Sweet Launch for New Northern Irish Adult Candy

Sea Sugar, a new Northern Irish artisan confectionery business, has launched a range of gourmet pulled sweets primarily for adults. Based at Whitehead in county Antrim, Sea Sugar is the brainchild of business woman Linda McGibbon, who has developed a 10-strong range of pulled, boiled sweets for adults featuring unusual flavours such as mojito, green apple and spearmint, pineapple and coconut and limeand jalapeno. "My pulled sweets are a natural product made from sugar, water, glucose, vinegar and natural flavourings," she says. "I opted for unusual flavours because I wanted to create a gourmet product especially for adults. I want consumers to take time to enjoy the strong flavours of the sweets. All of which are lovingly handmade," Linda adds. The sugar is boiled at 170 degrees then rolled by hand into long rods, which are then allowed to set until they are hard. The rods are then 'chipped' into small pieces before being weighed, bagged and labelled. The sweets are free from artificial flavours, colours and preservatives. They are also free from gluten, dairy and fat. The pulled sweets are provided in 100g bags "just like the old fashioned quarter of sweets", she adds. They retail at ?3 per bag. The confectionery, launched last year, is already listed by leading delis and independent stores in Northern Ireland. Business for the sweets has also been developed at farmers' markets across Northern Ireland.