The Sweetest Smell in Wigan: The Story of Uncle Joe’s Mint Balls
In Wigan, we don’t question the air smelling like mint—we know exactly what’s cooking. That unmistakable scent, drifting across the town centre means one thing: Uncle Joe’s Mint Balls are being made.
Uncle Joe’s Mint Balls aren’t just a sweet—they’re a piece of Wigan’s soul. And recently, I had the absolute pleasure of being invited behind the scenes at their factory. I honestly felt like Charlie Bucket, getting the Golden Ticket to Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory…and trust me when I say: a warm Mintball straight off the production line is quite possibly the best thing in the world. I’ve got the video to prove it too.
The Uncle Joe’s story began in 1898—not in a factory, but in a modest kitchen in a terraced home on Acton Street in Swinley. It was Ellen Santus, wife of William Santus, who first made the original Mint balls. Her handcrafted sweets quickly gained popularity at local markets, and the couple soon began producing them on a larger scale.
The success of Ellen’s homemade Mint balls was so great that by 1919, the family moved production into a purpose-built factory on Dorning Street—the same site where the sweets are still made today.
Today, the original house on Acton Street is marked by a plaque commemorating the birthplace of a sweet which is loved all around the world.
More than 100 years on, the company is still proudly family-run by the Winnard brothers. The magic of the mint balls lies in their simplicity: just three ingredients—pure cane sugar, oil of peppermint, and cream of tartar.
The ingredients aren’t a secret, but the exact ratio? That’s closely guarded and known only to two people: John and Antony Winnard.
The sweets are still handmade using traditional methods: The sugar is boiled in large open pans until it reaches the perfect temperature, then it’s poured out onto large cooling tables, where the peppermint oil is sprinkled in (and who doesn’t love it when you get a mint ball with an extra peppermint kick?!).
The mixture is rolled into shape, and then hand-fed into traditional machines that shape the iconic round sweets. This bit blew my mind on my trip there!
There’s nothing quite like walking through Wigan when the Mint Balls are in full swing. That unmistakable minty aroma blankets the air and turns a regular weekday into something… sweeter. It’s a part of daily life here and a reminder of the pride we take in our homegrown heritage. I personally love identifying which sweets are cooking… my nose is very finely tuned to Winter Nips, so I usually post on X to check, and love it when ‘Uncle Joe’ messages back to say I’m correct.
The Royal Visit
One of the proudest moments for John and Antony Winnard came in in 2019 when the then Prince Charles visited the factory as part of its 100th year celebrations.
An interesting fact about this, prior to the Royal Visit, John and Antony used to wear hairnets, but Charles didn’t want to wear one of those, so they got the white hats you see on these pictures. Also, John told is when they were making their way down the steep steps to the factory floor, Antony told him to be careful, to which Charles joked: “It’s okay, I won’t sue you”.
To mark the occasion, the company did what it does best—created a special commemorative tin.
Uncle Joe’s has become known for these beautiful limited edition tins featuring local legends. I’ve got two of my favourites: one with Wigan rugby icon Billy Boston, and another with Richard Ashcroft of The Verve to mark his return to Wigan with two concerts in summer 2024.
They’re more than just containers—they’re little Wigan time capsules.
Oh, and speaking of legends… when Mike Tyson came to Wigan, guess what I gave him? Yep. A tin of Uncle Joe’s Mint Balls. No idea if he ate them, but I like to think he did.
A Personal Mintball Memory
Back when I was on Wish FM, we did a ridiculous (and very fun) challenge—who could fit the most Uncle Joe’s Mintballs in their mouth? It was as chaotic as it sounds, and I’ve still got the YouTube video to prove it. (Linked below for your viewing pleasure!)
Factory Visit: Behind the Scenes
Being invited to the Uncle Joe’s factory a few weeks ago was honestly a dream come true. I got to watch the whole process—from bubbling sugar to the peppermint oil being sprinkled in into the mix. You think the town centre smells good when they’re cooking? It’s another level in there.. like being in a lovely sweet minty dry room… and at one point, my eyes were slightly watering with the peppermint.. infact John told me: “people here rarely get colds, if we’re feeling a but sniffly, we just come in here and breathe it in”.
And yes, I even tasted a fresh, warm Mint Ball straight from the line. it’s absolutely divine. If they could capture that, that would be another level!
Mint Ball Magic
Uncle Joe’s Mint balls are more than a sweet—they’re a symbol of tradition and family. They’ve survived world wars, recessions, royal visits, and radio stunts. And through it all, Wigan has stood proudly behind them.
But the story doesn’t stop here. Uncle Joe’s Mint balls are now exported to the US and Australia and New Zealand, and most recently, Vietnam.
“People overseas love the fact that we still make them the old-fashioned way,” says John Winnard. “They want authenticity, and that’s exactly what we offer.”
There is also a loyal family of mint ball lovers who take the sweets on holiday and regularly post photos of Uncle Joe’s in far flung exotic locations on social media.
And of course, there’s THAT song about them, from Mike Harding, and covered years later by Chonkinfeckle.
It’s remarkable to think that sweets made in a factory tucked away in Wigan are being enjoyed by people all around the world.
Wherever they’re sent, they carry a bit of Wigan’s spirit with them—and a lot of mint.
As the smell of Mint balls drifts through the town once again this week, remember: you’re not just breathing in sugar and peppermint.
You’re inhaling a little bit of history.
Got your own Mintball memories?
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