- Midget Gems
-
Midget Gems (or Midgetgems) are chewy, firm sweets similar to wine gums. They are manufactured from glucose syrup, sugar, and animal gelatin, mixed with colourings and flavouring.
Midget Gems were extremely popular in the North of England and were one of The Lion Confectionery Company's biggest selling brands. In 1995 the company joined forces with Cadbury Trebor Bassett brand Maynard's to market the sweet across the country.[1]
At the time the sweet was re-branded under the Maynard's banner, the black Midget Gems were changed from liquorice flavour to blackcurrant, but only in the bagged product. Those sold loose, from jars and boxes, remain liquorice.
Midget Gems are produced by a wide variety of other companies. Glisten Confectionery manufacture them under their Victoria brand, and in 2007 announced that they were removing all artificial colours and flavourings from the sweets.[2] Many supermarkets and stores such as Asda,[3] Tesco[4] and Sainsbury's manufacture their own versions.
The sweet is so popular that Liverpool Football Club at one point sold their own branded tubs of Midget Gems,[5] and the sweet frequently appears in lists of "Favourite sweets".[6]
References
- ^ "Sweet success is target for Gems". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. 2005-04-11. http://archive.thisisbradford.co.uk/2005/4/11/91402.html.
- ^ "Victoria sweets remove artificial colours". Talking Retail. 2007-07-07. http://www.talkingretail.com/products/5340/Victoria-sweets-remove-artific.ehtml.
- ^ "Confirmed sighting: Asda Smart Price Midget Gems". snackspot.org.uk. 2008-01-10. http://snackspot.org.uk/thread.php?story=0801101930sbc.
- ^ "Tesco Midget Gems Review". DooYoo. http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/food/tesco-value-midget-gems/1058229/. Retrieved 2008-04-21.
- ^ "Midget Gems Tub". Liverpool Football Club. http://store.liverpoolfc.tv/products/souvenirs/sweets/midget-gems-tub/pid-26033. Retrieved 2008-04-21.
- ^ "Space dust!". BBC Lancashire. 2006-03-21. http://www.bbc.co.uk/lancashire/content/articles/2005/10/27/lists_sweeties_feature.shtml.
Categories:- British confectionery
- Confectionery stubs
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.