Why is a 99 called a 99?!
Why is a 99 called a 99?
Answers:
The Cadbury's website says that the reason behind the Flake being called a 99 has been "lost in the mists of time"
There are several theories.
It could refer back to a shop at 99 High Street, Portobello, Scotland who sold ice-creams with a flake in it.
Or from Italy, named in honour of the final wave of First World War conscripts (born in 1899, they were referred to as the Boys of 99 - i Ragazzi del 99). The flake could have resembled the feather in the Alpine Regiment's hats.
Or less likely from the days that the Italian monarchy had a specially chosen guard consisting of 99 men, thus anything 'special' was referred to as 99. This is now known to be a myth as it was actually referring to the Vatican's Swiss Guard that would have had 105 guards.