This is the first blog and, straight away, I need to declare an interest in that (when she was very small) I bought some Cadbury shares for my daughter for £400.   20 odd years later it looks as though the same investment could be worth £2,700, a capital gain of over 25% per year.  The confectionary giant is well run.  It has expanded organically and through well judged strategic acquisitions.  It is, in addition, a quintessential British company.  More, therefore, in my view should be done to protect these companies from foreign invaders.  It is rather ironic that, only a few years ago, Cadbury thought of making a bid for Hersheys which has equivalent status in the USA only for a hue and cry to stop it in its tracks.  Some fallback regulatory review mechanism is needed to help companies that find themselves under fire in this way.  It would be different if the company’s management was not up to the task and was seen to be failing but this is demonstrably not the case in Cadbury.

Laura may sell anyway as she would find the money quite handy now but I doubt if she wants to find herself having to take the money if she doesn’t want to, let alone become a shareholder in Kraft.  Incidentally, I have two daughters, the other was into clothes at the time and therefore bought M&S.  I offered to buy them off her when she was tempted when Philip Green came calling but she had faith in the brand and still has her shares today.