Rowntree's Fruit Pastilles

Rowntree's Fruit Pastilles are small round sweets measuring about 1.5 cm/0.6 in in diameter; they have a jelly-like consistency, almost like huge Jelly Tots. Fruit Pastilles are covered in sugar. Ice-lolly versions were originally made in Telford, Shropshire but are now made in Crossgates, North Yorkshire by Richmond Foods after it bought Nestlé's ice cream division in 2001. Rowntree's Fruit Pastilles contain fruit juice and no artificial colours or flavours and come in five flavours: lemon (yellow), lime (green), strawberry (red), blackcurrant (black) and orange (orange). The 48g/1.7 oz packet contains about 180 calories, which is about average for sweets of this nature.

History

Joseph Rowntree, the son of a Quaker grocer, was born in York on 24 May 1836. After only five years of schooling Joseph began work as a grocer. He started with his father at fourteen but part of his apprenticeship involved working in London. While working in the city Joseph became very interested in politics and regularly attended debates at the House of Commons.

Joseph Rowntree returned to work for his father but in 1869 he left to join his brother, Henry Rowntree, who owned the Cocoa, Chocolate & Chicory Works in York. The company only employed thirty workers at the time, but under Joseph's influence the company grew rapidly and by the end of the century it was an enormous international concern with over 4,000 employees. Fruit Pastilles were first made in Fawdon, Tyneside, England in 1881. Before then, manufacture of gums and pastilles had been a French monopoly. They are commonly known as Mao chews in Burnley, NW England.

Packaging

Tubes of Fruit Pastilles are wrapped in foil-backed plastic with a paper wrapper over the top. The paper wrapper is green in colour with "Fruit Pastilles" written along the front in large lettering, along the bottom of the lettering there are pictures of different types of fruit all relating to the flavours within the packet. Fruit Pastilles come in a small tube of about 48g/1.7 oz, and are also available in bags, which are bigger than the tubes, and carry a weight of about 180g/6.3 oz, both of which are extremely popular. Over 40 million tubes of Pastilles were consumed in 2006.Fact|date=April 2008

Packs containing only black and red Fruit Pastilles are also available.

Generic fruit pastilles

Generic and own brand versions, also called "fruit pastilles", are also commonly available, and are often much cheaper than Rowntree's. Some use fruit juices for colour and flavouring whilst others have artificial colours and flavourings.

ee also

*Joseph Rowntree (philanthropist)
*Rowntree
*Polo (mint)

External links

* [http://www.rowntrees.co.uk Flash animation about choosing lemon over pineapple]
* [http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/RErowntreeJ.htm Joseph Rowntree]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/752211.stm Royal Marines chew for survival] at BBC News