Royal visit marks milestone for famous confectionery factory

Prince Charles enjoyed a tour of the Uncle Joe’s Mint Balls factory in Wigan to celebrate the centenary of The Toffee Works, where the world-famous sweets are made.

The Prince saw how the sweets were manufactured and met joint managing directors Antony Winnard and John Winnard, the great nephews of the company’s founder, William Santus.

Uncle Joe’s Mint Balls are made by William Santus and Co, a privately-owned traditional sweet company that was established in 1898 and the ownership has been passed down through the family generations.

The mint balls are still manufactured using the same traditional methods as when Mrs Santus originally made the sweets in her kitchen in 1898.

The completely natural “secret recipe” has been passed down through the family generations.

Uncle Joe’s Mint Balls contain no artificial additives or colours, they are GM free, gluten free and are suitable for the vegetarian/vegan market.

The Prince’s visit was part of a day-long Royal visit to the North West.