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Can you say ... chocolate?!

Quality Street is a popular selection box of individual sweets manufactured in Halifax, in the United Kingdom by Nestlé.

History

Quality Street was launched in 1936 by Halifax confectioner Mackintosh's, the name being inspired by a play of the same name by J. M. Barrie. 'The Major' and 'Miss', two figures inspired by the play's principal characters, appeared on all Quality Street boxes and tins until 2000. 'Major' and 'Miss' were originally modelled by Iris and Tony Coles, from Chingford, Essex, children of commercial artist Sydney Coles who created the brand's image.

The brand was acquired by Nestlé when they bought Rowntree's in 1988; indeed, the brand was one of the reasons for this takeover.

In recent years, individual larger versions of the more popular chocolates have been manufactured and sold separately, as an extension to the brand. In particular the Milk Chocolate Hazelnut has been marketed individually as The Big Purple One, due to its traditional purple wrapper.

Quality Street are often associated with the Christmas period in Britain, Ireland, Canada and Iceland (where it is traditionally known as "Mackintosh"), and are bought as gifts throughout the season. It is said to be the favorite chocolate of Saddam Hussein, Iowa governor Tom Harkin, as well as football pundit Alan Hansen.

Quality Street in Popular Culture

In the "Training" episode of The Office, the David Brent character states that his band used to perform a political reggae number titled "Equality Street".

Contents

The sweets within the box have changed and evolved over the years. There are currently 12 flavours of the individually wrapped sweets, all of which are either chocolate or toffee based, as follows:

Current Sweets:

• Milk Chocolate Hazelnut (the 'Purple One')
• Chocolate Noisette Pate (the 'green triangle')
• Chocolate Orange Crème (the oblong orange)
• Chocolate Toffee Finger (gold wrapped stick)
• Toffee Penny (gold wrapper)
• Vanilla Fudge (pink wrapper)
• Strawberry Delight (red circular wrapper)
• Chocolate Coconut Eclair (blue wrapper)
• Orange Chocolate Crunch (orange octagon)
• Caramel swirl (yellow frustum)
• Chocolate Toffee Deluxe (orange wrapper)
• Milk Choc Block (green wrapper)

Former Sweets:

• Milk Chocolate Brazil Nut (the original 'Purple One', replaced with Hazelnut version)
• Chocolate Strawberry Cream (now replaced with Strawberry Delight)
• Chocolate Toffee Cup (now replaced with Caramel Swirl)
• Hazelnut Cracknell (red wrapper) (since removed)
• Hazelnut Eclair (since removed)
• Chocolate Nut Toffee Cream (since removed)
• Malt Toffee (replaced with toffee deluxe as a "new" flavour)
• Milk Chocolate Round (now replaced with Milk Choc Block in green wrapper)
• Chocolate Peanut (blue wrapper, since removed)
• Coffee Cream (brown wrapper, same size and shape as the strawberry cream)

I don't remember this brand from when I went to school in London. I do, however, recall something similar to either a Twix or Kit-Kat that was called a Lion Bar.

Comments

[Mark]

I want to live on Quality Street.

[Kirsty]

The blue ones (coconut) are the best.

[jennifer]

Funny! A friend just returned from London bearing a huge tin of Quality Street. Karen--I don't remember these from when I went to school in London, either. And, believe me, I ate widely among the chocolate treats. I agree with Kirsty, the blue ones are best.