Category: News

We’re delighted to be shortlisted for the Retail Industry Awards in two separate categories this year!

✅ Sales Team of the Year – Bonds of London (Field Sales)

✅ Confectionery Product Launch of the Year

➡️ Vimto Fried Eggs 45g
➡️ Bonds I Like Pina Coladas Bag 105g

This is a fantastic achievement and testament to our in-house Product Development experts, our Brand Partner Vimto and our Bonds Field Sales Team!

The awards are retailer voted with the link to the voting form and full shortlist below…
https://lnkd.in/ecJTu9ZY

It’s been claimed distribution issues are at the root of the problem. Last year the shortage was reported to be down to a surge in demand.

Now the UK’s leading confectionery wholesaler, Hancocks, is encouraging its customers to look for alternatives which may become just as popular in years to come.

They’re suggesting ice-cream vans, convenience retailers and leisure outlets consider different chocolate toppings, alternatives to flakes and adding sauces to offer customers something extra.

Among the toppings the buyers suggest are Kingsway Milk Chocolate sticks, the newly launched Kingsway Milk Chocolate Orange sticks and Crazy Candy Factory topping sauces.

Ice-cream is a booming summer sector. According to data from Statista, the volume of ice-cream sold in retail in Great Britain exceeds 400,000 metric tons and ice-cream sales have increased to over £1.3 billion in recent years.

And data from 2020 revealed an estimated 3.16 million people ate ice cream two to three times a week with 4.57 million eating ice cream once a week.

Confectionery buyer at Hancocks, Max Domanski, said: “Summer is a key time of the year for ice-cream sellers across the country and data certainly indicates we love our ice-cream in the UK. Being able to offer customers choice is essential. 

“The number of flavours now available is huge and the toppings really are the icing on the cake for discerning ice-cream customers looking for the ultimate treat.

“It is always a challenge for retailers to pick exactly what customers are going to want to try but there are a few stand outs this summer season.

“Chocolate orange is still the big flavour combination customers are asking for which is why we’ve introduced the Kingsway Milk Chocolate Orange Sticks. We’re expecting these to be very popular as we get further into summer.

“Other options for retailers include fun sauces, and chocolate toppings including Cadbury Crunchie Bits, Oreo Crumb, Biscoff Crumbs and Nestle Mini Mix with Milkybar & Rolo.”

Top five alternative toppings for 2022 include:

Kingsway Milk Chocolate Sticks 

Kingsway Milk Chocolate Sticks are an obvious alternative to Cadbury 99 Flake with the treat coming in boxes of 140 sticks. RRP £10.99 excluding VAT.

Kingsway Milk Chocolate Orange Sticks

This popular flavour combination will be well loved by customers this summer. Each box of the newly launched Kingsway Milk Chocolate Orange Sticks contains 140 sticks RRP £13.59 excluding VAT.

Biscuit Crumb Toppings

Biscuit crumb toppings look set to be a big hit once again this summer. Try the tasty Oreo Crushed Cookie Crumbs for an indulgent treat which will leave customers wanting more.

Chocolate Minis

Most chocolate favourites come in mini versions, perfect for ice-cream toppings. Among the options are Cadbury Crunchie Bits and Nestle Mini Mix with Milkybar and Rolo..

Fun Sauces

Sauces are a good choice to add a little extra to summer ice creams. Crazy Candy Factory has a range of tasty topping sauces including milk chocolate, strawberry, raspberry, chocolate orange, toffee and bubblegum. RRP £1.99 excl: VAT for 625ml bottle.

Hancocks is the UKs leading confectionery wholesaler with 14 nationwide cash and carry stores and an online channel www.hancocks.co.uk. Customers can shop online 24/7 with delivery to the door or click and collect options. 

Hancocks is the one stop shop for confectionery for over 25,000 independent retailers and is part of the World of Sweets group.

 

https://www.statista.com/topics/7237/ice-cream-in-the-uk/#dossierKeyfigures

https://www.statista.com/statistics/301957/ice-cream-usage-frequency-in-the-uk/ 

 

 

New ‘Lightyear’ PEZ

A new Buzz Lightyear branded PEZ will be flying into stores ahead of the launch of the new Lightyear movie.Confectionery experts at World of Sweets are adding the character dispenser to its unrivaled selection of PEZ products ahead of the movie release in June.

The fun dispenser has three character options – two are of Buzz Lightyear and the third is Sox, a robotic cat and Buzz’s personal companion.

Each pack contains one dispenser and individually wrapped packs of Pez refill sweets. Recommended retail price is £1.75 per unit.

The collectible PEZ dispenser is the perfect impulse buy and retailers are recommended to display in a prominent location in store to appeal to young, and older Buzz Lightyear fans. Lightyear, which tells the backstory of Buzz Lightyear, is released on 17th June.

NEW PEZimals

NEW Care Bears

New Sonic the Hedgehog

PEZ dispensers were first launched in 1962 and have been a firm favourite with children and adults ever since.

​​All products can then be purchased from the Bonds Field Sales Team via telesales, website or Bonds APP, at Hancocks Wholesale Stores and online at www.hancocks.co.uk 

Chris Smith, Marketing Communications Manager at World of Sweets, said: “PEZ products are popular among consumers young and old. They are a fun, novelty collectible item which kids love playing with and adults love to collect.

“With the launch of the Lightyear movie, this is the ideal time for retailers to stock and display these items in a prominent position in the store for all Toy Story and confectionery fans.

“We’re expecting these to be very popular so stock up soon so as not to miss out.”

Bello! 👀💛 Our latest innovative product launch offers bags of opportunity in every sector, introducing brand new, official licensed ‘Minions’ sugar confectionery sharing bags. Featuring 200g of fruit flavoured jelly sweets in the shape of the little yellow characters themselves!

What makes these different….

✔️ They identify with key trends in retail: A differentiated range, great value product to suit all budgets, share bags in growth within confectionery category

✔️ Vegan and Vegetarian options available

✔️ New Minions 2 movie released July 1st in the UK – The license will become a talking point among parents and children

Exclusive to World of Sweets!

Interested?👉 Get in touch with our team today!

Our exclusive partnership with soft drinks giant Vimto means we are always looking to develop new and innovative confectionery products to launch into the market. The latest new launches include Vimto Fried Eggs, Vimto Juicy Mix Ups £1 PMP and Vimto Giant Cables 6kg.

Vimto Fried Eggs – The classic fried egg, but with an added juicy Vimto twist! The soft gummy eggs bursting with the secret fruity Vimto flavour, are packed in 45g treat bags, ideal for convenience impulse, Easter sharing, children’s party bags and portion controlled treats!

Vimto Juicy Mix Ups £1 PMP – After the huge success of Vimto Juicy Mixups, a new price-marked variant of the sharing bag has been developed to ensure customers get the same great mix of tasty treats in a £1 price-marked pack. The 5 gummies that make up this magic mix are Watermelon remixed, Vimto bling ring, Vimto stix, mango remix bottle and Vimto yolky, all made with the renowned secret Vimto flavour and two exciting Vimto Remix flavours.

Vimto Giant Cables – Retailers can now enjoy the fruitiness of Vimto in a giant confectionery cable! Featuring a creamy fondant filling wrapped in the signature Vimto flavour, these candy cables are available in a 6kg shelf ready display case and a delicious addition for sweetshop and leisure retailers to offer consumers. At 75cm long, they’re a novelty treat with huge appeal!

These latest additions feature alongside our growing Vimto confectionery range which includes Vimto Shake Upz Shaker Cup, Vimto Bon Bons, Vimto Juicy Mixups Giant Sharing Pouch and Vimto Fizzy Mallows plus more.

Watch this space for more Vimto exclusives coming soon!

Hancocks Confectionery Wholesale originally started out as a Loughborough business founded in the early 60s is celebrating its milestone 60th birthday this year.

Confectionery wholesaler Hancocks, based on Jubilee Drive, started life in 1962 in a Shepshed sweetshop on Britannia Street with owner Ray Hancock and his wife Elizabeth selling sweets wholesale from their shop.

Now, the specialist retailer has 14 depots dotted across the UK, with a big online presence and its headquarters still based in the town. The business was subject to a management buy out in 2012 but has continued to retain its Loughborough roots, employing 51 people in the town.

Hancocks is marking its 60th year with events at each of its stores for suppliers and customers, with the first taking place at Loughborough on the 17th of February. The Loughborough store was the first of the Hancocks depots to open with customers travelling from across the UK to take advantage of the big selection of confectionery and competitive prices.

It supplies to customers across the country and as far afield as Canada, the USA, Pakistan and Cyprus with in-store customers including former X Factor winner Sam Bailey.

It stocks everything for sweet lovers from big brand chocolate and sweet makers to smaller artisan suppliers, a large vegan range and seasonal delights.

The manager of the Loughborough store, Dean Miller, has worked for Hancocks for over 40 years. Two of his team Linda Stevens and Sharon Barrowman have served the store for 24 and 21 years respectively. Dean first joined the business as a teenager and after spells in Birmingham and Coventry, came to Loughborough 23 years ago, working his way up to manager. Dean said: “We’re delighted to be opening our doors to customers and suppliers in Loughborough to celebrate Hancocks’ 60th anniversary, especially as our roots are in the town. “This is a big year for the business and a chance for us to meet with all the suppliers and retailers who have supported us over the last 60 years and been an integral part of the Hancocks’ journey. “I’ve been with the business a long time and have seen it grow and evolve to meet the changing shopping habits and tastes of the retailers who shop from us and their customers. I’m excited to see what the next 60 years will bring – certainly more exciting sweet treats.”

Dean added: “For our customers at the Loughborough store, we’ll have hundreds of great deals during our celebrations with huge savings as well to say thanks for their continued support. They’ll also have the chance to meet the brands and win some amazing prizes.”

Hancocks Chief Operating Officer, Jonathan Summerley has been with the business for 34 years and is based in the town. Commenting on the celebrations planned for 2022, he said: “Reaching such a milestone anniversary is a testament to how our teams across the business work together, the service and products we’re able to supply to retailers, however large or small and the suppliers we work with on a daily basis.

“The last couple of years have been difficult for most businesses. We’ve invested heavily in our online offering and this combined with the 14 depots across the UK, means we offer flexibility and allow retailers to shop in the way they prefer.

“Ray Hancock and his wife were an inspirational couple who built this business from the ground up. It’s an honour for us to build on their legacy and develop our offering as we move into 2022 and the coming years and decades.”

Trade Press: The Grocer Guide To Confectionery: Expanding our Vimto offer

“Vimto Giant Cables have been a big seller in Hancocks wholesale, with both store and online customers. “The 75cm long piece of Vimto candy is filled with a creamy fondant centre  made from real fruit juice. Other bestsellers include Vimto Jelly Beans, which come in a share bag and include three juicy flavours – original Vimto, strawberry and cherry. “Vimto Juicy Mixups are offered in  a share bag and giant sharing pouch. Each bag contains five tasty treats – including watermelon remixed, Vimto bling ring, Vimto stix, mango remix bottle, and Vimto yolky, made with the secret Vimto flavour – and two exciting Vimto remix flavours.“Vimto Bon Bons and Vimto Shake Upz which includes Vimto Flying Saucers, Mini Jelly Beans, Juicy Mixups and Fizzy Mallows are other popular additions to the range,” she adds.

“We’ll also introduce some tasty new confectionery this year. Vimto Fried eggs join our Easter range. This impulse line mixes the classic well loved Vimto flavour with an Easter themed shape. “During April, we’ll be launching Vimto Zero Fruit Drops, a no-added sugar confectionery made with
sweeteners and offered in a carton with a convenient flip-top lid.”

A new range of minty fresh CBD confectionery is launching in the UK.

The Sweet Botanist range of gum and hard boiled sweets have been developed over the last 2 years by experts at World of Sweets  who have been creating confectionery for over 125 years.

The range contains cannabidiol (CBD) compounds, a naturally occurring substance extracted from hemp plants which has been sourced from their trusted partners who ensure the process to extract the CBD adheres to all legal requirements and can be traced back to the field it was grown in.

The Sweet Botanist range includes two products, hard boiled sweets and gum, in two different flavours, Mindful Mint and Mellow Mint. Mellow Mint is peppermint flavoured and Mindful Mint spearmint.

Each pack of gum, weighing 21g, contains 45mg of CBD oil with the 30g bags of hard boiled sweets containing 30mg of CBD oil. Recommended retail price for the gum is £3.99 and for the hard boiled sweets, £3.50.

The gum and spearmint sweets both comply with novel food regulations.

The CBD oil works through the endocannabinoid system, a network of receptors in the human body that translates signals from cannabinoids.

It is believed that by balancing the endocannabinoid system, it may help consumers with their overall well-being.

CBD is gaining attention and legitimacy as a nutritional, natural supplement and has hugely risen in popularity for a range of people. According to an independent survey, conducted by YouGov and Dynata, around 10% of adults in the UK have consumed a CBD-based product in the last year. That’s around four to six million people.

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Alongside benefitting overall health, CBD users noted their other reasons to consume the natural supplement. Reasons included improving sleep, managing pain, and easing anxiety.

It’s thought that by 2025 the CBD industry will have grown to £1 billion.

Helen Bradshaw, the Director of Sales and Marketing at The Sweet Botanist said: “Many people use CBD extracts through a range of products to manage their health and well-being naturally, safely and discreetly.

“CBD is now available in many formats and we are really excited to launch our spearmint hard boiled sweets and peppermint chewing gum, which are guaranteed to deliver the CBD benefits, whilst tasting fantastic.

“The gum and boiled sweets have been in development for two years. Our in-house experts, alongside an independent team, have thoroughly tested throughout the production process to ensure the correct and consistent amount of CBD is each pack.

“These are ideal for those who need a bit of zing to attack the morning after a restful night’s sleep and perfect for those who need that little bit of calm in their otherwise hectic life towards the end of the day. They offer the best of both worlds and taste great too.”

For more information on The Sweet Botanist or would like to become a stockist, please contact

help@worldofsweets.co.uk

The UK’s largest confectionery distributor has rebranded as World of Sweets.

World of Sweets, formally known as the IB group, incorporates Hancocks and Bonds of London, and is the UK’s number one confectionery distributor, importer, and wholesaler, supplying thousands of customers across all retail channels.

Its rebrand comes as the ambitious company has gone from strength to strength to become one of the biggest players in the markets.

It’s also seeking to unify their breadth of company owned brands, partners brands and business units under one name that confidently projects their purpose, group values and shouts about their confectionery expertise.

The World of Sweets organisation offers a world of innovation, expertise, and solutions to its supplier partners, customers and consumers.

Innovation is at the forefront of everything the company creates through its in-house brands and exclusive partnerships with major global brands.

Sweet Partnerships include well-known brands like Pez, iconic American brands like Nerds, Warheads and Red Vines and Tootsie and British favourites including Vimto.

For their partner brands, World of Sweets offers an abundance of benefits with access to their unbeatable distribution networks.

Distribution abilities range from e-commerce sites serving 55,000 customers per week to Hancocks wholesale stores with over 22,000 customers, field sales and a direct to store team covering 36,000 independent customers and a national accounts team covering all UK sales channels.

Partner brands are also able to tap into bespoke product development capabilities from the World of Sweets team, allowing them to work with global innovation experts to create exciting new favourites that are sure to make an impact in the confectionery market.

The successful launch of new and exciting products into the UK is credited to the in-house expertise across Marketing, NPD and Buying teams across the group. Recent examples include the retail industry award winning Bonds Pun boxes, Great Taste award winning Bonds Let The Good Times Be Gin sharing bag and the industry award nominated Vimto Juicy Mix Ups and  Shaker Cups from Bonds.

Their partnerships with over 350 trusted suppliers worldwide and  in-house development and buying team, means that the newest sweets across the globe make their way straight to the UK market.

They offer practical solutions at their BRC packing facility and their distribution sites, providing buyers and customers with the assurance that they’re in safe hands

The company has driven change in the digital space of sweet selling to service customers better through the Hancocks website.

The team have an unparalleled global insight into confectionery and have product specialists on hand to predict flavour and format trends, making them quick to respond and ready to delight customers.

Helen Bradshaw, Sales and Marketing Director at World of Sweets said: “Our rebrand is an exciting chance to really showcase our expertise as a total business and be clear about our leadership capabilities in confectionery

“Our vast and diverse supply chain means that we can provide unparalleled distribution solutions for our broad range of customers, allowing our customers to shop however they want to shop with us

“The dedicated teams are determined to delight the UK’s tastebuds through partnerships with fantastic global confectionery brands, access to exclusive ranges through our supplier partners and driving innovation and newness with our company owned brands.

“We make sure that our insight, technology and infrastructure is market leading, making us the perfect partner for sweet success.”