Nick Edwards has taken over at confectionery wholesaler Hancocks in Gorton and will be heading up a team of ten sweet experts.
The store, which soon celebrates its 50th birthday, has been in Manchester since 1976, serving retailers from across the North West.
During that time it’s seen massive changes in confectionery trends and sales, with the growth of novelty sweets and the introduction of confectionery from across the globe.
Over recent months the team has seen a growing trend towards confectionery seen on popular social media channels including TikTok.
Sour flavours have soared with Zed Souracha Super Sour Candy Sauce being a particular favourite.
But customers are also remaining loyal to traditional favourites including rhubarb and custards, pear drops and lemon sherbets.
Nick (pictured) from Wigan, who left his role as a Tesco store manager to join, said: “Working at Hancocks is a dream come true – who wouldn’t want to work in a giant sweetshop?
“The influence TikTok and social media is having on the sector is immense. Customers are visiting convenience stores asking for these sweets and retailers are coming to us to make sure they have the right confectionery in stock.
“Influencers are clocking up thousands of views both trying trending sweets and re-packing confectionery favourites – it shows that this trend shows no sign of slowing down.
“That’s why we ensure that our TikTok sweets collection is always stocked with the confectionery that’s making waves on the platform.
“All businesses are facing challenges at the moment with rising costs. We’re very conscious that retailers don’t have as much money to spend and their customers are on tighter budgets. We’re working hard to offer our customers great value.”
Hancocks CEO, Jonathan Summerley, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Nick. We’re looking forward to seeing the store continue to grow and serve existing and new customers from across the region.”
Hancocks has 14 nationwide cash and customers can shop online 24/7.
