Marks & Spencer has launched new miniature ice lollies that are a Percy Pig twist on a British summertime favourite.
The supermarket has created Percy Pig Mini Curly Tails, which look an awful lot like the ever-popular Twisters.
The new snacks, launched a few weeks ago, feature a twirl of strawberry ice lolly and Percy Pig flavoured ice cream.
M&S’s famous mascot apparently tastes of a fruity mix of raspberry, strawberry, cherry and grape, The Hoot reports.
Percy Pig mini curly tails. Credit: Instagram, @newfoodsuk
The Mini Curly Tails lollies have landed just in time for the heatwave that’s set to scorch much of the UK this weekend.
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M&S said: “FEELING HOT HOT HOT!? Percy Pig to the rescue with his new Mini Curly Tails! 🤭 Made with Percy Pig™ flavoured ice cream and a strawberry fruit ice swirl, they’re perfect for this week’s warm weather!!”
The lollies are inspired by the original Percy Pig sweets, which M&S sells 16 million packets of every year – the equivalent of 10 Percy Pig sweets every second.
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Several people have pointed out the similarities to another popular ice lolly, with one saying: “Look identical to the Walls Twister.”
But most just can’t wait to get their hands on them, saying: “omg we need to get these I don’t make the rules.”
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Model Danielle Lloyd said: “I need to try these!!!!”
Since M&S started treating Percy Pig as a brand and a character, he’s got married (Penny), travelled the world, and had piglets – with new product launches at every stage.
Meagan Hempenstall, Percy Pig brand marketing manager at M&S, said: “He is the most famous M&S brand and has a very loyal following.
“That is especially true since we brought Percy to life on social media last year. Percy has long had an organic following on social media, but last year we launched his official Instagram account, and he made his debut on TikTok.”
The Percy Pig Mini Curly Tails ice lollies are in M&S stores now.
Featured image: The Hoot
Food & Drink
Salford industrial estate bakery with incredible cinnamon rolls to open new site
Daisy Jackson
Mayya Bakery, a local ‘hidden gem’ with incredible cinnamon rolls, is set to open a brand-new bakery that will make it significantly less hidden.
Until now, Mayya has been quietly trading from an industrial estate in Salford, where it’s built a great reputation for its bakes despite an off-the-beaten-track-location and relatively little social media fanfare.
It opened its doors in 2024, operated by former primary school teacher Meli and her husband, dentist Oguz.
This is an artisan bakery with a real Turkish flare, with plenty of comfort food like freshly made gözleme (or gozzies for short) and bigger dishes if you fancy sitting in.
Their counters are stuffed with sweet bakes, like their perfect cinnamon rolls, plus loaves, babka, cookies, and homemade cheesecake.
For bigger dishes, you’ll find breakfast dishes like Turkish eggs, Simit (a traditional sesame bagel) breakfasts, and menemen.
The counters at Mayya Bakery’s current locationIncredible cheesecake at Mayya BakerySigns on Chapel Street Salford for the new Mayya Bakery
And now Mayya Bakery has revealed plans to open a new location in a much more prominent spot in town, with signs appearing in the windows of a unit on Chapel Street.
The sign reads: “Everything is homemade – including this picture.”
It also quips: “They called us hidden gem… not hidden anymore.”
Mayya will open on Chapel Street soon – keep an eye on our food and drink Instagram page The Manc Eats for the latest.
Sacha Lord set to back local hospitality again with money behind the bar of one Greater Manchester pub
Danny Jones
Local figure Sacha Lord is once again looking to help support Greater Manchester’s food and drink scene once again this spring by putting a total of £2.5k behind the bar of one lucky pub.
Well, let’s be honest, we’re about to be the real lucky ones.
It’s far from the first time that the Night Time Economy Advisor has done this, having previously put sizeable sums towards shared tabs on a few ocassions over the last few years.
Lining up his next handout for this coming early May bank holiday (perfect timing), it’s going to be a super and potentially very sloppy Sunday…
Tell me your favourite pub in Greater Manchester.
Bank Holiday Sunday 3rd May, I’ll be turning up and putting £2500 behind the bar.
Sharing the video above online earlier this week, the 54-year-old simply wrote, “Tell me your favourite pub in Greater Manchester. Bank Holiday Sunday, 3rd May, I’ll be turning up and putting £2500 behind the bar.”
The message is as straightforward as ever: “Support your local pub.”
Now obviously, the fact that people can reply with their go-to boozers and help influence the decision is one thing – something that has certainly always created an attraction each time he’s done this – but it’s also just a good way of marketing these watering holes to begin with.
Whether or not someone’s favourite public house tucked away in one of the 10 boroughs, or their bar of choice here in Manchester city centre, ends up being selected or not, it’s obviously great publicity having their names plastered on a notable social media account.
This is especially so when you see how much the post itself ends up being reshared and the overall exposure Lord ultimately lends them via creating such a big crowd discussion.
Here’s hoping we get proper beer garden weather over that long weekend.
It’s also worth noting that the further support stunts like this have helped garner support for other regional businesses – in particular, indies that are battling the cost of living crisis and so many other challenges within the sector – has proved crucial for some places to stay open to begin with.
A good example is the Thirsty Korean, who teamed up with the Altrincham-born entrepreneur to cover hundreds of bills back in 2023, and has now been able to expand into a larger venue down the road from their original Chorlton location.
The obstacles facing the hospitality industry remain varied and numerous, but gestures like this can go a long way to helping prop up those who need it.
Daisy Jackson -
12th July 2022 
