British Candy – Sweet Treats We All Love And Enjoy

British Candy has a long history and is worth appropriate recognition. Most of our well-known and loved candies were actually invented and produced in the UK. We must thank Britain for creating our loved and cherished treats such as Mars Bars, Kit Kat, Twix, Galaxy chocolate bars, and many others.

British Candy Names

1. Fruit Pastilles
2. Rock
3. Black Jack & Fruit Salad
4. Wine Gums
5. Chocolate Candies
6. Fry’s Chocolate Cream 
7. Wrigley’s Spearmint Gum
8. Fry’s Crunchie
9. Mars bar
10. Kit Kat
11. Maltesers
12. Polo Mints
13. Bounty
14. After Eight Mint
15. Twix
16. Cadbury Creme Egg
17. Yorkie

Brief History of British Candy

Most of the time, when we eat our favorite treats, we may not realize how long the candy has been in our life. Many treats are more than a hundred years old. Confectionery origins go back to 2000 BC with the Ancient Egyptians. They had created sweet treats with honey, nuts, and fruits. 

In England, people used licorice plants as medicine for centuries. However, in 1760, George Dunhill added sugar. So, the licorice and sugar mixture became something new and unique. It was sweet and tasty. This can be considered to be one of the earliest forms of actual candy in England. 

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Top 17 British Candy Loved By All

1. Fruit Pastilles

Fruit Pastilles are bite-size, colorful British candy that was manufactured and created by Rowntree’s. It is currently owned by Nestle and has a jelly-like texture and is covered in sugar. This delicious treat contains fruit juice and has no artificial flavors at all. The varieties are the following: lemon (yellow), lime (green), strawberry (red), blackcurrant (purple), and orange (orange). 

The candy was first introduced in 1881, and it was a great success. It is a tube filled with tiny round candies, wrapped in foil-backed paper. The paper is green in color and has the name of the brand written on it.

2. Rock

A Rock is a hard candy that has a peppermint or spearmint flavor. It has a hard-stick shape and is sweet. However, it also has a fresh, minty taste. Usually, candy is bought and consumed by tourists in the UK, so it is mostly seen in tourist places.

These thin cylinders have battens embedded throughout their length. On the candy, it is mostly written with the name of the resort where it is sold. The original and traditional one is the seaside rock, which is made from granulated sugar and glucose syrup.

3. Black Jack & Fruit Salad

Black Jack and Fruit Salad British candy really passed the time exam. The confectionery was originally manufactured by Valeo (Tangerine) Confectionary in the UK. It was created in the 1920s by Trebor Bassett. 

The candy is like chewing gum. There are two different flavored chews in the package. One is the Black Jack, which comes with a licorice aniseed flavor, and the second one is the Fruit Salad, which has a pineapple and raspberry flavor. 

4. Wine Gums

Wine Gums is an original British candy that has a chewy texture. It is similar to gumdrops, but it does not have a sugar coating.

The creator of this delicious candy is Charles Gordon Maynard, who is the son of Maynard’s creator. The sweet treat was introduced in 1909. Currently, this delicious gummy is manufactured by the Cadbury Candy Brand, which is one of the most popular candy brands in the UK.

The candy comes in different flavors. The red flavor is traditionally red berry; there are also strawberry, raspberry, and cherry flavors. The black-colored ones are blackcurrant flavored. There are normally five shapes: crown, rhombus, circle, oblong, and kidney. It is called “Wine Gums.” However, the candy does not contain any alcohol at all.

5. Chocolate Candies

Over 3,000 years ago, the Aztecs in Mexico used cocoa beans to make a drink and some treats. Later on, in 1502, Spanish conquerors brought cocoa to Spain. In 1657, the first shop that sold drinking chocolate in London was opened. 

In the 1840s, Fry’s and Cadbury’s brands were already producing chocolate specifically made for eating. The first chocolate bar was produced by the British candy company, Fries and Son’s, in 1847. Then, Cadbury itself started producing chocolate candies in 1849. In 1866, a filled chocolate bar was released, and it was called Fry’s Chocolate Cream. 

6. Fry’s Chocolate Cream 

Fry’s Chocolate Cream is currently manufactured by Cadbury Brand. Originally, it was developed by J.S. Fry & Sons. This iconic British chocolate was launched in 1866 and is considered to be the first mass-produced chocolate bar in the world. Candy is sometimes referred to as the descendant of Fry’s cream sticks, which were first produced in 1853. 

This British candy consisted of a plain fondant center covered in chocolate. There are different varieties of it, such as Peppermint Cream, Strawberry, Raspberry, and Orange. Originally, it had a different shape, but in 1875, it was remodeled and that is how the current shape of chocolate was created. Candy was actively consumed during World War II. Before the missions, bomber crews often issued this sweet treat.

7. Wrigley’s Spearmint Gum

Wrigley’s spearmint is a brand of chewing gum. This British candy has been produced since 1893. As we can see from the name, the gum has a spearmint flavor. Originally, the gum was supposed to be free and came with the purchase of baking soda. However, it became so famous and desired that it had to be sold separately too. 

Traditional gum had a gray or beige color. However, there was a relaunch in 2004 and the slogan of it was “Even better, longer-lasting“. The new version of gum has a green color.

8. Fry’s Crunchie

A Crunchie is a chocolate bar that is made from a honeycomb toffee, also known as “cider toffee” in the United Kingdom. The sugary, sweet toffee is located in the center and is surrounded by chocolate. Candy was originally made in 1929 by J.S. Fry & Sons but is currently owned and manufactured by Cadbury. 

There is a different-sized crunchy on the market. started from a small rectangle and ended with “King Size”. There was a limited edition of Crunchies out in 1999. Champagne-flavored Crunchies were out for the New Year. There is a similar product such as Crunchie that was an Australian candy and it’s called Violet Crumble, which was produced in 1913.

9. Mars bar

Every chocolate lover has tasted a Mars bar at some point in their lives. Mars Chocolate Bar was created and produced by Forrest Mars. He was the son of the founder of Mars, Incorporated, and he created this iconic sweet in 1932 in England. The British version of this candy is made from nougat, caramel, and milk chocolate. In the United States, the candy is marketed as the Milky Way Bar.

Forrest Mars created this chocolate bar in Britain after his father’s Milky Way bar. However, there are some major differences between the two. Mars Bars actually was used by the British task force in the Falklands in 1982.

10. Kit Kat

Kit Kat is a British candy bar that we have all tasted and it is impossible not to love. It is a wafer that is covered in chocolate. The chocolate candy bar was created by Rowntree’s of York in the United Kingdom. Nowadays, it is produced and manufactured under the Nestle brand. 

Kit Kat candy bars have two or four pieces in the package. Each piece has three layers of wafer and is covered in chocolate. You are supposed to snap it and separate it from the bar. The varieties of Kit Kat have different kinds of chocolate, such as milk, white, and dark chocolate. 

The Original Kit Kat Bar came out in 1935 when it was called “Rowntree’s Chocolate Crisp”. The name “Kit Kat” was given to it after World War II.

11. Maltesers

Maltesers are another famous British candy, manufactured and made by Mars, Inc. Candy was actually first manufactured in 1937 in the UK and was aimed at women. The candy was made from malted milk, which was covered in milk chocolate. 

Nowadays, this British candy has a different kind of packaging. such as plastic bags, cardboard boxes, plastic buckets, celebration boxes, etc. Then there was the poll held by YouGov in 2020, and Maltesers were ranked as the most popular British candy. 

12. Polo Mints

​​Polo mints were manufactured in 1948 in the United Kingdom by Rowntree’s brand employer- John Bagwell.  It actually was created in 1939. ​​However, it was not introduced until 1948. The main characteristic of the candy is that it is a brand of breath mint, and its defining feature is the hole in the middle. The flavor, as we can guess by its name, is peppermint.

There are several thoughts centered around the name of the candy. Some state that the “polo” comes from the word “polar”, meaning and referring to the cool, fresh, cold feeling in the mouth while eating it. Others say that the name comes from the resemblance of a rubber grommet that is around the ventilation holes in the polo helmets. Anyway, we can all agree that no matter where the name comes from, we all love the freshness and tastiness that comes from this delicious British candy.

13. Bounty

Bounty Chocolate Bars are one of those unique British candies that deserves recognition. We all remember this candy from its unique television advertisements, where beautiful tropical beaches and coconut palms are shown. 

The bar is manufactured by Mars, Inc. It can be said that the candy looks a lot like a Mounds candy bar and an Almond Joy. Bounty was introduced in the 1950s in the UK. 

The Candy bar has a sweet and tasty coconut filling that is covered in milk chocolate. The one that is surrounded by milk chocolate is sold in blue wrapping. However, the one that has the dark chocolate is wrapped in red. Usually, there are two bars in the package. 

14. After Eight Mint

After Eight is a British candy, created by the Rowntree Company, Limited. The chocolate candy bar was created in 1962. Since 1988, the candy has been manufactured by Nestle. Originally, the chocolate was dairy-free and consisted of dark chocolate. However, in 1992, Nestle added butterfat to it. Special editions of After Eight Mints include orange and milk chocolate. 

Candy has very vintage packaging. The cardboard box is a dark green color, and the name is written in white. All of that creates a luxurious style. This chocolate candy is free of artificial flavors and preservatives.

15. Twix

Everyone knows Twix and many of us love it very much. Who would not fall in love with delicious caramel and milk chocolate candies? There is a biscuit in the middle, surrounded by the toppings and coatings of caramel and milk chocolate. This delicious British candy caramel shortbread chocolate bar is currently manufactured by Mars, Inc. 

There are one, two, or four-bar packages. There is also a miniature version of the candy available. This delicious candy was introduced in Britain in 1967. At first, the candy was known in Europe as “Raider.” In 1991, the name was changed to Twix to match the international brand name.

16. Cadbury Creme Egg

Cadbury Creme Eggs is a British candy, invented by Fry & Sons in 1963, right before it was renamed and known as Cadbury, in 1971. Candy consists of chocolate and has the shape of an egg. There is a delicious, sweet white and yellow filling in the middle that resembles fondant. The filling looks like the yolk and egg whites. 

During the celebrations, this British candy is the best-seller. Especially at Christmas and on Easter.

17. Yorkie

The Yorkie was created in competition with Cadbury’s Dairy Milk. In 1976, Eric Nicoli, who was working for Rowntree’s at the time, spotted that there were only chocolate bars on the market, so the company invented the chunkier version of chocolate – Yorkie. There are several variations of this British chocolate candy available, including the Raisin and Biscuit, Honeycomb, and Yorkie Ice Cream. 

Historically, it turns out that candy has mainly been marketed towards men. The brand’s television advertisements were always eye-catching. In one of their advertisement texts, we read, “Where the men are hunky and the chocolate chunky.” In 2002, the new campaign had the tagline, “It’s not for girls!” So, for sure, there was a protest about the sexism of the campaigns, and it was even banned by the Liverpool and Birmingham councils.

Bottom Line 

British Candy is part of our culture and everyday life, and it is impossible to imagine any celebration, event, or gathering without it. It holds the key to our childhood memories and fun times. As we saw, British candy is much sweeter than usual, and people just love chocolate. With its long history and numerous varieties, British Candy has evolved into something spectacular and amazing.

Which British candy do you love the most or wish to taste? Share your thoughts in our comment sections below