Enjoying sweet taste of success

Two confectionery connoisseurs have joined forces to create their own 'sweet success story' in the heart of the Black Country.

John Wilkinson and Brian Jay have pooled their different skills and experience to launch their business JJ's Confectionery.

It is a specialist firm – making and supplying handmade boiled sweets and a large range of kalis – flavoured dipping sugars.

The new business venture, set up in just three weeks, is going from strength to strength with the firm supplying more than 50 shops across the West Midlands and producing in excess of 50,000 units every week.

It is based in Bott Lane, Lye.

Mr Wilkinson, was spurred into action after losing his job at Sela Sweets, in West Bromwich, in December 2006.

Mr Jay also has experience in the confectionery industry after helping his wife Jean set up two sweet shops, called The Sweet Jar, in Kingswinford and Stourbridge.

He previously ran a van sales business which traded with Sela Sweets.

Mr Wilkinson said: "Whilst I was searching for a new job, we got talking and we agreed that it if he could provide the building, I'd source the necessary plant and we'd have a go at starting our own company."

"We both went away with our projects in hand and, within three weeks, we were planning to move into the site in Lye."

Armed with a 15-strong range and just one customer, the company started life in mid June and has used the following seven months and a £60,000 investment drive to build up a reputation.

It has since become a vital supplier to more than 50 stores from the Black Country, Shropshire and South Staffordshire.

Mr Jay said said: "We should turn over £70,000 by the end of our first year and this is a fantastic platform to build on.

"Our production line is very efficient and our creative streak has meant that we are already developing new sweets. For example, we have over 46 lines in our range, including JJ's home-made herbals, pineapple and cola bricks and some of the finest tasting apple sours currently available.

"The latest development is a secret 'slush' flavour, which has the potential to be absolutely huge," added Mr Jay.

But the enterprising duo are not basking in recent glories, instead preferring to focus on the future with a new website.

In addition to providing an on-line story of how the company started and what it does, it will provide an e-commerce facility for people wishing to buy over the internet. "My wife Jean runs the The Sweet Jars shops in Kingswinford and Stourbridge, two highly successful shops that have a large local customer base," added Mr Jay.

"This is an important area of the business and, with the line of supply now running extremely well, we are looking at increasing the number of outlets to six within the next twelve months," explained Mr Jay.

He said: "Traditional sweet manufacturing is a real skill and I'm delighted we are continuing the Black Country's strong history in this sector.

Mr Jay added: "Some people say they can get boiled sweets cheaper elsewhere, but I tell them they are not like ours. It is the quality, the natural ingredients and the fact that ours are handmade."

"They are made in the traditional way – melting the sugar and using dies to create the shapes – and using traditional recipes that can date back to the 1840s.

"We certainly get a lot of people who remember the taste of the sweets from when they were children.

"The kalis are also very popular," he said.

"We do all sorts of flavours – strawberry, lemon, lime, orange, a blue raspberry kali and even a rainbow that is a mixture of all of them. It's been hard work but we are starting to see real success now and are even planning to open a third Sweet Jar shop, in Wellington in Shropshire, in two weeks time," Mr Jay went on to say.

The top-five best-selling sweets currently being produced by JJ's Confectionery are Pineapple rock at number one, Rhubarb and custard at two, Blackcurrant and apple at three, JJ's herbal tablets at four and Cola bricks at five.

For further information about the business contact Mr Jay on 07973 153041 or visit www.jjsconfectionery.co.uk