As we all know, Pick n Mix when we encounter it. Although the stands aren’t found in as many stores as they were in the past however, there’s quite some history behind this method of choosing or selling sugary treats.
In reality, we’re going all the way to 1886.
America 1886…
A American businessman by the name of Frank Woolworth (yep, Mr Woolworths himself) was the owner of a range of five and ten cent shops. One day, he thought of an original idea of selling sweets, but with a different approach. He thought of selling sweets by the weight that he placed in front of the customers.
It’s not something that’s really new. However, in the early 1900’s, poisoning due to sugary sweets that were cheap was regular (no health ratings for food at the time!). This is the reason why people were more inclined to buy confectionery from department shops, where they could be assured that the bigger store was able to verify the ingredients in sweets and how they were produced.
However, that didn’t stop Frank. He did his research and he researched. He was looking for makers of sweets who would work directly with him instead of via an intermediary like a wholesaler. He also understood the importance of hygiene, which consumers believed. To combat this, his stores and counters were covered with warnings that they were hygienically produced by his factory.
…And the experiment worked!
Customers were awed by the new method to purchase their sweets. Woolworths became the preferred shop for loose sweets according to weight. The store remained at the top of the list for several years. This was just the beginning.
…And cheaper!
The price of one quarter of sweets at the time was about 25 cents. Woolworths would like to reduce this to just 5 cents in its stores. In this way it would bring enjoying the pleasure of candy (or candy, as Americans refer to it) in the cost range of the typical worker.
Everyone thought he was insane! This includes his own team…
He didn’t let that stop him. …. We are so happy that it did not. What kind of world could we be living in without the delights of Pick n Mix sweet mixups.
Woolworths went all-out…
While ignoring any criticisms the chance to ignore, and he was a bit of these, he carried forward with his dream. He found a company who was astonished by the massive amounts he would buy at once as well as the entire amount at the beginning.
Frank began to design his own sweet counters. He designed them to be much like the counters in Macey’s department stores featuring many mahogany wooden pieces as well as shiny display frames, and display cases with tiers of sweets.
The entire process was conducted in the strictest of secrecy. The counters and display cases were kept in the closet until about an hour prior to the big opening.
…And the experiment worked!
Oh my god, did it work! Massively! Within a few hours of opening, the stores were crowded with customers who were awestruck by the variety of options available and the amazing price that nearly everyone could manage to. The plant that produced the sweets was required to include an evening shift schedule for employees. In the end, it was in full production all hours of all day!
Pick and Mix sweets was made…
Rivals of Woolworths as well as critics and “expert” criticisms were astonished. They looked up and were astonished of his business’s growth and the wealth. In the end, rivals followed the same method of selling loosely of selling sweets.
This method was also followed in a similar fashion, largely unchanged, all across North America and Europe, particularly Britain over the next 75 years.
1909 British 1909, British n Mix…
Okay, that’s the story to one guy’s dream of how sweets will evolve in the near future. Let’s look at the Britain and UK sweet market in greater depth.
Now we will jump to a warm and sunny month of 1909. It’s only 23 years ago, after his “crazy and absurd idea” that he wanted to find retailers in UK. The retailers in Britain weren’t prepared for the magnitude of order he put in. At first, Woolworths was importing stock in large quantities from America to stock the store in Church Street, Liverpool.
The next spring, the British manufacturers came into the picture. The counters of the stores were filled with a huge selection of the most popular chocolates, boiled sweets , and Everton Mints. In the past one quarter pound of Pick n Mix (113g) was worth 2 old cents. If you were to use today’s currency, it is roughly 6.55p per kilogram. (Sorry we’re trying to keep prices low, but it’s just not feasible now! ).
… We Brits enjoyed it!
The customers were amazed by the wide variety of sweets available. The number of confections available to be packed into bags to pay for the price was staggering. In the year 1930 Woolworths is the leading sweet shop within Britain & Ireland. They were the leading shop in the UK market, in fact, for the entire time they were part of the High Street.
In the past, they have added an increasing number of sweets into the selection as well as expanding the variety of Chocolate bars and Ice Creams.
Pick and Mix was the name given to it…
Customers had been giving the sweet service a name for many years. It wasn’t until mid 1950’s that Woolworths recognized this. Prior to that, they named the products “Weigh-out Desserts”.
They came up with the name for their sweets, and nearly made it a name of its own. Pick n Mix was now an official thing! Yes!
…it continued to grow and grow ….
The variety of sweets increased and as a customer you were able to make your own pick n mix. The size of stores increased. In addition, the number of stores that were part of the Woolworth empire increased (Massively). By 1930, Woolworth’s the stores had huge counters however, even these had to be replenished several times per every day.
Pre-packaged chocolate bars and sweets like those made by Cadbury’s, became popular but not as much of the selections of loose sweets.
By 1939, Woolworth’s had become untouchable. The company had established an unbeatable dominance over the confectionery market across the UK.
A year later… the shops were closed as Britain was in War and the ration coupons were in effect. Factories were working to aid the war effort. Thousands of brave men were scattered across Europe fighting for our freedoms.
However, the British triumphed. And so did Woolworths!
They continued trading as the best they could. While at war, the Brits were still in need of sweets. Government Rations were utilized to distribute the sweets quite. Ration coupons that were not official were also utilized in many shops. Senior citizens, mostly older pensioners would give extra coupons for rations to store staff and ask they be kept to be used by the “little children”. It was so nice! They handed out tokens so that kids of all ages would not be disqualified from the candy counters.
The 1950’s: An Era of New Beginnings…
Okay, now that we have the history lesson done. The next step is post-war Britain. to the 1950’s. An era of new beginnings and hope.
The majority of Pick n Mix sweets and sweets generally, which are well-known and widely recognized today, originate from this exciting time.
The brands were changed, the stores changed and the customer’s tastes and willingness to try the “new” increased.
And the world of retail changed. Inspired by the stores of America and the United States, the personal Service way of selling was to be eliminated.
Instead, consumers would be able to enjoy a an unlimited selection in Pick n Mix sweets from “self-service” stands. Oh my! What a sight it must have been first time.
The big brands also became more commonplace with the introduction of new models and the reduction of prices. People of the working class could enjoy treats that were previously an expensive product. Some of the most popular brands include Cadburys, Mars, M&M’s, Rowntrees and Nestle become popular choices.
It worked!
This type of self-serve Pick n Mix stands stayed in the High Street for decades to be.
Then, leap ahead to 2022.
Let’s bring back the great time of Pick n Mix from Woolies. Without the need for stores. No customers have to leave the home!
This is the way our store was born.
Giving customers the option to make their individual Custom Pick n Mix sweets mix-up, and then get it delivered right to their doorstep.
Anywhere in the UK within a matter of days with Royal Mail.
You can even get it next day through Royal Mail 24 if you’ve been craving a sweet treat to ease your mind.
