UK Confectionery Startup Generated 20,000 Sales in Months With Linnworks and Temu

Exploded Sweets launched in 2022 with a simple idea: bring freeze-dried candy to British shoppers.

Founders Simon Dickinson and Amy Stroud believed the light, crunchy texture could appeal to everyday consumers. But growing a new brand came with roadblocks, including limited shelf space, slow retailer feedback, and high advertising costs.

Selling online brought its own problems. Listing products on several websites meant managing stock levels, orders and product pages in different systems. Manual updates were slow and error-prone.

The company found it difficult to attract customers and keep track of sales. That’s where Linnworks and Temu came in.

Keeping track of inventory

As Exploded Sweets began selling on multiple online platforms, tracking inventory became complicated. 

“It quickly became hard to keep everything in sync,” Simon said. “Stock levels, orders and listings were all being managed in different places, which led to manual work and occasional mistakes.”

The company chose Linnworks because it offered a single place to track orders and inventory across all platforms. The software automatically consolidates product listings, orders and daily tasks into a single dashboard, cutting out manual work.

Order processing sped up, stock counts became more accurate, and the team spent less time on repetitive tasks. Operations became smoother. 

“This has allowed us to focus more on growth — like expanding product ranges and adding new sales channels such as Temu,” Simon said.

A fast start on Temu

Exploded Sweets joined Temu in February 2025. 

Temu, which launched in the UK in April 2023, connects sellers directly with shoppers, cutting out middlemen and helping lower costs. The platform is also actively bringing on more local sellers and speeding up delivery times.

With inventory tracking through Linnworks, the company could list on Temu and start selling immediately.

“We didn’t know what to expect at first, but in just the first few weeks, we received over 1,000 orders,” Simon said. “Temu’s reach and ease of use meant customers quickly found our products. The speed surprised us.”

A seamless connection

Linnworks and Temu teamed up in January 2025 to make it easier for sellers to manage their stores.

When items sell on Temu or partner sites, Linnworks immediately updates stock numbers across all platforms. Sellers can manage orders, listings, and refunds from several platforms on Linnworks’ dashboard.

“This partnership with Temu is a significant step forward in our commitment to connecting retailers with high-growth marketplaces,” said Sarah Znideric, VP Partnerships, Linnworks

For Exploded Sweets, the connection meant no manual work updating different platforms. Orders came in automatically.

Scaling up

Exploded Sweets listed around 300 items on Temu. Within months, it made over 20,000 sales. The growth defied industry trends, as UK confectionery makers saw sales revenues fall by an average of 13% in 2024.

The company is now planning to add limited-edition flavours and seasonal treats to its inventory. International markets are next, with Temu’s network of more than 90 countries making expansion accessible. 

Linnworks keeps the backend running smoothly. Temu brings the customers. Together, they’re positioning Exploded Sweets for further growth.

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