Chewits has had one of the more well-travelled corporate histories of any British sweet still on shelves — three company names and at least one giant cartoon dinosaur before it ended up where it is today.
Chewzits, then Chewits
The cuboid chewy sweet started life in 1963 as Chewzits, made by J A & P Holland in Southport. Two years later, Hollands was acquired by James Goldsmith and folded into Cavenham Foods, and the product's name was shortened to the one still on the wrapper today.
Enter the dinosaur
Chewits first reached television screens in 1976, and that's when its most recognisable asset arrived: Chewie the Chewitsaurus, a Godzilla-styled dinosaur mascot shown hunting down something chewy to eat. The character has been redesigned more than once since, including a 2009 refresh that reintroduced "the iconic dinosaur Chewie" to a new generation of adverts — a sign of how much brand equity Cloetta has judged the mascot to still carry, decades after its first appearance.
Where the brand sits now
Production moved after the original Southport factory closed in 2006, and the brand passed through Leaf — once part of Leaf International, at one point the fourth-largest candy producer in North America — before landing with Cloetta, the Swedish confectionery group that owns it today. The format itself has stayed remarkably consistent throughout: a soft, cuboid chew, sold in individually wrapped pieces, built around fruit flavours rather than the chocolate or boiled-sweet formats that dominate most of British confectionery's other long-running brands.
What we stock
Our range covers both the classic and the sharper end of the flavour spectrum: Chewits Fruity Twists for a straightforward fruit mix, Strawberry and Blue Raspberry Juicy Bites for single-flavour bags, and the sharper Xtreme Apple & Lemon Sour Bites and Xtreme Extremely Cherry Chews for anyone after more of a sour kick. The full range sits within our Chewits collection.
Frequently asked questions
When did Chewits launch?
1963, as Chewzits, before shortening to Chewits in 1965 after the maker was acquired by Cavenham Foods.
Who is the Chewits dinosaur?
Chewie the Chewitsaurus, first appearing in 1976 television advertising and redesigned several times since.
Who makes Chewits now?
Cloetta, the Swedish confectionery group, which also owns the Leaf brand that previously ran it in the UK.
What Chewits flavours does Supreme Sweets stock?
Fruity Twists, Strawberry and Blue Raspberry Juicy Bites, and Xtreme Apple & Lemon and Extremely Cherry chews.
Sources: Wikipedia: Chewits; Wikipedia: Leaf Brands.