Trebor
Trebor is a British confectionery brand best known for mints, boiled sweets and soft sweets.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Trebor is a British confectionery brand with origins in Forest Gate, south-west Essex, where it was established in 1907 by W. B. Woodcock, Thomas Henry King, Robert Robertson and Sydney Herbert Marks. The name is “Robert” spelled backwards and was registered as a trademark shortly after the end of the First World War. The business began as a family-associated confectionery manufacturer and developed a broad portfolio of mints, boiled sweets, toffees and other sugar confectionery products. The company expanded its manufacturing and commercial reach during the twentieth century. Its Forest Gate operation became known as the Trebor Works, while additional production capacity was developed in Chesterfield and Colchester. The company also maintained headquarters in the Essex area, including premises at Clayhall. Its manufacturing footprint reflected the importance of regional British confectionery production before the sector consolidated into a smaller number of large international groups. Trebor grew through both organic development and acquisitions. It bought Moffat toffee in 1959, acquired Jamesons Chocolates in 1960, and purchased the confectionery interests of Clarnico in 1969. In the 1960s, the company became one of the United Kingdom’s largest confectionery manufacturers. By the end of that decade, it was exporting to more than fifty countries, with the United States identified as its largest export market. Around one-fifth of the output from its three factories was exported, and exports had doubled over the preceding four years. The company received the Queen’s Award to Industry in 1966, reflecting the importance of its export performance. Trebor remained family controlled for much of its independent period. John Marks, the founder’s son, was associated with the company’s leadership and was recognised with a CBE in the 1967 Birthday Honours for services connected with the company’s export development. In 1970, his grandson John Graham Marks became chairman, sharing ownership of the business with his brother Ian Marks. The company described itself as having a family-run and Christian paternalistic ethos. This approach also influenced labour policy: in 1981, Trebor discontinued night shifts because management believed that such working patterns could harm family life. By the middle of the 1980s, Trebor was the leading British brand in branded mints and boiled sweets. Its portfolio included Trebor Mints, Extra Strong Mints, Softmints, Softfruits and Regal Crown Sours. The brand’s advertising used memorable music and jingles, including “Trebor mints are a minty bit stronger.” A 1987 television campaign for Softmints and Softfruits used “Mr. Soft,” associated with Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel; public interest in the advertising contributed to the song’s re-release as a single in 1988. Trebor was acquired by Cadbury Schweppes on 14 September 1989 for £147 million. From 1 March 1990, the business operated as Trebor Bassett, a Cadbury division. Production and distribution were subsequently reorganised, with manufacturing eventually moving to northern Sheffield and the former Chesterfield factory closing in 2005. The Colchester factory, opened in 1978, closed in March 2000. Following later corporate changes in the Cadbury business, the Trebor brand became part of Mondelez International. Trebor therefore survives primarily as a confectionery brand rather than as the independent manufacturing company that originally operated under its name.
History
Trebor was founded on 4 January 1907 in south-west Essex by W. B. Woodcock, Thomas Henry King, Robert Robertson and Sydney Herbert Marks. The original operation was located on Katherine Road in Forest Gate, London. The brand name was created by reversing the spelling of “Robert,” and it was registered as a trademark four days after the end of the First World War. Trebor later became associated with a large manufacturing site known as the Trebor Works. The company’s early development took place within the expansion of Britain’s branded confectionery industry. Its products included mints, boiled sweets, soft sweets, toffees and chocolate confectionery. The Forest Gate factory was struck by a German bomb on 18 April 1944, during the Second World War. After the war, the company continued to build its portfolio and manufacturing base. It acquired Moffat toffee in 1959 and Jamesons Chocolates in 1960. In January 1969, it bought the confectionery interests of Clarnico, further broadening its position in the British market. Trebor also expanded internationally. By the end of the 1960s, it exported to more than fifty countries, and approximately 20 percent of the output from its three factories was exported. The United States was its largest export market. By 1966, Trebor had doubled its exports over a four-year period. This performance was recognised when the company received the Queen’s Award to Industry in April 1966. John Marks, the founder’s son and a company chairman, was appointed a CBE in the 1967 Birthday Honours in connection with the company’s export achievements. He had also served as president of the Cocoa, Chocolate and Confectionery Alliance from 1956 to 1959. At the end of the 1960s, Trebor was described as the fourth-largest confectionery manufacturing group in the United Kingdom. Its major competitors included Rowntree Mackintosh Confectionery and Cadbury. The company’s advertising developed a recognisable identity around the claim that “Trebor mints are a minty bit stronger.” By the 1970s, Trebor remained family run. John Graham Marks became chairman in 1970 and owned the company with his brother Ian Marks. The family described the business as having a Christian paternalistic ethos. In 1981, management discontinued night shifts because it considered night work potentially harmful to family life. The company invested in its manufacturing network during this period. A factory on a five-acre site at Brimington Road in Chesterfield opened in 1939, while a £15 million Colchester factory opened in 1978. Trebor also operated a national distribution centre at Holmewood in north-east Derbyshire. In the middle of the 1980s, the company was the British market leader in branded mints and boiled sweets. Its best-known products included Refreshers, Extra Strong Mints, Softmints, Softfruits and Regal Crown Sours. On 14 September 1989, Cadbury Schweppes acquired Trebor for £147 million. The company employed approximately 3,000 people at the time. From 1 March 1990, the business was known as Trebor Bassett and operated as a Cadbury division. Production was eventually moved to northern Sheffield, while the Colchester factory closed in March 2000 and the Chesterfield factory closed in 2005. Later corporate restructuring in the Cadbury business placed the Trebor brand within Mondelez International. The present Trebor identity is therefore the surviving brand heritage of a formerly independent British confectionery manufacturer.
- 2005
Chesterfield factory closes
[1]The Chesterfield factory closes as production is reorganised.
- 2000
Colchester factory closes
[1]The Colchester manufacturing facility closes in March.
- 1990
The business becomes Trebor Bassett
[1]From 1 March, the acquired company operates as Trebor Bassett, a division of Cadbury.
- 1989
Cadbury Schweppes acquires Trebor
[1]Cadbury Schweppes purchases Trebor for £147 million.
- 1978
Colchester factory opens
[1]The company opens a £15 million factory in Colchester.
- 1969
Clarnico confectionery interests are acquired
[1]Trebor purchases the confectionery interests of Clarnico.
- 1966
Queen’s Award to Industry
[1]Trebor receives the Queen’s Award to Industry in recognition of its industrial and export performance.
- 1960
Jamesons Chocolates is acquired
[1]Trebor acquires Jamesons Chocolates as part of its portfolio expansion.
- 1959
Moffat toffee is acquired
[1]Trebor expands through the acquisition of Moffat toffee.
- 1953
Regal Crown Sours are introduced
[1]Trebor adds Regal Crown Sours, a line of fruit-flavoured hard candies.
Products and positioning
A traditional British sugar-confectionery brand associated with strong mints, everyday sharing sweets and familiar retro-style products.
Mints
Trebor Mints
Trebor’s core mint product and one of the brand’s defining offerings. The product became strongly associated with advertising that presented the mints as particularly powerful or refreshing, including the long-running line “Trebor mints are a minty bit stronger.”
Mints · 1937
Extra Strong Mints
A stronger peppermint product introduced in 1937 under the name Extra Strong Peppermints. It became part of Trebor’s traditional mint range and contributed to the brand’s association with assertive mint flavour.
Sugar confectionery · 1935
Refreshers
A Trebor confectionery line launched in 1935. It belongs to the brand’s broader portfolio of everyday sweets rather than its exclusively mint-focused products.
Soft sweets
Softmints
Soft-textured mint sweets available in peppermint and spearmint flavours. Softmints were supported by prominent British television advertising, including the 1987–1988 campaign built around “Mr. Soft.”
Fruit-flavoured soft sweets
Softfruits
A soft-sweet range associated with orange, lemon and strawberry flavours. The product was advertised alongside Softmints in Trebor’s national spring campaign in 1988.
Hard candies · 1953
Regal Crown Sours
Fruit-flavoured hard candies introduced in 1953. The line illustrates Trebor’s expansion beyond mints into sour and fruit-oriented boiled confectionery.
Marketing campaigns
- 1988Softmints and Softfruits spring campaign
United Kingdom
A national campaign ran from March through the end of April to promote Trebor Softmints and Softfruits, using the advertising treatment built around “Mr. Soft.”
Outcome. The campaign helped sustain the connection between the Trebor brand and the song, whose commercial re-release was scheduled around the advertising activity.
- 1987Mr. Soft
United Kingdom
Trebor used “Mr. Soft,” associated with Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel, in television advertisements for Softmints and Softfruits. The advertising featured a vocal performance by Phillip Pope that imitated Harley’s vocal style.
Outcome. The campaign generated enough public interest for EMI to re-release “Mr. Soft” as a United Kingdom seven-inch single on 7 March 1988, timed to coincide with the national spring campaign.
Brand decisions
1990
Business is integrated as Trebor BassettStrategyBackground
Following Cadbury Schweppes’ acquisition of Trebor, the company was reorganised within the acquiring group.
Action taken
From 1 March 1990, the business operated as Trebor Bassett, a division of Cadbury.
Aftermath
Production eventually moved to northern Sheffield, while the former Colchester and Chesterfield factories later closed.
1989
Trebor is sold to Cadbury SchweppesM&ABackground
Trebor had become a major British manufacturer and a market leader in branded mints and boiled sweets, but the confectionery sector was increasingly consolidating.
Action taken
Cadbury Schweppes acquired Trebor on 14 September for £147 million. The company was operating with approximately 3,000 employees at the time.
Aftermath
Trebor operated as a Cadbury subsidiary and was renamed Trebor Bassett from 1 March 1990. Its production and distribution network was subsequently reorganised.
Acquisition price. £147 million (14 September 1989)
1981
Night shifts are discontinuedStrategyBackground
Trebor was operating as a family-run confectionery manufacturer and considered the effect of working patterns on employees’ family lives.
Action taken
The company discontinued night shifts, stating that night work might be damaging to family life.
Aftermath
The decision reflected the company’s stated paternalistic employment philosophy. The available reference material does not quantify its operational or financial effects.
Sources1 sources
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