01284 733900 Get a quote
A spoon resting in a mound of sparkling white sugar.

Independent sugar traders since 1959

Every sugar you need. One family on your side.

White, brown, liquid, Fairtrade and organic sugars for UK food and drink makers, from 25kg sacks to bulk tankers. No refiner owns us, so our only interest is yours.

Get a quote 01284 733900

You'll deal directly with the Thornton team, never a call centre.

Looking for

  • 1959Trading since Hubert Thornton's first deal
  • 3Generations of the Thornton family
  • 44Sugars and ingredients across 7 ranges
  • BRCGS Agents and Brokers, certificated
  • Soil Association Organic
  • Sedex: enabling responsible supply chains

Why buy through Thornton

We don't own a refinery. That's the point.

Producers sell their own sugar. We help you buy the right sugar. Thornton is independent of every refiner and grower, so we can compare products, origins and prices on your behalf, and give you advice that's genuinely on your side.

A heap of freshly harvested sugar beet.
Beet
Bundles of freshly cut sugar cane.
Cane

Beet or cane, home-grown or imported: we'll explain which suits your spec, and why.

  1. Independent advice

    We've followed the sugar market since Hubert Thornton's first trade in 1959. You get straight answers on price, timing and supply from people with nothing to sell you but the right sugar.

  2. Fine ingredients

    White, brown, liquid, Fairtrade and organic sugars, plus the dairy powders, glucose and dextrose that go with them. Specified, traceable and handled under our BRCGS certification.

  3. Great service

    A small team you'll know by name, and a family name on every order. Call 01284 733900 and you'll speak to the people who actually handle your account.

Fine ingredients, great service and independent advice. Our promise since 1959.

Our full range

From icing sugar to black treacle.

Seven ranges, 44 lines and every pack size from café cubes to bulk tankers. Add products to your quote list as you browse, and we'll price them together.

How do you buy?

A spoon of white sugar resting on a scattered pile of sugar crystals.

White sugar

Refined white sugars in every crystal size, from powder-fine icing to pearl nibs that survive the oven.

7 of 7 lines shown

  • Granulated

    The all-rounder for drinks, preserves, sauces and everyday manufacturing.

    • Bulk tanker
    • 1 tonne
    • 25kg

  • Caster

    Finer crystals that cream quickly and dissolve fast. A baker's staple.

    • 1 tonne
    • 25kg

  • Extra fine

    A tighter, finer grain for quick dissolving and smooth dry blends.

    • Bulk tanker
    • 1 tonne
    • 25kg

  • Icing

    Milled to a powder for icings, fondants, frostings and a clean dusting.

    • 25kg
    • 20kg

  • Vending

    Free-flowing sugar packed for hot-drinks vending machines.

    • 2kg

  • Coarse

    Big, bright crystals that hold their shape on toppings and finishes.

    • 25kg

  • Pearls / nibs

    Hard white nibs that won't melt in the oven. Made for chouquettes and buns.

    • 25kg
Close-up of large amber demerara sugar crystals.

Brown sugar

Golden to near-black: brown sugars for colour, moisture and flavour, from crunchy demerara to sticky dark muscovado.

8 of 8 lines shown

  • Demerara

    Large golden crystals with a gentle toffee crunch.

    • 1 tonne
    • 25kg

  • Golden granulated

    A golden swap for white granulated, with a soft caramel note.

    • 25kg

  • Golden fine / caster

    Golden caster for warmer flavour and a finer crumb.

    • 25kg

  • Light soft brown

    Moist and mellow, for cookies, cakes, glazes and sauces.

    • 25kg

  • Dark soft brown

    Richer molasses notes for fruit cakes, chutneys and barbecue sauce.

    • 25kg

  • Light muscovado

    Fudgy, honeyed and full of character.

    • 25kg

  • Dark muscovado

    Deep, sticky and treacly: the boldest brown sugar flavour.

    • 25kg

  • Molasses sugar

    The darkest of all. Intensely rich and very moist.

    • 25kg
Amber syrup pouring in a thin ribbon from a glass jug.

Syrups

Golden syrup, black treacle, invert, liquid sugar and molasses, in bulk tankers, IBCs or 25kg.

5 of 5 lines shown

  • Golden syrup

    Buttery and bright. The essential for flapjacks, sponges and tarts.

    • Bulk tanker
    • 1.25t IBC
    • 25kg

  • Treacle

    Bold and bittersweet, for gingerbread, parkin and rich glazes.

    • Bulk tanker
    • 1.25t IBC
    • 25kg

  • Invert

    Keeps bakes soft and moist, resists crystallising and helps browning.

    • 1.25t IBC
    • 25kg

  • Liquid sugar

    Ready-dissolved sugar for drinks and continuous processing. No mixing step.

    • Bulk tanker
    • 1.25t IBC

  • Molasses syrup

    Rich, dark and robust, for flavour, colour and fermentation.

    • 1.25t IBC
    • 25kg
Two white sugar cubes on a white saucer beside a cup.

Portions

Sachets, sticks and cubes for cafés, hotels, caterers and vending, in white, brown and sweetener.

9 of 9 lines shown

  • White sachets

    Classic sachets for tables, trays and takeaway.

    • Various

  • Brown sachets

    Brown sugar sachets for coffee counters and room service.

    • Various

  • White sticks

    Slim sticks that pour cleanly, one cup at a time.

    • Various

  • Brown sticks

    Brown sugar sticks for the coffee counter.

    • Various

  • White cubes

    White sugar cubes in 500g boxes.

    • 500g box

  • Brown cubes

    Brown sugar cubes in 500g boxes.

    • 500g box

  • White café cubes

    Catering boxes of white cubes for cafés, hotels and tea service.

    • 1kg box
    • 750g box

  • Brown café cubes

    Catering boxes of brown cubes for cafés and hotels.

    • 1kg box
    • 750g box

  • Sweetener sticks

    A low-calorie option to sit alongside the sugar.

    • Various
Freshly cut sugar cane stalks bundled together on the ground.

Fairtrade

Fairtrade-certified white and golden sugars, returning a Fairtrade Premium to the farmers who grow the cane.

6 of 6 lines shown

  • Granulated

    Fairtrade-certified granulated for everyday manufacturing.

    • Bulk tanker
    • 1 tonne
    • 25kg

  • Caster

    Fairtrade caster for bakery and fine-crumb recipes.

    • 1 tonne
    • 25kg

  • Extra fine

    Fairtrade extra fine for quick dissolving and dry blends.

    • 1 tonne
    • 25kg

  • Icing

    Fairtrade icing sugar for icings, fondants and dusting.

    • 25kg

  • Demerara

    Fairtrade demerara with a golden, toffee crunch.

    • 1 tonne
    • 25kg

  • Golden granulated

    Fairtrade golden granulated with a soft caramel note.

    • 1 tonne
    • 25kg
Close-up of golden granulated sugar crystals.

Organic

Certified organic golden granulated, golden fine and icing sugar.

3 of 3 lines shown

  • Golden granulated

    Certified organic, with a soft golden crystal.

    • 25kg

  • Golden fine

    Certified organic golden sugar with a fine, caster-style grain.

    • 25kg

  • Icing

    Certified organic icing sugar for icings and dusting.

    • 25kg
A spoon dusted with fine white powder on a dark wooden surface.

Beyond sugar

The other dry ingredients on your spec sheet: dairy powders, salt, glucose and dextrose. One supplier, one less thing to manage.

6 of 6 lines shown

  • Salt

    Food-grade salt for seasoning, baking and curing.

    • 25kg

  • Skimmed milk powder

    Milk solids for bakery, confectionery and dairy recipes.

    • 25kg

  • Whey powder

    Adds body, browning and gentle dairy notes.

    • 25kg

  • Cream powder

    Rich dairy flavour in a stable, dry form.

    • 25kg

  • Glucose

    Controls crystallisation and adds body in sweets, ice cream and bakery.

    • Various

  • Dextrose

    Clean sweetness for fermentation, browning and a softer scoop.

    • Various

Independent advice, built in

Not sure which sugar? Tell us what you make.

Every recipe asks something different of sugar: colour, crunch, moisture, shelf life. Choose your sector for a starting shortlist, then let our team fine-tune it to your spec.

Bakery & patisserie

Sugar does more than sweeten a bake. It tenderises the crumb, holds moisture, feeds browning and finishes the top.

  • White caster sugar

    Creams quickly with butter for an even, tender crumb.

  • Icing sugar

    For buttercreams, glazes, fondants and dusting.

  • Light soft brown sugar

    Brings moisture and chew to cookies and cakes.

  • Invert sugar syrup

    Keeps cakes softer for longer and boosts browning.

  • Golden syrup

    The backbone of flapjacks, sponges and tarts.

  • Pearl (nib) sugar

    Crunchy decoration that survives the oven.

Confectionery & chocolate

In sweets, sugar is the structure. Crystal size and the right supporting ingredients decide whether you get smooth, chewy or snap.

  • Extra fine white sugar

    Dissolves fast for smooth, grain-free results.

  • Glucose

    Helps control crystallisation in fudge, toffee and sweets.

  • Icing sugar

    For fondants, creams and pressed sweets.

  • Dark muscovado sugar

    Deep, fudgy flavour for caramels and fudge.

  • Skimmed milk powder

    Milk solids for milk chocolate, fudge and caramel.

Drinks & brewing

From cordials to craft beer, you need sugar that dissolves cleanly, doses consistently and, for brewers, ferments reliably.

  • Liquid sugar

    Ready to dose, with no dissolving step.

  • White granulated sugar

    Dependable sweetness for syrups and cordials.

  • Invert sugar syrup

    A traditional brewing sugar that ferments readily.

  • Dextrose

    Clean fermentation and bottle conditioning.

  • Molasses syrup

    Colour, body and character for darker styles.

Sauces, preserves & chutneys

Sugar helps set jams, balances acidity and builds colour and depth in chutneys, ketchups and glazes.

  • White granulated sugar

    The preserving standard: clean, clear sweetness.

  • Dark soft brown sugar

    Colour and depth for chutneys and barbecue sauce.

  • Black treacle

    Bittersweet richness for glazes and marinades.

  • Demerara sugar

    Caramel notes for relishes and glazes.

  • Salt

    Balances sweetness and lifts flavour.

Ice cream & dairy

Sugar controls sweetness, softness and scoop. Blending sugars lets you tune texture as well as taste.

  • Extra fine white sugar

    Dissolves into mixes quickly and cleanly.

  • Dextrose

    Lowers the freezing point for a softer scoop.

  • Glucose

    Adds body and helps keep ice crystals small.

  • Skimmed milk powder

    Builds milk solids for a creamier texture.

  • Cream powder

    Rich dairy flavour that stores well.

Cafés, hotels & vending

Portion packs, cubes and vending sugar, ready for the counter, the table and the machine.

  • White sugar sticks

    Neat portions for the coffee counter.

  • Brown sugar sachets

    For tables, trays and room service.

  • White café cubes

    The classic for tea service.

  • Vending sugar

    2kg packs made for vending machines.

  • Sweetener sticks

    A low-calorie option for customers who ask.

How it works

Sugar, sorted in four steps.

No portals, no hard sell. Just a conversation with people who know sugar, and a clear price at the end of it.

  1. 01

    Tell us what you need

    Product, spec, format, volumes and delivery pattern. A rough idea is fine: we'll fill in the gaps together.

  2. 02

    We source and advise

    We compare the options open to us and come back with a recommendation, a price and the reasoning behind both.

  3. 03

    You choose your terms

    Buy for a one-off need or agree supply over a longer period. We'll talk you through the market before you commit.

  4. 04

    Delivered and documented

    Your sugar arrives as agreed, with the specifications and traceability your QA team and auditors expect.

Start with step one Or call 01284 733900
Food production staff in hairnets and gloves checking product on a clean production line.
BRCGS certificated agent & broker

Quality & compliance

Certified, traceable and audit-ready.

Food safety isn't paperwork to us, but we know your auditors will ask for it. Our technical team, led by our Head of Technical & QA, makes sure every product you buy through Thornton is properly specified and traceable.

  • BRCGS Agents & Brokers

    Certificated to the BRCGS Global Standard for Agents and Brokers, the food safety standard written for traders like us.

  • Soil Association organic

    Certified organic golden granulated, golden fine and icing sugar.

  • Sedex member

    Responsible sourcing data, shared with customers through the Sedex platform.

  • Fairtrade sugars

    Fairtrade-certified white and golden sugars, from bulk to 25kg, returning a Fairtrade Premium to growers.

Since 1959

Three generations of reading the sugar market.

It started with a grocer from Fulham. Hubert Thornton followed the commodity markets behind the groceries he sold, and in 1959 he began trading sugar to small manufacturers in and around London.

Hugh Thornton took the reins in 1960. He specialised in sugar futures and grew the business through the shortages of the mid-1970s. His son Adrian joined in the 1980s, and in 2013 the partnership became Thornton Sugar Ltd.

Since then we've traded through quota regimes, shortages, currency swings and Brexit. That experience is what you're really buying when you ask us what the market is doing, and whether now is the time to buy.

Still, in our own words, enthusiastically independent.

67years of trading sugar, and counting

Archive photograph: a group of suited mid-century traders smiling and comparing papers.
The sugar trade, mid-century.
  1. 1959

    Hubert Thornton, a Fulham grocer, starts trading sugar to London manufacturers.

  2. 1960

    Hugh Thornton takes the reins and specialises in sugar futures.

  3. 1970s

    The business grows through the mid-'70s sugar shortage.

  4. 1980s

    Adrian Thornton joins the family firm.

  5. 2013

    After 54 years as a partnership, Thornton Sugar Ltd is formed.

  6. Today

    Four Thorntons on a team of eight, BRCGS certificated and still independent.

Our people

The names behind every order.

Eight people, four of them Thorntons. When you call, you'll speak to someone on this page.

  • Adrian Thornton

    Managing Director

    Thornton family

  • Fiona Thornton

    Director

    Thornton family

  • Lucy Thornton

    Head of Customer Services & Logistics

    Thornton family

  • Zachary Thornton

    Business Development & Quality Manager

    Thornton family

  • Tom Fowler

    National Accounts Manager

  • Amird Devadasan

    Head of Technical & QA

  • Donna Glover

    Customer Services Manager

  • Laura Gay

    Customer Services Executive

Want to talk it through?

Call the team: 01284 733900 sales@thorntonsugar.co.uk

Good questions

What buyers ask us first.

Something else on your mind? Call 01284 733900 or send us a question.

Are you a refiner or a producer?

Neither, and that's deliberate. Thornton Sugar is an independent sugar trader: we buy from producers and refiners and supply food and drink businesses. Because no single producer owns us, we can recommend the right sugar from a wider choice instead of pushing one company's range.

Do you work with smaller businesses as well as large manufacturers?

Yes. Our pack formats run from 500g cube boxes, 2kg vending packs and 25kg sacks up to 1 tonne bags, IBCs and bulk tankers. Tell us your volumes and we'll tell you honestly what makes sense for your operation.

Can you provide specifications and certificates?

Yes. Our technical team, led by our Head of Technical & QA, can provide product specifications and the supporting documents your QA team needs. We're certificated to the BRCGS Global Standard for Agents and Brokers.

Do you supply Fairtrade and organic sugar?

We do. Our Fairtrade range covers granulated, caster, extra fine, icing, demerara and golden granulated sugar. Our certified organic range covers golden granulated, golden fine and icing sugar.

Can you help us decide when to buy?

That's where an independent trader earns its keep. We've followed the sugar market since 1959, so we can explain what's moving prices and talk you through your options before you commit.

Where do you deliver?

We supply food and drink businesses across the UK from our base in Suffolk. Add your postcode to the quote form and we'll confirm the delivery options for your site.

Do you sell anything other than sugar?

Yes. Alongside sugar we supply skimmed milk powder, whey powder, cream powder, salt, glucose and dextrose, so you can cover more of your spec sheet with one supplier.

How do I get a price?

Add products to your quote list and send the form, call 01284 733900 or email sales@thorntonsugar.co.uk. A member of the Thornton team will come back to you personally.

Get a quote

Tell us what you need. We'll do the legwork.

Send your shortlist, a spec or just a question. A member of the Thornton team will come back to you personally.

Step 1 of 2What do you need?

Your quote list 0

    Nothing added yet. Browse the range and tap Add, or simply tell us below.

    Step 2 of 2Where should we send your quote?

    We'll use your details only to respond to this enquiry.

    Prefer to talk? Call 01284 733900