This week nine year old Henry Patterson launched his creative collection of sweetie jars for children.
We chat to him about the idea..
How did you think of the name Not Before Tea?
It is the answer my mother gives whenever I ask for a sweet so it seemed a good name.
How involved have you been in the development of the business?
I created the name, did a sketch of the logo, made up the jar names and decided what to put in them and invented the ‘pack’ (glass pens and dental stickers).
How did you decide what went in the jars?
I wanted it to be exciting when a child pulls thing out of the jar. There are so many fun things in each one. The girls at my school helped me decide on what goes in the girls jars as I was not sure. I love the Mud and Worms as it looks so brown and muddy! I also love the huge rat in the Not for Girls – Boys only Jar.
Why do you think that your sweets are different to other sweets on the market?
No one knows the type of sweets that children like better than a child. Sweets must be as fun as toys and do stuff. My products are not just sweets.
What made you think of including the glass pens?
The worst part about eating sweets is the sadness when they are all gone, especially if it was a present. I love drawing and thought it was a great idea to decorate the jars. I put marbles in mine but you can use them for anything.
And the dental stickers?
I include reward stickers for grown-ups to give children to make sure they clean their teeth because I hate cleaning my teeth after I have eaten sweets but love getting stickers at the dentist. That’s how I got the idea.
You are at school so how hands on are you with Not Before Tea?
I am not allowed to fill the jars but I help with the packing and posting. I also write the adventures of Sherb and Pip (although mummy does write it up properly!). I have a book full of new ideas which I hope will be able to be made in to new products soon. Thinking of ideas and inventing things is the best bit!