A trip down Quality Street®

Quality Street® is a magical brand and has held a special place in the hearts of the public, in Britain and around the world, since it was launched in 1936. First produced in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England, the city is still home to the brand with your favourites, 87 years on being made in that very same factory!

Learn more about our history below and see how our tins and sweets have changed over the years.

Our tin designs may have changed, but the magic remains.

Our iconic tins and colourful jewel-like wrappers have always been a favourite at Christmas time. The smell of a freshly opened tin and memories of diving in, to find your Quality Street® favourites are magic moments that will be treasured forever. Our tins tell a history of their own, each having its own place in time and its own story to tell. Take a look through some of our favourite tin designs over the past 87 years!

THE TOFFEE KING IN THE TOFFEE TOWN

The history of Quality Street® all began when John and Violet Mackintosh set up a sweet shop in Halifax, West Yorkshire, in 1890. Following the success of their best selling toffee, John, otherwise known as the 'Toffee King', set up the world's first toffee factory in Halifax.

In 1909, the first factory burnt down, so John moved premises to Albion where Quality Street® is still produced today.

QUALITY STREET® IS LAUNCHED

The first tin of Quality Street® was produced in 1936 and sold for two shillings. The tin contained a mix of 18 individually wrapped different sweets, including 11 chocolates and 7 toffees. There was paper bunting around the tin to create a sense of a colourful explosion on opening; with the Major and Miss featured on the front of the tin in 'regal splendour'. The abundance and variety of sweets was always displayed, creating the 'most gorgeous assortment ever.'

WW2 AND QUALITY STREET®

'If everyone is to have their share, it means all have to be content with a little less'. As the war took hold, production of most major confectionery lines stopped or were reduced due to rationing and shortages. Quality Street® continued to be produced, but with less sweets. After the war, the business continued to thrive, but with one significant change: The Brazil nut in The Purple One® had been replaced by a hazelnut due to wartime shortages. Despite this new ingredient, the sweet is still shaped like a Brazil nut today.

NO ONE EVER SAYS NO TO QUALITY STREET®

Post-war, the brand focused on variety and abundance, celebrating its great taste that was loved by all. The first Quality Street® TV advert aired in 1958 with the tagline "No one ever says no to Mackintosh's Quality Street®". Since then, there have been over 100 TV ads for Quality Street®!

ROWNTREES MACKINTOSH

In 1969, Mackintosh merges with Rowntree to form Rowntree Mackintosh. The brand remained focused on the product quality of Quality Street®, as well as the variety providing something for everyone, giving us the favourites, we know and love today!

ROWNTREES MACKINTOSH

The 1970's introduced a whole range of gifting tins and cartons. Quality Street® maintained its regal splendour by celebrating royal occasions, starting with the Queen's Sliver Jubilee in 1977 in which it launched a commemorative tin.

QUALITY STREET® FAVOURITES

Throughout the 1980's. Quality Street® focused more on 'favourites' both through its iconic sweets celebrating favourites and press advertisements. In 1988, Rowntree Mackintosh merges with Nestlé.

WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE FAVOURITE?

Quality Street® remained focused on gifting during the 1990's, with its iconic coloured ribbon and bow design creating a more gift worthy tin. The tin's shape moved from its historical round design tin to the octagonal tin you know and love today. The brand launched a Christmas TV ad making Quality Street® and Christmas synonymous!

QUALITY STREET® PURPLE

The design on the tin and carton became much more contemporary in the Millennium, removing the coloured ribbon and bow, and displaying the sweets more prominently on pack. Throughout this decade, the design focused on its iconic colourful sweets and their shapes, along with its recognisable purple background we still see today.

QUALITY STREET® TUB

In the 2010's, Quality Street® launched the tub as a new way for families and friends to share their favourites!