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Swizzels

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Swizzels Matlow Limited
Company typePrivate limited company
Industryconfectionery
Founded1928; 96 years ago (1928) in London, England
FoundersMaurice and Alfred Matlow
ProductsLove Hearts, Parma Violets, Rainbow Drops, Double Dip
RevenueIncrease £78,611,000[1]: 3  (2019)
Decrease £10,088,000[1]: 1  (2019)
Total assetsIncrease £59,170,000[1]: 3  (2019)
Number of employees
Increase 654[1]: 21  (2019)
Websiteswizzels.com

Swizzels Matlow Limited, branded as Swizzels, is a confectionery manufacturer based in New Mills, Derbyshire, near Stockport in the United Kingdom.[2]

Their highest selling brands are Love Hearts, Parma Violets and Drumstick lollies.[3]

History

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Operations began in the early 1920s at a market stall in Hackney, London, with Maurice and Alfred Matlow selling jellied sweets.[4] They built a small factory in east London in 1928 and became known as Matlow Brothers, producing jellies and chews.[4] In 1933 the firm merged with a rival factory owner, David Dee, who specialised in fizzy compressed tablet sweets (although the company officially became Swizzels Matlow Ltd only in 1975).[4]

In 1940 the Blitz forced their business to relocate northwards to a disused wick factory in New Mills, Derbyshire, where it remains.[4][5] Parma Violets were introduced in 1946.[4] Love Hearts were introduced in 1954.[4] Drumsticks were introduced in 1957.[4]

Hydrogenated fats were phased out in 2004.[4] Artificial flavourings were discontinued in 2009.[4]

The company had revenues of £47 million in 2010/11[2] and employs around 600 people.[6] Swizzels Matlow exports 20 per cent of its production, to more than 20 countries, mostly in Europe.[4] Its biggest sales period is Halloween.[4]

Products

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Refreshers

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Refreshers

Refreshers are one of Swizzels' most popular products. These are flat chewy sweets with sherbet in the middle, available in lemon and strawberry flavours. They are officially named New Refreshers, to avoid trademark confusion with Barratt's compressed tablet Refreshers sweet.[7][8]

Fizzers

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Fizzers are rolled-up tablet candies that fizz and dissolve when put into soda. They are similar to the American candy Smarties (called Rockets in Canada). Swizzels Matlow has also released a line of Giant Fizzers.

Parma Violets

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Parma Violets

Parma Violets are disc-shaped sweets similar to Fizzers but all lilac coloured with an almost 'scenty' taste and no fizziness. Swizzels Matlow has also released a line of Giant Parma Violets.

Drumstick products

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The Drumstick sweet is a chewy lolly about 2" (5 cm) in length. It features two flavours, milk and raspberry. It has had many special editions, such as the still produced lime and orange flavour. Drumsticks are now vegan. [citation needed]

In 2012, Swizzels Matlow launched "Drumstick Squashies", foam-like chewy sweets with the same flavour as the Drumstick lolly. Several flavour variations, such as bubblegum, have also been released. [9]

In 2020,[10] Swizzels released a Drumstick Chocolate Bar. It consists of milk chocolate with a raspberry and milk flavour filling with freeze-dried raspberry pieces. Unlike the Drumstick Squashies, the chocolate bar is suitable for vegetarians.

Others

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Rainbow Drops
Double Dip

Products include:[11]

  • Banana Skids
  • Climpies
  • Double Lollies
  • Fruity Pops
  • Fun Gums
  • Snap & Crackle
  • Mr Chews
  • Rainbow Dust
  • Rainbow Drops
  • Love Hearts
  • Double Dip
  • Tango Orange Flavour Chew Bar
  • Stinger Tutti-Fruiti Flavour Chew Bar
  • Crystal Fruits

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Swizzels Matlow Limited Annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2019 (PDF) (Report). Companies House (published 7 January 2021). 31 December 2019. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
  2. ^ a b Manchester Evening News 5 April 2012 Thursday Confectioners are making a lot of lolly
  3. ^ Forecourt Trader June 2012 Bag some sales p61
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Salter, Jessica (19 November 2011). "Dream factory". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 10 September 2012. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
  5. ^ "Swizzels factory features in BBC Two's Inside the Factory series". Manchester Evening News. 23 August 2016. Archived from the original on 3 February 2019. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  6. ^ Manchester Evening News 15 February 2012 Love is working on the production line of romance p7
  7. ^ Jones, R. A. (on behalf of the Registrar and Comptroller-General) (21 February 2001). "IN THE MATTER OF APPLICATION NO. 2161647 IN THE NAME OF TREBOR BASSETT LIMITED AND IN THE MATTER OF OPPOSITION NO. 49406 THERETO BY SWIZZELS MATLOW LIMITED" (PDF). ipo.gov.uk. United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office. p. 9. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 March 2014. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
  8. ^ Swizzels [@SwizzelsMatlow] (4 December 2013). "@wayne24536203 Hi Wayne, thanks for your question. Our ones are called 'New Refreshers' Barratts' Refreshers are just 'Refreshers'" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  9. ^ "Swizzels-About". Swizzels Matlow. Archived from the original on 7 December 2019. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  10. ^ "Swizzels releases chocolate bar with Drumstick filling". Metro. 6 September 2020. Archived from the original on 10 February 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  11. ^ Swizzel Matlow products Archived 31 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine Accessed 7 November 2011
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