One company is making a splash in the UK with its gum, mints and other products. Started by Dan Shrimpton and Mike Stevens, Peppersmith sells products that are made exclusively with natural sweetener. Their business is located in Putney, south-west London, and they saw a turnover of £3.2million in 2013.
What makes their products so unique? They are extremely particular about the ingredients they use, ensuring that their products have no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. Most modern gum, they explain, is made with synthetic rubbers, but they use chicle instead. This is a natural product that helps to protect the Rainforest and doesn’t contain synthetic ingredients.
They also don’t use aspartame or intense sweeteners, but rather use xylitol. They also explain on their website that,
“You may be surprised to learn a lot of confectionery products, including gum and mints, are made with ingredients that are made from animals not plants. Many use use Pork and Bovine Gelatine or Sterates made from animal fat (normally cows) but we stay well clear of any animal-derived ingredients and choose to use vegetable extracts instead. All of our products are suitable for vegans and vegetarians.”