Category: News

Explore our comprehensive Japanese and Korean-inspired snacking range

At World of Sweets, we offer a comprehensive Japanese and Korean-inspired range spanning confectionery, biscuits, snacks and drinks, helping retailers bring exciting flavours and greater choice to their customers.

From chewy mochi and matcha biscuits to Korean pouch drinks and playful sweets, our selection brings together established favourites and fresh discoveries. Whether you’re introducing a few lines or developing a dedicated fixture, we can help you build a range that works for your business.

A growing appetite for discovery

Japanese and Korean flavours are attracting attention across UK retail. In May 2026, Tesco reported that searches for “Korean style” products on Tesco.com had increased 51% year on year, while searches for “Japanese” had grown 16%.

Our range gives retailers the breadth to respond to that interest across several categories, with different flavours, formats and price points to suit a variety of shoppers.

Confectionery with plenty to explore

Our confectionery selection covers soft, chewy, crunchy and filled formats, giving customers plenty of ways to discover something different.

Fini Mini Mochis combine soft bites with smooth liquid centres, available in Berries and a Melon, Mango and Strawberry mix. Q Micro Mochi adds Chocolate, Lychee and Strawberry varieties to the selection.

Alongside mochi, our Apple and Peach heart-shaped gummies offer fruity flavours, while Crunch Tangerine Jelly pairs a crunchy outer layer with a soft, chewy centre.

Our cotton candy rolls bring further variety, with Strawberry featuring freeze-dried strawberries, Watermelon with cookie pieces and a Super Sour option.

These contrasting textures reflect wider consumer preferences. Puratos’ global Taste Tomorrow research found that 71% of consumers see texture as a key driver of food enjoyment, while 67% seek novelty through new formats or unexpected mouthfeels.

Biscuits combining familiar favourites and different flavours

Our biscuit range offers recognisable brands alongside distinctive formats.

Tokimeki Biscuit Sticks come in Matcha, Blueberry, Almond Crush and Popping Candy, giving retailers a choice of flavours and eating experiences.

Oreo Matcha, Blueberry & Raspberry and Grape & Peach bring unexpected flavours to a household name, offering an accessible starting point for shoppers looking to try something new.

Matcha’s growing visibility adds to its appeal. Square recorded more than 1.6 million matcha drink purchases across 2,106 UK sellers in June and July 2025, highlighting consumer interest in the flavour.

The wider selection includes Koala’s March filled biscuits in Chocolate, Strawberry and Vanilla, plus Meiji Yan Yan biscuit sticks with flavoured dips. Meiji Chocorooms and Lotte filled pretzel sticks provide further options to broaden the fixture.

Drinks and crispy snacks complete the selection

Our range also extends into drinks and crispy snacks, helping retailers offer customers more choice beyond confectionery.

Cantabile Korean pouch drinks, designed to be served over ice, include Peach Iced Tea and Hazelnut coffee. Their distinctive pouch format adds another point of discovery to the drinks selection.

For crispy sweet snacks, Crown Churros and Choco Corn Snacks offer two different flavour options to sit alongside the wider range.

Build your range with World of Sweets

Our comprehensive selection makes it easy to source Japanese and Korean-inspired confectionery, biscuits, snacks and drinks from one supplier.

With a choice of familiar names, unusual flavours and distinctive formats, we can help you create a focused selection or develop a broader offer for customers keen to explore.

Contact our World of Sweets team to discover the full range and discuss the right selection for your business.

Candy Realms gets a bold new look, with £1 value and new varieties

We’re refreshing our Candy Realms sugar bag range with brighter packaging, new varieties and great value, helping retailers bring more colour and choice to their confectionery fixtures.

Since launching in 2023, Candy Realms has reached £10 million in sales within three years, with the wider range now featuring over 70 products across bags, cups, lollies and tubs.

The refresh comes as sharing sweets continue to grow. Circana data shows value sales increased by 5.9% and unit sales by 7.5% across all outlets, while convenience saw 3.9% value growth and 9% unit growth in the 12 weeks ending 5 September 2026.*

Our refreshed packs feature brighter colours, bolder flavour cues and larger product windows, helping shoppers find their favourites and discover something new. Displayed together, they create a colourful, easy-to-shop fixture with strong shelf impact.

The range includes 160g £1 price-marked bags, alongside larger non-price-marked options up to 190g, giving retailers flexibility while keeping value at the heart of the offer. Vegan choices include Sour Dummies, Fizzy Strawberries and Peach Rings.

There are new varieties to explore too. Pineapple Mix combines pineapple rings with fizzy pineapple pieces, while Jelly Faves brings together twin cherries, cola bottles and friendship rings.

With fruity, fizzy, sour and jelly options under one recognisable brand, our refreshed Candy Realms range brings together value, variety and shelf appeal.

The refreshed range is available through World of Sweets and Hancocks, with new varieties rolling out from autumn 2026.

Source: Circana, Sweets Sharing category, value and unit sales percentage change year on year, 12 weeks ending 5 September 2026.

The Traitors Confectionery Range

Add the thrills and excitement of The Traitors TV show to your range, with The Traitors official confectionery. Great sweets and chocolates, with recognisable branding and playful twists inspired by the show, this range enables your business to tap into the excitement of the BBC’s BAFTA-winning TV series and bring something new, fun and highly giftable to your range. From fruit-flavoured chewy sweets with deceptive centres to jelly bean games made for playful sharing, plus tasty milk chocolate lines and shields that make brilliant impulse buys, there are tempting options for sweet lovers, chocolate fans and loyal Traitors viewers alike.

The Traitors Chew Bag 120g

• Fruit-flavoured chewy sweets with a liquid centre
• Sweet gel or sour sherbet centres—deception never tasted so sweet
• Shareable bag

The Traitors Chew Bags pair fruit-flavoured chews with a challenge of wits. With either sweet and fruity gel or sour sherbet centres, can sweet lovers keep their cool, or will their faces betray them? Perfect for playing with friends and sharing online, sweet lovers can choose whether they’ll play faithful or turn traitor!

The Traitors Jelly Bean Spinner Game 100g

• Spinner game inspired by the hit TV series
• Six colours, 12 deceptive flavours—will it be tasty or treacherous?
• Playful novelty stock with big screen appeal

The Traitors Jelly Bean Spinner Game is the perfect companion to the hit TV show! Each box comes ready to play, with six colours and 12 flavours of jelly beans—will the flavour be watermelon or cabbage? Tropical or curry? Strawberry or chilli? Faithful, or traitor? All of the drama of the Round Table, but with added jelly beans. Deception never tasted so sweet.

Exciting novelty stock that’s perfect for The Traitors fans of all ages, these jelly bean games are irresistible impulse lines and amazing gifting lines, too.

The Traitors Milk Chocolate Coins 72g

• Foil-wrapped milk chocolate coins
• 5 designs inspired by The Traitors

Will chocolate lovers get caught up in the net, or taste safety with a shield? With five designs in each net, The Traitors Milk Chocolate Coins are perfect stocking fillers and gifts for fans of the hit TV show. Whether they enjoy them whilst tuning in or playing The Traitors board game, they appeal to chocoholics and superfans alike.

Individually wrapped and great for fans of all ages, stock up on The Traitors Milk Chocolate Coins today.

The Traitors Milk Chocolate Shield 26g

• Milk chocolate coin with branded ribbon
• Inspired by the hit TV show

Chocolate lovers can rest soundly in the knowledge that they’ve got safety from murder, thanks to The Traitors Milk Chocolate Shields. Delicious milk chocolate, foil-wrapped and with a branded ribbon, these stand out on shelf and are must-have stock.

Full of appeal to both chocolate lovers and fans of The Traitors TV show, these Shields are brilliant novelty stock that shoppers will grab on impulse and make perfect stocking fillers, too.

Barratt Wham Candy Floss Cups Crowned Champion Confectionery Product at The Grocer’s New Product & Packaging Awards 2025

We’re thrilled to announce that the Barratt Wham Candy Floss Cups have been crowned Champion Confectionery Product at The Grocer’s New Product & Packaging Awards 2025. 🎉

Described by judges as “a really fun product that would stand out on the shelf and that I’m sure kids would love,” this exciting win celebrates innovation, creativity and the power of great partnerships in confectionery.

The award showcases what we do best at World of Sweets — partnering with iconic brands like Barratt to bring first-to-market, innovative confectionery to life. 🍬✨

As the UK’s go-to novelty confectionery experts, we work with exclusive brand partners and over 350 trusted factories worldwide to deliver products that inspire excitement, spark impulse and keep shoppers coming back for more.

Kerry Hatton , Head of Product  at World of Sweets, said:

“We’re absolutely delighted that the Barratt Wham Candy Floss Cups have been recognised by The Grocer. This award highlights our commitment to innovation and our passion for bringing fun, nostalgic products to market. Wham Candy Floss perfectly captures the joy and playfulness that makes confectionery so special.”

A huge thank you to The Grocer and its judges for recognising our dedication to innovation and fun in confectionery. 🙏

💡 World of Sweets – the home of award-winning confectionery innovation.

World of Sweets Partners with Vicky McClure’s Our Dementia Choir​

The UK’s largest confectionery distributor World of Sweets has teamed up with Vicky McClure’s Our Dementia Choir to share the joy of sweets and provide vital funding. ​

In order to celebrate the 130th Birthday of Bonds of London, World of Sweets are announcing the launch of a new Bonds share bag range, in partnership with Our Dementia Choir.​

Both Midlands based companies are coming together in order to help fund vital specialist support, equipment for community performances and vital transport for choir members. ​

The partnership embodies nostalgia, and how classic sweets can be shared across generations to bring moments of joy. ​

World of Sweets will be including their four top-selling Bonds share bags, Lemon Sherberts, Pear Drops, Butter Mintoes and Rhubarb & Custard in this exciting collaboration. ​

​New bag designs showcase the Our Dementia Choir logo, with 10% of profits going to the charity. The charity has an annual fundraising target of£175,000 to support the choir and their carers.​

​The funding raised by the sales of the new Bonds range will help the charity to reach more people living with dementia, ensuring they are living well by bringing joy, connection and belonging. ​

​Retailers can purchase the bags in either price marked or non-price marked packs, with an RRP of £1.25.​

​Kathryn Hague, Head of Marketing at World of Sweets said: “We are so excited to be partnering with Vicky McClure’s Our Dementia Choir, this is truly a celebration of both Bonds and the amazing charity. ​

​“The local connection is amazing, we have known about the charity since they formed in 2018 and it is so special to be able to connect with them on their project and to help fund vital transport and specialist support through sweet sales. ​

​“Bonds of London is celebrating its 130th Birthday this year, and focusing on some of the best-selling hardboiled sweets is a testament to nostalgia-loving customers who continue to repurchase sweets they have loved for years.​

​“We worked closely with Our Dementia Choir on a brand new packaging design for the four sweet bags and really hope customers will love the refreshed design. We really hope the sweets will help spread joy, just as Our Dementia Choir is able to do through their amazing work.”​

Jess Johnson, Social Media Manager and Wellbeing Leader at Our Dementia Choir said: “At Our Dementia Choir, we firmly believe in the incredible power of music to bring happiness, connection and comfort to those living with dementia. We also know sweets can bring us so much nostalgia and really help to bring a moment of joy, which is why this partnership is so brilliant. ​

“We are really happy to be teaming up with World of Sweets on their Bonds of London range. Partnering with local companies is really important to us -the support from the Midlands has been amazing and we hope it can continue as we really rely on generous public donations and corporate support. ​

“Our choir members are so excited about the collaboration and can’t wait to try the sweets and see them on the shelves of their local convenience stores.”​

World of Sweets & Bobbys to launch Gumi Yum into the UK Market  

The UKs largest confectionery distributor, World of Sweets & their sister company Bobbys, have unveiled their latest innovative partnership with Gumi Yum.

Gumi Yum will be exclusively distributed by World of Sweets & Bobbys into convenience, independents, forecourts and wholesale channels. This exciting new candy innovation is expected to be a huge hit with UK retailers and their customers.

Gumi Yumi offers a perfect combination of a sweet treat and a premium quality novelty toy, and is aimed at young sweet-toothed customers and parents looking for fun and affordable confectionery.

Mouthwatering candy in eight fruit flavoured gummy candy strips can be unwrapped from an egg inner to reveal a surprise toy inside.

The sugar dusted candy is layered in eight flavours –  cherry, strawberry, orange, pineapple, lemon, green apple, blue raspberry and grape. The tasty gummy candy contains no gluten, dairy, eggs or nuts!

Inside the egg are high quality, collectible toy ranges including wildlife characters and transformers characters. Zuru, who have created Gumi Yum, are one of the top five toy manufacturers in the world, known for brands such as Mini Brands and Mini Pets.

The RRP for each unit is just £1.39.

The confectionery egg has already launched in the USA, New Zealand and Australia with global expansion continuing throughout 2025. The UK will be the next markets to launch.

Gumi Yum has delivered strong results in existing markets. In the USA it was the number one performing confectionery brand in the retailer Target at launch and in the top two percent of all confectionery SKUs for 2024.

In New Zealand, Gumi Yum gained a 15% market share in the sugar single novelty category and outsold Kinder in 80% of the stores stocking both ranges.

Gumi Yum has already built an impressive social media following, with around 4.3 milllion likes on TikTok, delivering viral content and strong consumer demand with novelty sweet fans. In 2024 it had over 250 million impressions on the channel.

Director of Sales and Marketing at World of Sweets, Helen Bradshaw said: “We’re delighted to be the exclusive distributor for key channels in the UK and are excited to see where we can take the brand.

“There’s already a massive buzz around this product and the brand as a whole. The interaction with customers via social media channels means consumers are eager to try – even if it’s not available in their country.

“This is great news for retailers in the UK who will be able to capitalise on this buzz and offer their customers this product.”

Helen continued: “There’s a huge demand for novelty confectionery and in particular novelty confectionery toys. Last year this sector outperformed the overall novelty category by three percent in both value and volume year on year.*

“We’ll be launching this exciting product to retailers at the National Convenience Show with it due to be available in August this year. We know they’ll share our enthusiasm for such a great product and strong brand.”

World of Sweets is the UK’s largest confectionery distributor, importer, and wholesaler, supplying thousands of customers across all retail channels.

Offering a world of distribution solutions from e-commerce sites serving 55,000 customers per week to Hancocks wholesale stores with over 22,000 customers, field sales and a direct to store team covering 36,000 independent customers and a national accounts team covering all UK retail channels.

Hannah Rodenby, Brand Manager at World of Sweets said: “We’re always looking for ways to support our customers and fill those gaps in the market. Teenagers and young people often feel like there’s nothing left for them in the confectionery market. Everything either feels too young or too old to them. Sweet Vibes captures this age demographic perfectly! It’s cool, fun, bright, bold and tastes delicious! The Freakshake cups and bags and the Mallow Dunkz taste great and their design and packaging is just what youngsters are after. We’re really excited about this brand and we know it’s going to give retailers the opportunity to add some variety into their store.”

World of Sweets and Barratt have once again joined forces to bring a delightful twist to the confectionery market. Building on the success of their previous collaborations, Barratt Ice Duos and Wham Flash & Dip Pop, the companies are thrilled to introduce their latest creations: Fruit Salad Rope & WHAM Rope.

This innovative addition to the Barratt range features soft candy ropes covered in mini bites, offering a unique texture and flavour experience. The new product line showcases two iconic flavours: WHAM, with its signature sour raspberry taste, and Fruit Salad, raspberry and pineapple.

Tapping into the growing “Newstalgia” trend, these candy ropes blend familiar flavours with a contemporary format, appealing to both longtime fans and new consumers. Both Ropes contain no artificial colours & flavours, and are under 100 calories, making them an irresistible option for customers who are trying to eat healthier, but still wanting a little treat.

Retailers will find the new Fruit Salad & WHAM Ropes easy to merchandise, thanks to their versatile branded display cases. The packaging is designed for maximum shelf impact and can be displayed either front- or side-facing, offering flexibility for various store layouts.

With Barratt’s strong track record of customer loyalty—boasting an impressive 28.9% repeat buyer rate*—this new product line is poised for success. It presents an excellent opportunity for retailers already selling Barratt products to expand their offerings, as well as for those looking to enhance their impulse confectionery selection.

The launch of Fruit Salad & WHAM Rope demonstrates World of Sweets and Barratt’s commitment to innovation in the confectionery industry, blending nostalgic flavours with a modern twist, to create exciting new snacking experiences.

Sources: *Kantar 52 weeks sales – 17th March 2024

Healthier at Hancocks will see the confectionery giant offer retailers healthier choices to add to the in store offering to maximise sales and attract new customers. Focus areas include healthier snacks and energy, with the aim to make enjoyable, healthier choices accessible and affordable for everyone. This comes after an industry-wide shift that has seen many major grocers starting to segment healthy snacking and highlight wider ranges including energy drinks and high protein. More cash and carry’s are also bringing in bulk offerings in both healthy snacking and drinks to meet consumer demands. 

The healthier snacking market has grown by 15% in the last 12 months, taking it to £148m. 

With market growth showing no signs of slowing down, Hancocks is encouraging retailers to make the most of the popularity and stock up on key categories.

The Healthier at Hancocks launch comes alongside the introduction of two new partner brands, Sneak Energy and CLIF. Some of the other brands which will come under the Healthier at Hancocks category include Barebells, Grenade, Gunna, Get More Vits, Eat Natural and Candy Kittens.

New products from the healthier category will be available from each of Hancocks 14 depots across the UK and online www.hancocks.co.uk , with new signage and POS to help shoppers navigate new lines in store.

The brand even plans to extend their own ranges by launching new brands and through partner brand development.

Kathryn Hague, Head of Marketing at Hancocks said: “We are super excited to be launching our brand new Healthier at Hancocks proposition. “Many of our independent, forecourt and grocery customers are segmenting healthy snacking and highlighting wider ranges in store, which aligns perfectly with our plans for healthier options. “With an already increased demand, the ability for retailers to tap into a brand new customer base and be involved with such a fast-growing category, introducing healthy snacking, functional and energy categories is a no brainer.”

Since partnering exclusively with World of Sweets, the brand has been stocked in garden centres, farm shops and speciality gift stores, proving very popular among customers. 

The brand was founded in 1884 and is one of the world’s leading liquor filled chocolate brand. It’s owned by Toms International, a Danish confectionery producer.

Toms Group is founded in Danish social culture and confectionery history, they insist on creating top quality products for their customers. 

Since originating in Denmark, the company has built a presence across the world, with customers all over loving their products. 

It’s best known for its iconic bottle-shaped chocolate, endorsed by some of the most famous original liqueur brands, including Famous Grouse, Southern Comfort, Cointreau and Mount Gay Barbados Rum. 

The chocolate liqueurs are available in 4, 8, 12, 16, 21 and 24-piece formats, with RRPs from £4.99 – £23.49.

Anthon Berg have also teamed up with five of the world’s most renowned single malt scotch whisky brands to launch their premium Single Malt Whisky collection.

With a unique collection of flavours from light and delicate to rich and smoky, the whisky collection is available in 5, 10 and 15 piece gift box formats, with RRPs from £5.29 – £15.79.

The high quality Chocolate Cocktails are created by Anthon Berg’s team of chocolatiers who’ve produced delicious dark chocolate bottles filled with smooth liquid fillings inspired by cocktails from around the world. 

They have worked with expert mixologists to develop the delicious cocktail recipes and consumer favourites which includes Cosmopolitan, Mojito, Espresso Martini, Vodka Mule, Pina Colada and Lemon Drop.

The Chocolate Cocktails are available in four to 24 piece gift boxes, RRP from £4.99 to £23.49. 

Brand new for this year is a collaboration between Anthon Berg marzipan and Baileys cream liqueur. 

Through teaming up, Baileys, the UK’s leading cream liqueur and Anthon Berg, who have a 140-year stronghold in marzipan production, have created a luxurious confectionery treat. 

The marzipan round is covered in Anthon Berg milk chocolate with a swirl of dark chocolate as decoration and the taste of Baileys cream liqueur.

The dual branded gift boxes include seven individually wrapped pieces with an RRP of £8.49.

This April, Anthon Berg will feature on the World of Sweets stand at the National Convenience Show.

Chris Smith, Partner Brand Manager at World of Sweets, said: “We are delighted to be celebrating 100 years of Anthon Berg’s iconic liqueur-filled bottle and 140 years of the acclaimed brand.

“The iconic Danish confectionery brand brings a whole new market for our products and allows us to expand our offering. 

“Since partnering with the brand, they have been popular among a whole host of retailers, including garden centres and their gifting offering. 

“For convenience retailers, we recommend four and five piece gift box formats. Adding more luxurious gifting items into your range is a great way to maximise sales and appeal to customers looking for something extra special for loved ones.

“As an internationally acclaimed brand with an exciting product range they appeal both to retailers and their customers.”