Chocolate sticks are one of those pick 'n' mix shapes that everyone recognises but few people know much about — a straightforward format from a brand, Kingsway, with a slightly more interesting backstory than the sweets themselves let on.
What actually is a chocolate stick?
It's exactly what it sounds like: solid milk chocolate set into long, narrow sticks rather than the bars, buttons, drops or coins that most chocolate confectionery comes in. The stick shape has always suited pick 'n' mix and sweet-shop scoop displays, where a mix of shapes in the same tray makes the whole stand more visually interesting than rows of identical pieces. Our Kingsway Milk Chocolate Sticks 1.1kg tub is built for exactly that use case — a bulk format meant for filling a display, not a single-serve treat.
The Kingsway name has an odd origin story
Kingsway is a value pick 'n' mix brand founded in 1962 by Ray Hancock, the same year he opened the first Hancock's cash and carry in Loughborough. At the time, Woolworths was running its own confectionery range called Queensway. Rather than compete head-on with a similar name, Hancock picked Kingsway — close enough in feel to sit in the same part of the market, different enough to be its own brand. The crown that still appears on Kingsway packaging today is a direct nod to that "Kingsway" name.
Over sixty years later, the range has grown into one of the largest traditional pick 'n' mix lines in the UK, now running to more than 200 products across jellies, foams, chocolate and boiled sweets. Chocolate Sticks sit in that chocolate corner of the range, alongside the jelly and foam shapes Kingsway is probably better known for.
Stock and availability, honestly
We want to be upfront here rather than oversell it: this is a thin-stock line. We currently hold 8 units of the 1.1kg tub, and it's also listed as a special-order item, typically taking around two weeks to arrive at the same price throughout — it isn't sitting in a large ready-to-ship batch the way some of our faster-turnover lines are. If you're planning to use it for an event or a stocked display, it's worth checking current availability or placing an order with that lead time in mind rather than assuming next-day stock.
Frequently asked questions
What are Kingsway chocolate sticks?
A pick 'n' mix format of solid milk chocolate moulded into long, thin sticks, sold by Kingsway in a 1.1kg tub for sweet shops and pick 'n' mix stands.
Where does the Kingsway brand come from?
Ray Hancock founded it in 1962, naming it Kingsway to sit alongside — but distinct from — Woolworths' existing Queensway confectionery range.
Are Kingsway chocolate sticks currently in stock?
Yes, but in limited quantity — around 8 units of the 1.1kg tub at the time of writing, so availability can change quickly.
Is this a special-order item?
Yes, it typically takes about two weeks to arrive once ordered, at the same price throughout.