About Swizzels
Swizzels is Britain's largest independent family-owned confectionery company, founded in 1928 and beloved for iconic sweets including Love Hearts, Drumsticks, Parma Violets, Refreshers, and Rainbow Drops. The company produces 250 lines of sweets, employs 600 people, and has a turnover exceeding £40 million annually. The company began in the early 1920s when Maurice and Alfred Matlow sold jelly sweets from a market stall in Hackney, London. They launched Matlow Bros. Ltd in 1928, later joining forces with David Dee, a maker of fizzy tablets. The 'Swizzels' name reportedly came from the swizzle sticks used to stir 1930s cocktails - removing bubbles similar to their effervescent sweets. In 1940, the Blitz forced relocation from London to New Mills, Derbyshire, into a former textile mill. What was intended as temporary became permanent, and the company officially became Swizzels Matlow Ltd in 1975. Current Managing Director Jeremy Dee is the grandson of former owner David Dee. Love Hearts began production in 1954, initially as gifts in Christmas crackers reading "I LOVE YOU." The process of embossing messages and adding edible ink remains a closely guarded secret unique to Swizzels. Parma Violets, the delicately perfumed sweets, were originally marketed as breath fresheners and frequently sold in pubs. Drumsticks were introduced in 1957. In 2012, Swizzels launched Squashies - soft gum versions of classic favourites including Drumsticks, Refreshers, and Love Hearts. Squashies won Top Launch for sugar confectionery from The Grocer in 2012. Available flavours include Sour Cherry and Apple, Rhubarb & Custard, Bubblegum, and Strawberry & Cream. To meet growing demand, Swizzels opened a second site in Middlewich, Cheshire in 2022. Many products are vegan, vegetarian, or halal. Compare Swizzels sweet prices across UK supermarkets including Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, and Asda with Grocefully to find the best deals on Britain's favourite sweets.























