Rowntree’s® Fruit Pastilles Flavours

In This Article

1. Flavours of Rowntree’s® Fruit Pastilles
2. History of Rowntree’s® Fruit Pastilles
3. Discontinued Flavours
4. Are Rowntree’s® Fruit Pastilles Vegan?
5. Most Popular Fruit Pastilles Flavour
6. Where to Buy Rowntree’s® Fruit Pastilles in the UK
7. Other Rowntree’s® Products to Try 

Are you ready to chew on some sugar-coated fruity fun? Then buckle up your taste buds because we’re about to fly through the tasty world of Rowntree’s® Fruit Pastilles flavours! These chewy little discs of juicy joy have been a British favourite since 1881, and they’re still going strong. Loved for their sparkly nature, chewy texture and fruity flavour, they contain zero artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. There are five iconic Fruit Pastille flavours to get through, so without further a’chew, let’s get into it! 

Make any occasion shine brighter with a sparkly selection of Rowntree’s® all wrapped up in a clever sweet cone! Explore our How to Make Sweet Cones article for a tutorial. Or, if you’ve got a kid's party coming up and need a little sweet inspiration, our DIY Party Bags has plenty of ideas. And for sweet treats for grown-up occasions, read our guide to Crafting the Ultimate Sweet Hamper for any occasion. For even more inspiration and ideas delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our monthly newsletter.

Flavours of Rowntree’s® Fruit Pastilles 

Which one of our five iconic sugar-coated, fruity-flavoured, chewy sweets is your favourite? 
 

Blackcurrant – The Purple Powerhouse 

Bold, rich and slightly tart, blackcurrant is considered by many to be the greatest of all the Fruit Pastille flavours. It’s a mark of true friendship to offer someone a blackcurrant Fruit Pastille from your packet and it’s the one people look for first. Summery and timeless, it’s a British classic! 

 

Lemon – The Yellow Zinger  

With its zesty blend of tartness and delicate sweetness, lemon adds a zing to any occasion. It brings a touch of sourness to balance the sweet flavours of a Fruit Pastille pack, and every sweet is like a little hit of citrus freshness.  
 

Strawberry – The Red Refresher 

Strawberry is the perennial crowd-pleaser with its summery vibe and berry flavour. It’s sweet, juicy and is always hot on blackcurrant’s heels as the next-most-coveted flavour.  

 

Lime – The Green Dream 

Like a taste of summer, this Fruit Pastilles flavour refreshes your palate with a whole lotta lime. It’s the underdog with the die-hard fanbase, and it adds a little tang to the flavour lineup. 

 

Orange – The Orange Stalwart

Sweet, smooth and as reliable as clouds in the UK sky, orange is the flavour that rounds everything out. It’s the sunshiney hug of the Fruit Pastilles family and always a joy to unwrap and enjoy. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

History of Rowntree’s® Fruit Pastilles 

The story of Rowntree’s® Fruit Pastilles begins long before the first chewy sweet hit the shelves. It all started in 1725 in the city of York, when Quaker Mary Tuke opened a grocery shop. As the business passed through the family, it eventually came into the hands of Henry Isaac Rowntree in 1862, who, alongside his brother Joseph, would transform it into a British confectionery empire.

In the late 1800s, Joseph Rowntree, hired a French confectioner who had travelled to York to sell his pastille-style sweets. Under Joseph’s direction, the confectioner developed a new recipe using real fruit flavours, and in 1881, the first Rowntree’s® Fruit Pastilles were born. Originally marketed as a throat sweet, their sugar-dusted coating and bold, fruity taste quickly won over the nation. By 1887, Fruit Pastilles were so popular they accounted for more than a quarter of the company’s entire sales!  

Today, our sweets are more popular than ever and we’ve never stopped innovating. In addition to developing new flavours and recyclable packaging, we were the first UK confectionery company to remove artificial colours, flavours and preservatives from all our sweets. It’s the same commitment to quality that we’ve always had set out by the Rowntree brothers, in 1862.

Want to know more about our colourful history? Travel back in time with our History of Rowntree’s® article. 

 

Discontinued Flavours 

Our classic line-up has seen some weird and wonderful fruity flavours over the years! Our limited-edition dessert range featured mango sorbet, blueberry pie, cherry Bakewell and apple crumble

Are Rowntree’s® Fruit Pastilles Vegan? 

Yes! As of 2020, our Fruit Pastilles are 100% vegan-friendly. We made the switch by removing gelatine from the recipe, replacing it with plant-based alternatives that still offer that classic chewy texture. Rowntree’s® became one of the first major UK sweet brands to make a sweet product fully plant-based while keeping it free from artificial colours, flavours, and preservatives. What a tasty win!

Most Popular Fruit Pastilles Flavour 

While no official Fruit Pastilles flavour poll has been conducted, we’ve found that blackcurrant always leads the charge, followed closely by strawberry. It’s what led to the release of our Strawberry & Blackcurrant Sharing Bag – and fans have never been happier!

Where to Buy Rowntree’s® Fruit Pastilles in the UK 

You can find Rowntree’s® Fruit Pastilles just about anywhere sweets are sold. They’re available in a variety of sizes, from the classic tube to multipacks and sharing bags.

Online or in Supermarkets 

Find Rowntree’s® Fruit Pastilles online or at your nearest supermarket with our handy online tool. Simply click ‘Buy Now’ under any Fruit Pastille product.

Other Rowntree’s® Products to Try

We’ve got a full Rowntree’s® family of fruity fun for every flavour! 

Rowntree’s® Fruit Gums

Fruit Gums are the chewier cousins of Fruit Pastilles. They have a firmer texture and come in fruit shapes, making them last a little longer. Just like their cousins, they’re made with real fruit juice, contain no artificial colours or flavours, and are now vegan-friendly. Find them online or in most supermarkets.

Rowntree’s® Randoms

Unpredictability is the name of the Randoms game! Think jelly sweets in a variety of quirky shapes like umbrellas, feet, saxophones and ping-pong paddles with a fun mix of textures, from Fizzy Cactus Sweetz to liquid-centred Juicers. They’re also made with no artificial colours or flavours. Find them online or in most supermarkets.

Rowntree’s® Jelly Tots

Our iconic sugar-coated jellies bursting with fruit flavour have been delighting fans since 1965. They’re vegan, made without artificial colours, flavours or preservatives, and they’re great for kids or anyone who loves a less chewy sweet. Find them online or in most supermarkets. 

That’s a Rowntree’s® Wrap 

From its Victorian roots to its current vegan-friendly formula, Rowntree’s® Fruit Pastilles have earnt their place as one of the UK’s favourite sweets. Grab your favourite flavour today and savour the fruity classic that never goes out of style!