Wild Thingz aims to disrupt UK sweets market

The B4Y brand is free of artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives.

Wild Thingz is crashing into the UK confectionery world with its "less junk, more punk" mission. The gummies have half the sugar of more mainstream brands and do not use any artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. In addition, the brand uses only organic, gluten-free, and plant-based ingredients.

The brand aims to bridge the gap between great taste and health with flavors and shapes like Green Apple flavored Flies, Lemon Maggots, and Cherry Spiders. The gummies are available in 130 g share bags and 25 g treat-sized packs.

Created by a female team, Wild Thingz was founded by Fliss Newland, who left confectionary giant Mondelēz to start the "challenger" brand. Candy Industry Senior Editor Liz Parker Kuhn caught up with Newland recently to find out more about the brand.

Liz Parker Kuhn: Why did you leave Mondelēz to start your own gummies brand?

Fliss Newland: I spent years at Mondelēz working on well-loved, incredible household brands that were a huge part of my own childhood. However, I started to see a gap in the market, I noticed that parents were more reluctant than ever to buy sweets for their kids, and were looking for sweets that could still be fun and delicious but without all the sugar and artificial additives. I wanted to create something truly different—organic, plant-based gummies that parents could feel good about giving their kids. So, I took the leap and left Mondelēz to start Wild Thingz, a brand that’s all about reclaiming the joy of sweets, without the junk.

LPK: Why did you decide to make a BFY brand?

FN: The “Better For You” space felt like it needed a shake-up. Many healthier sweets on the market are a bit too serious or lack the fun factor, and that’s what sweets should be about, right? By making Wild Thingz with half the sugar and no artificials, we’re giving parents a sweet they can feel good about while still delivering the flavor and fun that kids love. It’s about balance. Great taste with better ingredients.

LPK: What made you decide on the name “Wild Thingz,” as well as flavors/shapes such as Green Apple Flavored Flies, Lemon Maggots, and Cherry Spiders?

FN: The name “Wild Thingz” reflects our playful, rebellious spirit. We wanted a brand that could stand out and challenge the norms of the confectionery aisle. The wild shapes—like Green Apple Flies, Cherry flavored Spiders, and Lemon Maggots—are all part of that. They’re unexpected and fun, which appeals to kids, while parents appreciate the ingredients list without nasties or so much sugar. The sweet shapes, as well as our brand mascot (the venus flytrap Vee) is all about being rebellious and daring. I want to bring back that sense of adventure and play we all associate with sweets from our childhood.

LPK: Where have you secured distribution so far, and are any future plans/storefront in the works?

FN: We’re already in great places like Diverse Fine Foods, CLF Distribution, Hunts Food Group, and Suma Wholesale. We’re also excited to launch on Amazon in early 2025. As for the future, we’re exploring more partnerships with key retailers and looking at ways to expand our presence both online and in physical stores.

LPK: What’s next for the brand in early 2025?

FN: 2025 is shaping up to be a big year for us! We’ll be launching on Amazon in January, making it easier than ever for parents to get their hands on Wild Thingz. We’re also working on new flavors and shapes to keep things fresh and exciting, and we’ve got some cool partnerships in the pipeline. Our focus remains on shaking up the sweets market—bringing more fun, fewer artificials, and plenty of excitement to the category.

Liz Parker Kuhn is the senior editor of Candy Industry and Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery, and has worked at BNP Media since 2012. She has written for CBS Detroit as well as for her own blogs. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from the University of Michigan. Liz can be contacted at (248) 839-7156 or at parkere@bnpmedia.com.