A firm yet chewy confectionery, eye-catching with its bold colours…

Wine gums were first introduced in the late 19th century. A firm yet chewy confectionery, eye-catching with its bold colours and stamped with the names of alcoholic beverages. The texture is the perfect mix of chewiness and always a delight.

Wine Gums are a truly British confection. They were originally created by a London confectioner working out of his brother’s kitchen in 1880. Just six years later, wine gums were being distributed throughout the country, and had risen to become a staple of English confections.

Despite the fact that the flavours sport names like port, sherry and gin, wine gums do not in fact contain or are made with any alcohol in them. In fact, the creator was from a strict Methodist household, and his father almost disowned him when he first caught word of his son selling something with ‘wine’ in the name.

Whilst we don’t know why he called them ‘Wine Gums’, there are two strong theories, one stating that wine gums were so-called in an attempt to lure people away from alcohol, giving them a flavourful substitute, the other theory and my personal favourite origin story being that the texture of these gums makes them much more lingering and nuanced than other confections, allowing you to savour them like a fine wine.