By Oceans Marasha
In the picturesque town of Darling nestled in the Western Cape, a sweet revolution began in 2013. Frits van Ryneveld, an antique store owner, and his partner Hentie van der Merwe embarked on a delicious venture crafting artisanal toffees that would soon captivate hearts and taste buds across South Africa and beyond.
Inspired by Darlings rich history, where butter-making once flourished, thanks to Swedish settlers, Frits and Hentie set out to create toffees using traditional methods and local ingredients. What started in a modest antique shop kitchen quickly blossomed into Darling Sweet, a beacon of handcrafted excellence.
Driven by a passion for quality and authenticity, Darling Sweet debuted with three signature flavours: Tannie Evitas Classic, Honey Salt, and Sour Fig. Word spread like wildfire, prompting Hentie to leave his role as a lecturer at Stellenbosch University to focus full-time on product development.
Fast forward to today, Darling Sweet employs a dedicated team of 32 artisans and professionals. Their production has moved from a quaint kitchen set-up to a spacious Edwardian building, once the hub of Darlings General Dealer business. The product range has expanded too, now boasting soft caramels, toffee spreads , and a variety of delectable toffee flavours.
