Most mints are content to just be minty. Trebor Extra Strong built an entire identity around the word "extra" — and the mint itself has to earn it.
From Robertson & Woodcock to a household name
Trebor's roots go back to 1907, when four partners set up a boiled-sweets business under the name Robertson & Woodcock in East London. The Extra Strong Peppermint arrived later, in the late 1930s, and went on to become a genuine mass-market hit — by the late 1990s it ranked as one of the two highest-selling sugar confectionery lines in the UK.
So what makes it "extra"?
There's no secret recipe twist here — the difference is concentration. Extra Strong Mints simply carry a noticeably higher dose of peppermint oil than a standard mint, which is what produces that sharp, almost nose-clearing hit rather than a gentler background mintiness. It's a straightforward lever, but it's the one that gave the product its whole personality and its advertising line.
"A minty bit stronger"
The jingle dates back to 1969, decades after the mint itself launched, and it stuck around long enough that Trebor brought it back for a 2021 campaign marking the brand's 100th anniversary (counting from the 1920s trading history of its predecessor businesses). Few confectionery slogans have had that kind of staying power.
Where it sits today
Trebor passed through a 1968 merger with Sharps and a 1989 sale to Cadbury, and now sits within Mondelez International's UK portfolio — still sold as the same travel-tin and roll format shoppers would recognise from decades ago. We stock the Trebor Extra Strong Peppermint Mints Roll 41.3g, the classic pocket-sized format for anyone who wants the original hit rather than the softer Trebor Soft Mints.
Frequently asked questions
How long have Trebor Extra Strong Mints been around?
Since the late 1930s, built on a boiled-sweet business trading since 1907.
What actually makes them "extra" strong?
A higher concentration of peppermint oil than a standard mint.
What's the famous Trebor slogan?
"Trebor mints are a minty bit stronger" — a 1969 jingle revived for the brand's 100th anniversary.
Who owns Trebor now?
Mondelez International, after a 1968 merger with Sharps and a 1989 sale to Cadbury.