A local sweet shop that has both feet firmly placed in the 1950s is making a very modern move into retail channels, responding to increased demand for premium, nostalgic confectionery.
Confectioner Hope and Greenwood is launching a 33-strong range of premium, old-fashioned sweets and chocolates into speciality food stores from October 1.
The range will first be stocked in Harvey Nichols, followed by The Conran Shop and Selfridges. The company is also in talks with Waitrose about listings in time for Easter.
Hope and Greenwood, which opened in East Dulwich, London, last year, retains the trappings of a sweet shop from a bygone era. Products are sold in traditional
glass jars, including flying saucers, cough candy, popping candy and liquorice, by staff dressed in 1950s attire.
Kitty Hope, company co-founder, said the products were
designed to return the focus on confectionery back to “good old-fashioned quality”.
The retail range targets the premium end of the category, with prices starting from £4.95 for its organic Chocolate Pudding Bars and going up to £50 for a 2.5kg ‘Jolly Big Jar’ of sweets.
Hope said the Pudding Bars, which are modelled on old-fashioned puddings, are the closest that confectionery has come to recreating desserts. They are available in Lemon Meringue Pie, Jam Roly Poly, Spotted Dick, Apple Pie and Custard, Rhubarb Crumble and Treacle Tart flavours in 125g blocks.
Other products include truffle boxes (rsp: £9.95 for 125g and £15.95 for 240g), organic chocolate button boxes (rsp: £7.95 for 200g) and boiled sweets such as acid drops, pear drops, sherbet lemons, aniseed balls and mixed bonbons (rsp: £5.95 for a 200g box).
Stefan Chomka