Retro’s Guide to creating the best Pick and Mix Platter
If you’re a UK resident over the age of 40, chances are you have fond memories of creating your own pick and mix. Memories of long display cabinets, an unimaginable selection of sweets in different shapes, sizes and styles, or the excitement of filling your bag and weighing it to see how much you had left to spend.
As a customer, the beauty of a pick and mix platter is that it puts the power in your hands. Not only can you choose your favourite goodies from a wide array of options, you can also get the most out of your money. Join us as we explore the origins of this British staple, and delve into the classic sweets you simply have to include in your pick and mix delivery…
Birth of the Pick and Mix
We often think of pick and mix as a staple of UK culture, but – have you ever wondered, where exactly does this delightfully-decadent concept originate? Well, it might surprise you to learn it was Frank W. Woolworth who first pioneered the idea – or that he introduced it to his US stores in 1886, long before the phenomenon ever reached the UK.
Before then, Woolworth’s five-and-dime stores were already offering prices as low as five cents on a wide range of items. Now, Frank wanted to add sweets to that list – and decided to contribute towards set-up costs for suppliers, in order to make it happen.
The first to come on board was D. Arnould & Co. Together, they compiled a list of treats they’d stock – including toffees, boiled sweets and chocolates. Within minutes of opening, the pick and mix counters became swamped with interested customers and Arnould was soon called upon to deliver additional stock. In fact – it proved such a hit, he soon began a 24-hour production schedule, in order to keep up with rampant demands.
Bringing it ‘Across the Pond’
Following his astounding successes in America, Woolworth wanted to export his new, ground-breaking concept to the UK. In 1909, he opened the country’s first pick and mix at a flagship store in Church Street, Liverpool. As a result, Everton mints were among the first sweets customers could choose from, and remain a staple pick and mix option to this day.
Over a century later, Woolworth’s have completely disappeared from UK high streets, but the long-held tradition of buying a pick and mix platter for a fixed price per weight, lives on. In fact – with an ever-expanding line of treats, they’re more popular now than ever before…
Top Sweets to include in your Pick and Mix…
So what delicious treats should you include in your pick and mix platter? Well, there’s a fair bit of opinion out there and – naturally, taste is a subjective thing. That’s half the fun of a pick and mix box, you can choose exactly what your taste buds want and desire.
To help give you some inspiration, we’ve created this handy list of some of the classic sweet types you simply have to include in your pick and mix delivery…
1) Bon-bon Bonanza!
Mouth-wateringly delicious and steeped in tradition, bonbons are simply one of the best ‘feel good’ sweets on the market. Originally crafted by the Parisian royal court in the 17th Century, these old-fashioned classics get their name from the French word for good and make the perfect addition to any pick and mix platter.
Here at Retro Sweets Now, we think these treats are so ‘bon’ that we stock them in a wide variety of delicious flavours including blue raspberry, strawberry, lemon, toffee and more.
2) Reaching Boiling Point…
Ah hard boiled sweets, what can we say? Well – for one, they’re a timeless British classic your pick and mix box would be incomplete without. Traditionally made by boiling sugar with water and flavourings, any sweet that’s solid and needs to be sucked – as opposed to chewn or bitten, can be referred to as a boiled sweet.
Though they found immense popularity during the Victorian Era, we can trace boiled sweets all the way back to the turn of the 19th century. Since then, they’ve expanded to include everything from medicinal lozenges, to the brightly-coloured beauties we all know and love.
We stock a mind-boggling variety of boiled sweets to add to your pick and mix delivery. From old-staples – such as sherbert lemons, pear drops and fruit pips, to modern alternatives, you can pick up all the goodies you’re wanting, at prices that won’t make your blood boil!
3) Plenty to Chew-se from…
Soft, squishy and irresistibly fruity, the thing about gummy sweets is they’re a flavour and texture combination. Whether it’s a firm chew or a softer variant, gelatine is – traditionally, the ingredient of choice for giving sweets an elasticated finish. In recent years however, the industry has also seen a shift towards pectin-based treats, as vegan alternatives.
At Retro Sweets Now, we believe there are few things as light-hearted and fun as enjoying a fruity, gummy treat or two. After all, what pick and mix delivery would be complete without some bubblegum foam mushrooms, chewy cola bottles or giant strawberries from Haribo?
Mix things up with Retro Sweets Now
These are just some of the delicious treats we have in stock at Retro Sweets Now. With our ever-expanding line of options, you’re sure to find all the goodies you’ve ever dreamed of adding to your pick and mix platter! From fizzy sweets to special combo sets, take a look at our online store and see which sugary delights take your fancy…
We even do vegan, gluten-free, gelatine-free and halal sweets – so kids of all backgrounds and nutritional requirements can get involved in the pick and mix fun!