Exploded Sweets, a small UK candy company, had a big idea: make freeze-dried sweets a hit with everyday shoppers. But growing the business wasn’t easy. Selling on other platforms was slow, expensive, and didn’t give them much room to grow. Things changed when they teamed up with Temu, the online shopping platform known for low prices.
The Challenge
“Freeze-dried candy wasn’t like anything we’d seen before,” said Simon Dickinson, co-founder of Exploded Sweets. “The familiar flavours we loved were completely transformed, and the textures were light and crunchy. It was a wholly new sensory experience.”
Simon and his business partner, Amy, first came across American freeze-dried sweets and saw a gap in the UK market. They launched Exploded Sweets in 2022, hoping to bring this new kind of treat to British shoppers. But growing a new brand in stores came with problems—limited space on shelves, slow feedback, and trouble getting seen across the country.
Trying to Sell Online
Looking for better options, they turned to e-commerce. Their own website and other platforms brought in some sales, but ads were expensive, and it was hard to get noticed without spending more. They needed a better way to reach customers consistently.
Then they found Temu.
Temu launched in the UK in April 2023. It connects sellers like Exploded Sweets directly with shoppers, cutting out the middlemen and helping lower costs. Temu was also actively bringing on more local sellers and speeding up delivery times—something that stood out to Simon and Amy.
A Fast Start
Exploded Sweets joined Temu in February 2025, and things took off right away.
“We didn’t know what to expect at first, but in just the first weeks, we received over 1,000 orders,” said Simon. “Temu’s reach and ease of use meant customers quickly embraced our product. The speed at which our products gained traction was beyond what we anticipated.”
This growth is even more impressive considering the recent news that manufacturers across the confectionery sector have reportedly seen sales revenues drop 13% on average in the past year.
Unlike traditional stores that take time to restock or respond to trends, Temu let them move quickly and test products in real time.
Finding the Right Customers
Temu’s shoppers turned out to be a great fit. An Ipsos survey across six countries, including the UK, found that one in four Temu users are willing to try new products—great news for a brand like Exploded Sweets.
“Temu’s customer base is diverse and actively seeking new, exciting products. Freeze-dried sweets are still a novel concept to many, and the platform allows us to introduce them to a much wider audience,” said Simon. “Its ability to quickly highlight trending products aligns perfectly with our vision of making freeze-dried candy a mainstream treat.”
Temu’s ability to feature trending products gave Exploded Sweets more visibility, helping them grow faster than they could through other channels.
What's Next
Exploded Sweets now has around 300 items available to purchase and over 20,000 sales already on Temu and is continuing to grow. They’re planning to roll out limited-edition flavours, seasonal treats, and special deals to keep customers interested.
“Temu’s global presence gives us the chance to enter international markets without the complexities of traditional logistics,” said Simon. “This opens up opportunities to expand our brand far beyond what we could achieve on our own.”
The company sees expansion into other countries as the next big step—and Temu’s network, now covering more than 90 markets worldwide, makes that easier.
“The exposure on Temu has been invaluable,” said Simon. “Thanks to the platform’s powerful search algorithms and expansive reach, more customers are discovering Exploded Sweets and the range we offer.”
With Temu’s help, Exploded Sweets is sharing its bold, crunchy sweets with a growing audience—one bite at a time.
