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Tell someone you're from Kendal and they
almost instantaneously say 'mint cake' back at you, such is the
long history and association of this unique delicacy.
| Made
in Kendal... only! |
Kendal
Mint Cake is only made one place in the world -
and that's Kendal.
Today there are three companies that manufacture
mint cake in the town. |
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Kendal Mint Cake in fact dates back over
140 years, to 1869. It was then that Joseph Wiper 'discovered' it,
reputedly by accident, and Wiper's Mint Cake was founded. Wiper
started production from a tiny factory in Ferney Green, Kendal.
11 years later, a member of the Quiggin family moved to Kendal from
the Isle of Man and began producing mint cake also. Quiggin's had
been producing confectionery on the Isle of Man since 1840.
It wasn't until 1913 that Wilson's Mint Cake became the third player
in the town. James Wilson - who had previously specialised in making
and distributing toffee - bought a factory in the Stricklandgate
area of the town and foccussed on the manufacture of mint cake.
Kendal Mint Cake grew in popularity around this time and was used
to supply the 1914-1917 Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition under
the command of Sir Ernest Shackleton.
In 1918 George Romney Ltd. was founded in Kendal by Sam Clarke,
a confectioner in the town. He found it difficult to find mint cake
so purchased an old mint cake recipe to begin production in Leightons
Yard in the Highgate area of town. Romney's big break came in the
1950s after their mint cake had accompanied - and been praised by
- the expedition team behind Sir Edmund Hilary's successful ascent
of Mount Everest. It was not until 14 years after this event, though,
in 1987, that Romney's acquired Wiper's, the original producers.
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