‘World’s first’ 3D food printer launches in UK
Katjes has partnered with Intu and Calendar club to launch its factories – specially designed 3D printers which ‘print’ gummy sweets – in shopping locations by the end of the month.
You can look at some of the designs readily available for printing through the Magic Candy Factory’s website by clicking the next image in our photogallery.
Shopping centres hosting the production sites include: Merry Hill in Dudley, Braehead in Scotland and Lakeside in Essex.
‘Launch in our home market’
Magic Candy Factory founder Melissa Snover said: “It’s really exciting and it’s also something that’s really close to my heart because we’re a UK based business and we’re being able to launch in our home market before Christmas in our first year of trading.”
The Birmingham based company has kiosks in Dubai, Qatar, Italy, France, Germany and has recently launched in the US. It has 100 printers operating across 40 retail locations worldwide.
The 3D printers allow consumers to design their own confectionery creations – from messages on greetings cards to gummies in the shape of animals – that are made in five minutes are less.
Snover added: “To say that we achieved that in less than six months is crazy, when I say it out loud it sounds ridiculous.
‘Alone in our market’
“But we’re alone in our market, and that’s extremely rare. Many times you could be the best, but to be the only one that can do what you do is very rare.
“So I believe we have an amazing opportunity and also a responsibility to 3D printing and to confectionery to go out and spread magic all over the world.”
The Magic Candy Factory hoped to launch in over 1000 locations within the next three years, calling its ambitions “totally scalable”.
Meanwhile, to see more of the products created by Magic Candy Factory's 3D printer, click on the next image in our photogallery.
What is 3D printing?
3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, refers to processes used to synthesise a three-dimensional object in which successive layers of material are formed under computer control to create an object.
Objects can be of almost any shape or geometry and are produced from digital model data 3D model or another electronic data source such as an Additive Manufacturing File.
Sources: Jon Excell, The rise of additive manufacturing and Create It Real.