The original company was founded in 1767 in York, England, and was part of the city's famous confectionery triumvirate along with Rowntree's and Cravens.

The business began in 1767 as a shop close to Bootham Bar, York, selling cough lozenges, lemon and orange candied fruit, and other sweets.

The partnership was joined by John Coultherd, but in 1828 George Berry left and the business was renamed Joseph Terry and Company.

[2][12] Joseph quickly expanded the business; four years later he moved production to a leased site at Clementhorpe, beside the River Ouse.

In the First World War Noel served in France until he was wounded and later joined his uncle Frank who had been seconded to the Ministry of Pensions.

[17] They restructured the company, launched new products, and bought a site in Bishopthorpe Road, York, on which to develop a new factory known as Terry's Chocolate Works.

[2] Confectionery production continued but was done for other companies; the Clementhorpe factory produced jellies for Chivers and Sons whilst chocolate was manufactured for Charbonnel et Walker.

[24][27] Charles Forte appointed Ian Johnston as managing director, who modernised the business and introduced the first television adverts for the company.

[11] United Biscuits subsequently acquired Joseph Terry & Sons from Colgate-Palmolive in 1982 for £24.5 million after a management buyout lost out.

[31] United Biscuits used Terry's to develop private branded products for retailers which at the time only had 2% of the chocolate market.

[33] In 1988, United Biscuits purchased the confectionery business of Callard and Bowser from Beatrice Foods, and together the companies were known as the Terry's Group.

[34] United Biscuits purchased French confectionery company Chocometz for £5.5 million in 1990 and added it to the Terry's Group, while also agreeing a distribution deal for Marabou's Daim bar in the UK.

[46] It was reported in December 2015 that Mondelēz were in discussions with Lazard, the investment bank about selling several of their brands which included Terry's.

[48][49] In 2016, Terry's was one of a number of brands acquired by Eurazeo and it subsequently became part of Carambar & Co.[50][51] Production of the Chocolate Orange was moved to the Caramber facilities in Strasbourg.

[54] In 1982, Terry's launched the legendary Jungle advert for Chocolate Orange, which was a spoof based on the film Raiders of the Lost Ark with the catch line How safe is yours?, that was updated with a new version in 1987.

[55][56] In 1997, Kraft employed Dawn French as the face of their advertising campaigns for the Chocolate Orange, using the catchphrase It's not Terry's, it's mine.

[57][58] The business was based in St Helen's Square as early as 1818[4] in a building that served as both a shop and a factory[5] until 1864 when production moved to the Clementhorpe site.

A Roman mosaic was discovered on the site at this time that Peter Terry had excavated to be preserved by the Yorkshire Museum.

[5] These, along with the head office building were designated Grade II listed in March 2005[65][66][67] six months before the site closed.