Wigan sweets factory nicknames machine 'Stormzy'... because it wraps so fast!

Uncle Joe's nicknames one of its wrapping machines after the acclaimed British rapper

Uncle Joe’s Mint Balls are facing such an increase in demand that staff have nicknamed the firm’s high speed wrapping machine Stormzy – because it is (w)rapping so fast!

Bosses at Wigan-based William Santus and Co Ltd, which produces the iconic sweets, was the first company in the UK to use the £100,000 machine, made by Schib of Italy, five years ago.

But it has now been turned up to its fastest setting of 2,000 sweets a minute for the first time, leading to it being named after the chart-topping rapper.

The machine now wraps the famous confectionary at more than twice the rate that tracer bullets are fired.

Joint managing director John Winnard said: “We piloted the use of this particular machine when we were scouring the market for a small machine which carried out the wrapping process at high speed.

“When it is in full flow it sounds a bit like the kind of high-speed rap Stormzy would produce as well, so it is the perfect nickname.”