Valeo Confectionery Limited (formerly known as Tangerine Confectionery Limited and Toms Confectionery Limited)[1] is a British confectionery company with its headquarters in Pontefract, West Yorkshire. Since 2006, it had grown through acquisitions into one of the largest independent confectionery companies in Europe[2] before acquisition by Valeo Foods and the fourth largest sweet maker in the United Kingdom.[3] The company has six factories: Blackburn, Blackpool, Cleckheaton, Liverpool, Pontefract and York.[4]
History
The former logo of Tangerine Confectionery
Tangerine Confectionery
In January 2006, Toms Confectionery changed its name to Tangerine Confectionery and altered its branding following the purchase of the company by a new management team from Toms International of Denmark.[5] The UK arm of Tom's had been created through the acquisition of three traditional confectionery companies, Taveners, Daintee and Parrs, over a ten-year period, between 1992 and 2001.[6][7]
Originally the company had been mainly an own-label supplier in England.[8] The company acquired the Taveners, Dainty and Parrs businesses from Toms of Denmark later in January 2006.[9] In April it was voted the best own-label confectionery supplier in the UK by The Grocer magazine. In August, the company acquired the confectionery arm of Blackpool-based Burton's Foods and so increase turnover of the company to £60 million, making it the largest independent confectionery company in the UK.[10]
In January 2008, the company purchased Yorkshire based Monkhill Confectionery from Cadbury plc in a £58 million deal, with factories in Cleckheaton, Pontefract and York as well as a distribution centre in Holmewood, North East Derbyshire.[6][11][12][13] The purchase included the Barratts, Sharps of York, Jameson's, Trebor Basset Mints, Butterkist[14] and Pascall lines. Two months later Tangerine claimed there were no plans to close its York factory, despite ordering workers to stay at home in Easter week.[12]
Two months later, staff in Blackpool voted in favour of industrial action after turning down a 2.5% pay offer.[15]
In April 2009 the company was ranked 23rd in the PricewaterhouseCoopersProfit Track 100, published by The Sunday Times, and was the highest North West entry in the table, which lists the 100 private UK's companies with the fastest growing profits.[10] In August it received a quality Halal Seal of Approval, from the Halal Food Authority, for 150 products within its Barratt, MOJO, Princess and Taveners Proper Sweets ranges[2]
In March 2010, the company was found guilty of two counts of breaching Health and Safety laws, following the death of an employee at its Poole, Dorset factory. A fine of £300,000 for each count plus costs was imposed. In 2012, it was announced that the factory would close in 2013.[16]
On 5 February 2013 the company was delisted by the Halal Food Authority.[17]
In 2014 Tangerine announced the closure of its Clifton Road factory in Blackpool. It said its other Blackpool site in Vicarage Lane would remain open.[18]
Valeo Foods
In August 2018, Valeo Foods announced completion of its acquisition of Tangerine Confectionery.[19] In December 2019, the company's name was changed to Valeo Confectionery.[5]
Operations
The Tangerine Confectionery factory in Liverpool, 2013
Liquorice Chews With Fruit Sides [Re-released at Christmas 2013 alongside glee's]
Taveners
Coconut mushrooms, Toffee bon bons, Eclairs, Rhubarb and custard, Red and black gums, Blackcurrant and liquorice, Barley sugars, Toasted teacakes, Chocolate limes, American hard gums, Fruit pastilles, Mint humbugs, Wine gums, Assorted liquorice, Jelly Babies, Dairy toffee, Strawberry bon bons, lemon and strawberry sherbets, lemon bon bons, dolly mixture
