1st December 2021
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.
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.”
Back to news