Friday 28 February 2014

Swizzels Matlow Sweets 1928 -



Swizzels Matlow Sweets

Double Lollies, Love Hearts, Drumstick lollies, parma violets, navy mints, snap and crackle, rainbow drops, fizzers, stinger chew, bettabar, refreshers, golf hints, hippy bits, fun gums, lucky strike mints, double dip, lipsticks and whistles, soccer shields, jibes, monkey bars.




Go on admit it..... your mouth melted when it read at least 1 of the products listed above!!  But did you realise just how old you they are??

Launched in 1928 under the name of Matlow Bros Ltd. Alfred and Maurice Matlow had a dream, they launched a small factory in London making jelly sweets.  In 1933 they moved to a larger location, sharing with a factory who specialised in fizzy sweets .... Swizzels Ltd was formed!




Rainbow Drops were among the first products produced from Swizzels in the 1930s and are a treat my boys enjoy today ..... 80 years after they were first produced.  Of course the formulation isn't the same as it was back then.  In 2008 they removed artificial colourings from all 250 of their product ranges.  250!!!!! That is a lot of different sweeties ... how many can you name?!!!





The factory took some severe damage in the 1940's , battered by the London Blitz in the Second World War and had to relocate.    Their move was to the current premises in New Mills.




In 1954 Swizzels launched their Love Hearts. That makes them 60 years old this year!!  There have been numerous changes over the years with various messages being introduced and retired .... but that's a story for another post!!!



By 1975 Matlow and Dee became joint managing directors of Swizzels and Swizzels Matlow Ltd was formed.





One of my childhood favourites 'Lipsticks' were created in 1977 - who else had these as one of their first ever essential make up items??






2001 - www.forgetflowers.com launched to buy sweet hampers/ wedding favours.... now renamed to www.lovehearts.com

In 2008 Swizzels Matlow launched their own website www.swizzels-matlow.com




In 2011 the first products under the licensed "Scooby Doo" range launched.






2014 - Squashies are launched!!  Taking the great tastes of Drumsticks, Double Lollies, Refreshers and Love Hearts and combining them with the winning combination of gummy sweets Swizzels Matlow have created Squashies.





DID YOU KNOW:




Until the Second World War Fizzers were wrapped by hand, demand soon rose and Swizzels Ltd bought a wrapping machine.

During the Second World War Swizzels cut production, supplying only enough to meet UK rationing.  The rest of the workers were making water purification tablets for the Ministry of Defence.

In the 1950s Swizzels produced 5 tons of chewy sweets a week ..... compare that to over 100 tons a week now!

Over 550 employees at the factory live in a 10 mile radius.

It now requires 24 hour production to meet demand for swizzels yummy treats

122 employees at Swizzels Matlow have found their true love at the factory, making it "The Factory of Love"






   

2 great competitions live on this blog..... please click the pictures above for more info on each.



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