May 13 (Bloomberg) -- Cadbury Schweppes Plc, the maker of Dairy Milk bars and Cadbury Creme Eggs, bought closely held Green & Blacks Ltd. for an undisclosed price to boost its sales of organic chocolate.

London-based Green & Black's will be run as a standalone business, Cadbury said in a statement on its Web site yesterday. Cadbury, also located in the U.K. capital, had acquired a 5 percent stake in Green & Black's in 2002.

Green & Black's is the U.K.'s fastest-growing chocolate maker, according to ACNielsen. The company introduced its first product in 1991 and controlled about 4.3 percent of the region's 425 million-pound ($792 million) chocolate-bar market as of January, according to the research group. The company also makes hot chocolate, ice cream and cookies.

Cadbury, also the world's third-largest soft-drink maker, said Green & Black's founder, Craig Sams, will remain president, and the management team, led by Chief Executive William Kendall and Finance Director Nick Beart, will remain unchanged.

Sales of Green & Black's large chocolate bars, weighing 100 grams or more, surged 45 percent in 2004, according to ACNielsen. Cadbury's market share in Britain shrank by 1.6 percent last year, to 55 percent, Nestle's fell by 16.6 percent and Kraft Foods Inc.'s by 9.8 percent. Vevey, Switzerland-based Nestle produces Yorkie bars, and Northfield, Illinois-based Kraft makes Toblerone.

To contact the reporter on this story: Kimberly Kirner in London at kkirner@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: May 13, 2005 02:12 EDT