Quality Street (confectionery)

Quality Street (confectionery)

Quality Street is a popular selection of chocolates and toffees, produced by Nestlé. The confectionery is named after a play by J.M. Barrie, and its distinctive packaging, featuring brightly coloured wrappers and a tin box, has made it a staple of Christmas celebrations in many countries.

History[edit | edit source]

Quality Street was first introduced in 1936 by Mackintosh's, a confectionery company based in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England. The company was founded by John Mackintosh and his wife, who had been making toffee since 1890. The idea for Quality Street came from their son, Harold, who wanted to create a product that would be affordable for everyone.

The name "Quality Street" was taken from a play by J.M. Barrie, the author of Peter Pan. The play was a popular success in the early 20th century, and its themes of love and romance were seen as a good fit for the new product.

Products[edit | edit source]

The Quality Street selection includes a variety of chocolates and toffees, each with its own distinctive wrapper. The original selection included 12 different sweets, but this has varied over the years. Some of the most popular sweets include the Purple One (a hazelnut in caramel, covered in milk chocolate), the Green Triangle (a hazelnut noisette), and the Toffee Penny.

In addition to the standard selection, Nestlé has also produced a number of limited edition and seasonal variations of Quality Street.

Packaging[edit | edit source]

One of the most distinctive features of Quality Street is its packaging. The sweets are traditionally sold in a brightly coloured tin box, featuring illustrations of the "Major" and "Miss", characters from the J.M. Barrie play. The individual sweets are wrapped in brightly coloured cellophane, making them easily identifiable.

In popular culture[edit | edit source]

Quality Street has become a staple of Christmas celebrations in many countries, particularly in the UK. The brightly coloured tin is often reused for storage, and the selection of sweets is a popular choice for sharing during the festive season.