UK’s Uncle Joe’s Mint Balls hails revival in EU trading with latest Danish order
UK traditional sweet brand Uncle Joe’s Mint Balls has reported a is enjoying a return to European trading with its first reported order from Denmark in two years amid wider interest from other EU countries, writes Neill Barston.
As the company explained, its latest commission is from Danish wholesaler Christiansen & Partners, based in Dragør, on the country’s east coast, specialising in imports quality products from all over the world and serves specialty stores, cafés and businesses.
Uncle Joe’s Mint Balls are made by Wigan-based William Santus and Co, a privately-owned traditional sweet company that was established in 1898.
As previously reported by Confectionery Production, a number of UK businesses across the sector have reflected wider concerns regarding future trading arrangements following Brexit, with logistics and administration costs increasingly notably in the months since Britain left the trading bloc.
This has been worsened by a shortage of delivery drivers that has affected the confectionery, snacks and wider food markets, which have been compounded by the impact of the coronavirus pandemic that has caused further business disruption.
However, John and Antony Winnard, joint managing directors, believed the increased interest from Europe showed that demand for quality and unique brands outweighed the red tape associated with Brexit in particular.
They said: “There are still difficulties to overcome as a result of Brexit but now that things have calmed down a little bit and some of the import and export issues have been resolved, people aren’t bothered if we are in the EU or not, they just want to enjoy our products.
“Christiansen & Partners have been a customer since 2013 but had not ordered for almost two years. We are delighted to have them back.”
The Danish order will see William Santus and Co provide traditional Uncle Joe’s Mint Balls, as well as its sugar-free, dark rum, wildberry gin, apple cider and rhubarb and ginger gin varieties.
It also includes treacle caramel, as well as three varieties from its new ‘Mint with a Hint’ range – berries, liquorice and caramel. John and Antony Winnard are the great, great nephews of the company’s founder. The Mint Balls are still manufactured using the same traditional methods as when Mrs Santus originally made the sweets in her kitchen in 1898.
Wait until they receive the order and have to pay all sorts of fees and duty, they won’t make that mistake twice.