British sweet-maker shares extreme candy

Brain Blasterz sweets come with a warning: "Not for babies, wimps, or adults".

The incredibly sour British treats will hit Chinese supermarkets this month, and the maker of the "extreme candy" is unsure about how it will be received.

"We are hoping that the Chinese have a taste for sour sweets－there aren't that many sour varieties in the China market and we are not 100 percent sure if they will take off ," said Emily Howarth, brand manager at Walesbased Bon Bon Buddies, which produces the candy.

Bon Bon Buddies launched Brain Blasterz in the United Kingdom in 2011, and have since gained a strong following. The brand was picked up by major supermarkets Asda, Tesco, Morrisons and Lidl and is now available in 20 countries.

The company is launching 15 products from its Brain Blasterz range－including Oozing Brain Gum and Sour Powder Lolly Dippers- across major cities, including Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen.

It is the first time the company has sold own-brand candy in China since opening an office in Hong Kong in 2015.

Howarth says the strategy was to first sell licensed candy associated with children's pop culture, before launching original products.

After three years building its Chinese profile through hard candies branded with characters like Barbie, Minions and Super Mario, the company is rolling the dice with Brain Blasterz.

"Now we have established ourselves, we are entering new territory again," Howarth said. "We are hopeful because the sweets do so well across the whole of Europe and the Middle East."

Chinese consumers have developed a taste for foreign brands.

Revenue for China's chocolate and candy industry has grown by 6.8 percent annually during the last five years, totaling almost $22 billion last year, according to market research company IBISWorld.

Five international companies account for 66 percent of the chocolate confectionery market in China, according to market analysts Euromonitor.

United States sweet maker Mars is the leader, accounting for 36.7 percent of the market in 2017. The company's brands Dove, M&M, and Snickers are among its best-sellers in China.

Italy's Ferrero, Swiss food manufacturer Nestle, US candy company Hershey's and US food firm Mondelez, which owns Britain's Cadbury, all have strong presences in China.

Chinese preference for foreign brands has led to the sale or acquisition of several Chinese sweet makers.

In 2016, China Foods sold its popular brand La Conte to domestic competitor Top Properties for $93 million, citing"intense market competition of the chocolate market in the Chinese mainland" for the sale.

In 2011, Nestle bought a controlling stake in Hsu Fu Chi for$1.7 billion, and two years later Hershey bought local chocolatier Shanghai Golden Monkey for $584 million.