.
Why do you "tap and unwrap" a Chocolate Orange?
The ball is scored into segments during production, so tapping it firmly on a hard surface splits it apart along those lines before you unwrap the foil. It's a genuine structural feature of the ball, not just a slogan.
Is Terry's Chocolate Orange still made in York?
No. Production moved to Strasbourg, France under Carambar & Co in 2018, though the Terry's name and original recipe carried over.