Blackwood-based Bon Bon Buddies, Europe’s leading licenced character confectionery company, has been shortlisted for an International Licensing Excellence Award for its Minions Surprise Qube, which sold more than 2.2 million units in its first year.

Bon Bon Buddies has been named as a finalist in the ‘Food and Beverage’ category, alongside worldwide food companies such as Kraft Heinz and Whole foods, in the ‘Licensed Products’ section of the upcoming Licensing Industry Merchandisers' Association (LIMA) Awards.

The winners will be announced at a ceremony during the Las Vegas Licencing Expo on June 21.

The awards recognise licensing excellence, creativity, and innovation for a specific licensed product.

The Minions Surprize Qube, inspired by the popular 2010 Universal animation Despicable Me, is filled with fruit flavoured chewy sweets and doubles up as a buildable toy.

Bon Bon Buddies is the only Welsh contender as well as the only confectionary manufacturer included in the shortlist.

Emily Howarth, international licensing manager at Bon Bon Buddies, said: “The LIMA Awards are the industry’s highest global honour for licensing excellence, so to be nominated for an award of this calibre is exciting news for the company, and testimony to the widespread popularity of our Minion’s range.

“As a business, we are becoming more of a global player, operating in all EMEA countries, China, South East Asia as well as distributing our products across the US and Australia.

“To be recognised in these international awards for product excellence means that our product and growth strategies are working, and that our continuous hard work over the past 23 years is still paying off. It’s an honour to be shortlisted alongside so many respected global players in the food and beverage industry.”

Bon Bon Buddies was established in 1993 and has grown to become Europe’s premier provider of character confectionery to 40 countries worldwide, with eight dedicated European sales and logistics facilities with further distribution in Central Eastern Europe, China South East Asia, the Middle East and the U.S.