Many Brits over the age of 40 have fond memories of pick ‘n’ mix, of long display cabinets filled with an unimaginable selection of different sweets of all shapes, sizes and styles, and the excitement of filling your paper bag and weighing it to see how much you had left to spend.
But most people probably don’t realise that Frank Winfield Woolworth was the pioneer of pick ‘n’ mix worldwide – or that he first started selling pick ‘n’ mix candy in America, long before he brought his innovation to the UK.
The origins of Pick ‘n’ Mix
We think of pick ‘n’ mix as a staple of UK culture, but it can actually traced back to F. W. Woolworth Company’s American stores in 1886. Woolworth’s Five-and-Dime stores offered prices as low as 5c and 10c on a wide range of items, and Frank wanted to add sweets to that list.
Because manufacturing processes were poorly regulated and many of the ingredients in candy were supplied by pharmacists, cases of poisoning were quite common. As a result, shoppers tended to trust sweets only if they trusted the retailer, and candy was largely sold in upmarket department stores.
Woolworth wanted to change that – and in particular, he wanted to sell ‘weigh-out candy’ for just 5c per quarter-pound (roughly 110g) instead of the existing market rate of 25c. To do this, he negotiated directly with suppliers and placed huge orders for wholesale pick ‘n’ mix, paying upfront in order to secure the lowest price possible.
Getting the best prices on wholesale Pick ‘n’ Mix
The first supplier to agree to a cost price of just 3c per quarter-pound was D. Arnould & Co. Woolworth contributed towards Arnould’s set-up costs, and the pair agreed on a list of sweets that included toffees, boiled sweets and chocolates, with an order for 100lbs (40kg) of product.
On launch day, staff members were equipped with extra-large scoops and ‘ready reckoner’ tables of prices for certain weights. The candy was displayed in luxurious mahogany counters, and signs were placed around Woolworth’s stores to stress the safety of the sweets.
Within minutes of opening, the counters were swamped by customers and Arnould was called upon to deliver additional stock – he would soon commence 24-hour production in order to keep up with demand!
The dawn of British Pick ‘n’ Mix
After his success in America, Woolworth exported his concept to the UK and British pick ‘n’ mix was finally born. The first Woolworth pick ‘n’ mix wasn’t based in London, York or Bourneville, but opened on Church Street in Liverpool in 1909, and Everton mints were among the sweets to choose from.
Originally priced at 2d per quarter – equivalent to about 55p per 100g in modern terms – Woolworth’s sweets were imported from America until he was able to negotiate contracts with local suppliers in the UK.
More than a century later, Woolworths stores have vanished from UK high streets, but the long-held tradition of buying British Pick ‘n’ Mix for a fixed price per weight has endured and become a staple of many a happy childhood.
Top tips for Pick ‘n’ Mix
The candy world has evolved over the decades. Vegetarian and vegan Pick ‘n’ Mix is now commonplace, as are sugar-free sweets suitable for diabetics and health-conscious candy-lovers.
Online Pick ‘n’ Mix offers convenience and a way for retailers to boost sales, by offering click-and-collect or Pick ‘n’ Mix sweets delivery.
Kandy King are no exception – we offer great prices on wholesale Pick ‘n’ Mix delivery, and on click-and-collect orders from our cash & carry in Salford. We also stock the bags and jars for your customers to use.
And if you want to pay tribute to where British Pick ‘n’ Mix all began, why not opt for a 3kg bag of individually wrapped Stockley’s Everton Mints – if they were good enough for Frank Winfield Woolworth, you really can’t go wrong!