James Henry Whittaker (1868–1947) worked in the British confectionery industry from the age of 14 and moved to New Zealand with his wife Leah Alice in 1890.

In 1969 the company moved from Wellington to Porirua, because they needed more space and their premises at 167 Vivian Street were under threat from motorway development.

Organisers of the 2023 survey stated that Whittaker's success stemmed from its engagement with its customers, integrating their ideas into the business.

Whittaker's was also transparent about aspects of their products, including price changes, which helped build trust with consumers.

[12] In May 2014, celebrity chef Nigella Lawson filmed an advert for Whittaker's in the 1930s Wellington railway station.

[22][23][24] In 2019 Whittaker's admitted that while some bars have ethically-sourced cocoa beans, the sugar is primarily sourced from Thailand.

[29] In 2020, Whittaker's produced a limited-release Māori language label for its 'Creamy Milk' chocolate block for social media engagement purposes.

Whittaker's then teamed up with Sheeran to auction signed T-shirts and a supply of chocolate to raise funds for victims of the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Weekend floods.