Yorkie
Product brand
UnclaimedA British Nestlé chocolate-bar brand recognized for its chunky milk-chocolate format and historically masculine advertising.
Last updated August 31, 2026
Overview
Yorkie is a British chocolate-bar brand made by Nestlé. The product originated with Rowntree's, the York-based confectionery company, which launched it in 1976 after Eric Nicoli identified an opportunity for a large, chunky chocolate bar positioned as a robust alternative to established products such as Cadbury Dairy Milk. The name refers to York, the brand's place of origin. The original Yorkie bar was a substantial milk-chocolate product divided into six thick pieces. Its physical form, packaging, and advertising were designed to communicate solidity and indulgence rather than delicacy. Production took place in York and Norwich until 1994. After Rowntree's was acquired by Nestlé, Yorkie became part of Nestlé's confectionery portfolio while retaining its strong association with the United Kingdom. For much of its early history, Yorkie was marketed primarily toward men. From launch through 1992, television advertising featured the recurring Yorkie bar trucker character, presented as a rough and tough representative of the brand. Other advertising used wordplay tied to York's identity, including a York railway-station billboard that effectively welcomed travelers to York with a message linking masculine imagery to the bar's chunky texture. The brand's gender positioning became particularly explicit during its 2002 relaunch. The wrapper carried the slogan "It's Not for Girls!", and a reported £3 million television and print campaign used a series of deliberately provocative gender-based slogans. One associated advertisement generated 97 complaints to the UK's Advertising Standards Authority during its first year. The ASA did not uphold those complaints, although a separate sampling activity that distributed free bars only to men was prohibited by the councils of Liverpool and Birmingham. In 2006, Yorkie introduced a pink-wrapped special edition that played ironically with the earlier message and was marketed toward women. The "It's Not for Girls!" slogan was removed in 2011, while the brand continued to sell standard bars, multipacks, and flavor variations. Yorkie's range has expanded beyond the original milk-chocolate bar. Variants mentioned in the brand's history include Raisin & Biscuit, Honeycomb, Peanut, Almond, The Nutter mixed-nut bar, Orange, Salted Caramel Pretzel, Yorkie Pro, and several limited or seasonal products. The brand has also been extended into ice cream and products intended for Ministry of Defence ration packs, the latter using the adapted line "It's not for civvies." Some variants have been discontinued, relaunched temporarily, or offered only as limited editions. The product has undergone repeated changes in piece count, wrapping, and nominal weight. Early 100-gram bars consisted of six pieces marked with the Rowntree name and used foil plus an outer paper wrapper. Later packaging moved to a single plastic-foil format, and the bar was redesigned around five pieces bearing the Yorkie name. The standard bar's stated weight declined over time, including reductions from 70 grams in 2002 to 64.5 grams in 2010, 61 grams and then 55 grams in 2011, and 46 grams in 2014. These changes reflected broader confectionery-industry pressures around pricing, pack formats, and cost management. Yorkie has remained principally a United Kingdom confectionery brand. Its distinctive chunky format, York heritage, and highly recognizable advertising history continue to differentiate it within Nestlé's chocolate portfolio. The brand has also had a presence in entertainment marketing through sponsorship of the Stealth roller coaster at Thorpe Park.
History
Yorkie was created by Rowntree's and introduced in 1976. The launch followed Eric Nicoli's identification of a market gap for a more substantial, conventionally masculine chocolate bar. Rowntree's positioned the product as a chunky competitor to Cadbury Dairy Milk, using a format that emphasized thick pieces rather than a thin, easily broken bar. The name reflected the product's York origins, and manufacturing was conducted in York and Norwich until 1994. The original product consisted of six large milk-chocolate chunks, each marked with the Rowntree name. At 100 grams, it was considerably more substantial than many conventional single-serve bars of its period. The early packaging combined foil with a paper exterior. It was later replaced by a single plastic-foil wrapper, and the bar was redesigned from six pieces to five, with "Yorkie" molded into each section. The product's nominal weight was progressively reduced over the following decades, reaching 46 grams in 2014 according to the cited brand history. These changes formed part of the broader evolution of packaged confectionery formats. Yorkie's early advertising established a durable masculine identity. The Yorkie bar trucker appeared in television advertising from the brand's launch until 1992 and was characterized as a rough, tough figure. A notable outdoor advertisement at York railway station used the phrase "Welcome to" alongside a partly unwrapped bar, creating a visual pun on "Welcome to York" and linking the city with the product's chunky chocolate and masculine tone. After Rowntree's became part of Nestlé, Yorkie remained in Nestlé's confectionery portfolio. The 2002 relaunch intensified the gender-based positioning. The wrapper adopted the phrase "It's Not for Girls!", supported by television and print advertising reported to have cost £3 million. The campaign used provocative slogans and attracted 97 complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority. The regulator did not uphold those complaints, but the related practice of distributing free samples only to men was banned by the councils of Liverpool and Birmingham. In 2006, a pink special edition was marketed toward women as an ironic extension of the campaign's premise. By 2011, the slogan had been removed, and the brand's standard range was available in multipacks. Alongside the original milk-chocolate bar, Yorkie developed a broad set of variants. Raisin & Biscuit and Honeycomb became established extensions, while Peanut, Almond, The Nutter, Orange, Salted Caramel Pretzel, Yorkie Pro, seasonal flavors, and other products were introduced at different times. Some were discontinued, some returned briefly as limited editions, and some were adapted into other formats such as ice cream. The brand also produced a version intended for Ministry of Defence ration packs, using the adapted slogan "It's not for civvies." Yorkie's marketing and commercial activity has included sponsorship of the Stealth roller coaster at Thorpe Park. Despite flavor experimentation and packaging changes, the core brand proposition has remained consistent: a recognizable British chocolate bar whose chunky construction, York heritage, and deliberately distinctive advertising separate it from more conventional milk-chocolate competitors.
- 2025
Biscuit and Brownie limited edition is listed
[1]A Biscuit and Brownie variant is identified as a limited-edition Yorkie product.
- 2021
Orange limited edition launches
[1]Yorkie adds an Orange flavor as a limited-edition product.
- 2014
Peanut returns temporarily
[1]The Peanut variant is relaunched as a limited edition after having previously been discontinued.
- 2011
The gender-exclusion slogan is dropped
[1]Yorkie removes the "It's Not for Girls!" slogan and expands standard availability through three-packs.
- 2006
Pink special edition appears
[1]Yorkie releases a pink-wrapped edition marketed toward women as an ironic response to the brand's earlier gender positioning.
- 2002
Yorkie receives a major relaunch
[1]The relaunch introduces the "It's Not for Girls!" wrapper message and a substantial advertising campaign built around gendered brand positioning.
- 1994
Production ends in York and Norwich
[1]The cited history identifies 1994 as the end of Yorkie production at the York and Norwich sites.
- 1992
The Yorkie bar trucker era ends
[1]The recurring trucker character used in Yorkie's television advertising is no longer used after a long-running period as a central brand figure.
- 1976
Rowntree's launches Yorkie
[1]Rowntree's introduces Yorkie as a chunky milk-chocolate bar designed to compete with established products such as Cadbury Dairy Milk.
Products and positioning
Mass-market chocolate brand built around a chunky, substantial eating format, York heritage, and historically masculine advertising.
Milk chocolate bar · 1976
Yorkie Original
The core Yorkie product is a chunky milk-chocolate bar divided into molded pieces. Historically it contained six pieces and weighed 100 grams, while later versions used five pieces and progressively smaller stated weights. Its physical thickness and segmented format are central to the brand's identity.
Chocolate bar with inclusions
Yorkie Raisin & Biscuit
This variation combines Yorkie-style milk chocolate with raisin and biscuit inclusions. It extends the original bar into a more textured and mixed-inclusion format and has been one of the recurring flavor variants associated with the brand.
Chocolate bar with inclusions
Yorkie Honeycomb
The Honeycomb variant adds honeycomb-flavored or honeycomb-style pieces to the brand's chunky chocolate format. It represents Yorkie's use of familiar confectionery textures to broaden the range beyond the original plain milk-chocolate bar.
Limited-edition chocolate bar · 2021
Yorkie Orange
Orange is a limited-edition flavor introduced on 10 May 2021. It adapts the Yorkie format with an orange flavor profile while retaining the brand's chunky chocolate-bar construction.
Limited-edition chocolate bar · 2014
Yorkie Peanut
The Peanut variant has had a discontinuous life within the range: it was discontinued, relaunched as a limited edition on 13 October 2014, and later discontinued again. It combines the Yorkie chocolate format with peanut flavor and texture.
Protein chocolate bar
Yorkie Pro
Yorkie Pro is a protein-oriented chocolate product containing crispy pieces. The cited product information gives a protein content of 24.7 grams per 100 grams and 10.5 grams per serving, positioning it as a functional extension of the confectionery brand.
Limited-edition chocolate bar · 2025
Yorkie Biscuit and Brownie
Biscuit and Brownie is a limited-edition variant listed for 2025. It develops the brand's established use of baked and crunchy inclusions while retaining the recognizable Yorkie chocolate-bar format.
Ice cream
Yorkie Ice Cream
Yorkie has also been extended into ice cream, bringing the brand name and chocolate identity into a frozen-dessert format. Specific launch details and current distribution are not established in the supplied source material.
Ration-pack chocolate
Ministry of Defence ration-pack Yorkie
A special Yorkie version was produced for Ministry of Defence ration packs. Its adapted packaging used the line "It's not for civvies," translating the brand's military-oriented context into a variation of its established exclusivity language.
Controversies
2002
Complaints over gendered Yorkie advertising
A Yorkie advertisement from the 2002 relaunch received 97 complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority on grounds of sexism. The ASA concluded that the complaints were not justified, but the episode became a notable controversy in the brand's advertising history.
2002
Men-only sampling promotion prohibited
A related promotion that distributed free Yorkie samples exclusively to men was banned by the councils of Liverpool and Birmingham, creating a separate local-government response to the campaign's gender-specific execution.
Marketing campaigns
- 2006Pink Yorkie special edition
United Kingdom
A pink-wrapped special edition reversed the tone of the earlier gendered campaign and was marketed toward women as an ironic interpretation of the brand's positioning.
Outcome. It served as a limited special edition rather than a permanent replacement for the core range.
- 2002It's Not for Girls!
United Kingdom
The relaunch used the "It's Not for Girls!" wrapper line and a reported £3 million television and print campaign featuring provocative gender-based slogans.
Outcome. The campaign generated regulatory complaints and controversy; the slogan was later removed in 2011.
- 1976Yorkie bar trucker advertising
United Kingdom
The brand used a recurring trucker character in television advertising to embody Yorkie's rough, tough and masculine personality.
Outcome. The character remained a prominent advertising figure until 1992.
- Welcome to York railway-station billboard
United Kingdom
A billboard at York railway station used a partly unwrapped Yorkie bar and wording that created a visual and verbal welcome to York, linking the city of origin with the brand's chunky chocolate proposition.
Outcome. The campaign became a notable example of York-centered brand advertising.
- Thorpe Park Stealth sponsorship
United Kingdom
Yorkie sponsored the Stealth roller coaster at Thorpe Park, extending the brand into amusement-park and entertainment marketing.
Outcome. The sponsorship associated Yorkie with a high-intensity leisure attraction.
Brand decisions
2021
Launch Orange limited editionProduct launchBackground
Yorkie continued to use temporary flavors to refresh interest in the established bar format.
Action taken
An Orange limited edition was launched on 10 May 2021.
Aftermath
The supplied material does not establish the product's subsequent distribution or status.
2014
Bring back Yorkie Peanut as a limited editionProduct launchBackground
After the Peanut flavor had been discontinued, the brand tested renewed interest through a temporary return.
Action taken
Yorkie relaunched Peanut on a limited-edition basis on 13 October 2014.
Aftermath
The variant was later discontinued again.
2011
Retire the gender-exclusion sloganStrategyBackground
Following years of gender-focused marketing and associated criticism, Yorkie adjusted its communication strategy.
Action taken
The "It's Not for Girls!" slogan was removed, and standard Yorkie bars were offered in three-packs.
Aftermath
The product continued to rely on its chunky format and brand heritage rather than the explicit exclusionary line.
2006
Introduce a pink special editionProduct launchBackground
The brand's strongly male-coded positioning created an opportunity for an ironic product response aimed at women.
Action taken
Yorkie released a pink-wrapped special edition marketed toward women.
Aftermath
The edition remained a special release, while the broader gender slogan continued until it was removed in 2011.
2002
Make masculine positioning explicitStrategyBackground
Yorkie had long used masculine imagery, but the 2002 relaunch sought to sharpen that identity in a competitive chocolate-bar market.
Action taken
Nestlé placed the "It's Not for Girls!" line on wrappers and supported it with a major television and print campaign.
Aftermath
The campaign attracted complaints and local-council action over sampling, while the slogan was eventually dropped in 2011.
Reported campaign expenditure. £3 million (2002 relaunch)
Recent events
- 2025
Yorkie adds Biscuit and Brownie as a limited edition[1]
Product launch
A Biscuit and Brownie limited-edition variant was listed among the brand's more recent flavor extensions.
- 2025
Yorkie Biscuit and Brownie limited edition appears[1]
Product launch
A limited-edition Yorkie Biscuit and Brownie product was listed among the brand's newer flavour extensions.
- 2021
Yorkie introduces an Orange limited edition[1]
Product launch
An Orange flavor was launched as a limited-edition Yorkie product.
- 2021
Yorkie Orange limited edition launches[1]
Product launch
An orange-flavoured Yorkie bar was introduced as a limited-edition product.
- 2014
Yorkie Peanut returns as a limited edition[1]
Product launch
The previously discontinued Peanut variant was temporarily relaunched as a limited-edition product.
- 2011
Yorkie drops the "It's Not for Girls!" slogan[1]
Product generation
The brand discontinued its prominent gender-exclusion slogan and made standard Yorkie products available in three-packs.
- 2011
Yorkie drops the explicit "It's Not for Girls!" slogan[1]
Campaign
The brand removed its most explicit gender-exclusion wording and made standard bars available in three-packs.
- 2006
Yorkie introduces a pink special-edition wrapper[1]
Product launch · Campaign
A pink-wrapped special edition offered an ironic response to the brand's earlier "not for girls" positioning and was marketed toward women.
- 2006
Yorkie introduces an ironic pink special edition[1]
Campaign · Product launch
A pink-wrapped special edition used the brand's earlier gender-focused identity in an ironic campaign aimed at women.
- 2002
Yorkie launches a relaunch campaign centered on the "It's Not for Girls!" positioning[1]
Campaign · Other
Nestlé relaunched Yorkie with an explicitly gendered wrapper slogan and a large television and print advertising campaign.
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Sources1 sources
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