The Edward Gray sweet factory in central England harkens back to a bygone era, when brass cauldrons steamed with molten sugar and employees wrestled with massive lumps of gooey treacle, yet its handcrafted goods are now in high demand across the world.
The enterprise, sometimes known as “Teddy Grays,” dates back to 1826, when John Gray purchased homemade sweets from neighbors in a horse and cart before selling them to shops.
But it was his son Edward, a businessman in the vein of Willy Wonka and Colonel Sanders, who made the company famous.
Rhubarb and custard, pineapple rock, strawberries and cream, pear drops, toffee, and chocolate-coated coconut ice are among the products produced by the modest plant in Dudley, which now produces roughly five tonnes of boiled sweets every week.
But the crown gem is its “Herbal Tablet,” a menthol sweet that the company claims has been providing relief from “cold nights and mornings” for over a century.
“It’s an acquired taste, but with Covid now, it relieves coughs and colds,” explained Dave Healy, the company’s marketing manager.
