A. L. Simpkin & Co. Ltd facts for kids

Simpkins' barley sugar travel sweets

A. L. Simpkin & Co. Ltd is a company that makes delicious sweets. They are based in Sheffield, England. Their factory is located in the Hillsborough area of the city.

The Story of Simpkins Sweets

How It All Began

The company was started by Albert Leslie Simpkin in 1921. Before that, he was a soldier in World War I. He was injured during the war. To help him recover, he was given liquid glucose. He noticed that solid glucose sweets were not available. This gave him a great idea!

After the war, in 1920, he started selling sweets. Soon, he decided to make his own. He bought a factory in Sheffield. In the early 1920s, he built a large factory in Hillsborough. It was 40,000 square feet and had 180 workers.

Making Special Sweets

Simpkin wanted to make high-quality glucose sweets. He used natural ingredients. He aimed to sell his sweets in a special way. He sold them in pharmacies (chemist shops). This helped him avoid competing with bigger sweet makers.

He focused on making "travel sweets." Back then, a tin of sweets was important for car trips. Within two years, his "Simpkins' Orange Barley Sticks" were in 90% of pharmacies across the U.K.

The Famous Tins

At first, the sweets were sold in big jars. But Simpkin soon changed to selling them in small, airtight tins. This was because the sweets had a lot of fruit juice. They would get sticky if exposed to air.

In the 1950s, a new, completely airtight tin was created. This tin kept the sweets fresh for many years! These special tins became a well-known part of the company's brand. At its busiest time, the company had over 300 employees.

Sweets for Heroes

During World War II, Simpkins made high-quality glucose sweets for R.A.F. air crew. These pilots were flying high in the sky. The company also supplied glucose sweets to the 1953 British Mount Everest expedition. This was the team that first climbed Mount Everest! In 2009, Simpkins won an award for its Dr. Stuart range of herbal sweets.

Simpkins Today

Simpkin's goods entrance on Roselle Street.

As of 2019, Simpkins sweets are sold in over 40 countries worldwide. This makes up 25% of their total sales! They make 80 different types of sweets in Sheffield. They also package 50 kinds of sugar-free sweets.

Today, the company uses more machines. This means they now employ about 50 people. You can find their sweets in pharmacies. They are also sold in popular stores like Boots UK, W H Smith, Harrods, Fortnum & Mason, and Tesco.

In 2009, the company earned over £3,000,000. They were making 2,000,000 sweets (35,000 tins) every day! The company is now looking into making smaller 50-gram tins. These would be great for younger customers.

Albert Leslie Simpkin's three sons, Neville, Brian, and John, joined the business. John took full control in 2002. Today, John's children, Adrian and Karen Simpkin, run the company together. It is still a family business!