Cadbury Schweppes' takeover of organic chocolate maker Green & Black's was rubber-stamped by the Office of Fair Trading yesterday.

The OFT confirmed it had cleared the deal, first announced in May.

Cadbury Schweppes, which first acquired a minority five per cent stake in Green & Black?s ? the UK?s fastest growing confectionery brand ? in 2002, said the company will be run as a stand-alone business.

Green & Black?s founder, Craig Sams, will continue as president and the management team, led by chief executive William Kendall and finance director Nick Beart, who acquired the majority of the business from Sams in 1999, will remain unchanged.