A Sugar-Coated Journey: From Shop Girl to Sweet Historian

25 October 2024 27 5

A Sugar-Coated Journey: From Shop Girl to Sweet Historian

Listen to our full interview with Emma from Sweet Heritage

Interview | Sweet Heritage Ginger and Nuts

The Sweet Story of Sweet Heritage: A Journey Through Time

Sweets are more than just sugary treats. They’re little time capsules, bursting with flavour and nostalgia. Emma from Sweet Heritage knows this all too well. Her journey began not in a sterile factory, but in a charming 1930s sweet shop, where the aroma of aniseed and sherbet transported customers back to simpler times.

Working amidst these delightful concoctions, Emma found herself fielding questions from curious customers. Their greedy appetite for sweety knowledge sparked a passion within her. “Over time,” she recalls, “I became a sort of local expert. People expected me to know the history behind the sweets, so I started researching.” This insatiable curiosity blossomed into Sweet Heritage, a business rooted in tradition and fuelled by Emma’s encyclopaedic knowledge.

One of Emma’s favourite stories involves the beloved Liquorice Allsorts. “Bassetts, the company behind them, originally sold them individually,” she laughs. But sales were sluggish. Then, one frustrated salesman tossed the unsold sweets into his suitcase with a clatter. The jumbled mess caught the eye of passersby, and the idea of ‘Allsorts’ was born!

Terriers & Toffees

Her knowledge extends far beyond liquorice. Emma beams as she talks about Teddy Gray’s Herbal Tablets, a company dating back to 1826. When sugar rationing hit during World War II, Teddy Gray found a surprising way to stay afloat. “They started breeding terrier dogs!” Emma exclaims. These prize-winning pups, with their playful nips and soft fur, became an unexpected source of income, helping the company survive the war. Today, the little terriers still grace the packaging, a silent testament to their sweet-saving role.

Emma’s passion goes beyond the sweets itself. She’s captivated by the stories behind them. Take the Midlands’ beloved Bluebird Toffees, for example. “They were originally called Harvino,” she recounts. “But after the release of the movie ‘The Bluebird of Happiness,’ the company rebranded to capture the film’s sense of joy.”

With every delectable morsel, Emma invites you to embark on a delicious adventure through time. So next time you pop a sweet in your mouth, take a moment to savour its history. Visit Emma at Sweet Heritage (www.sweetheritage.co.uk or @_sweetheritage on Instagram) and discover the hidden stories waiting to be unwrapped, one delightful bite at a time.

Written by: Ginger and Nuts

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