Shades by Niko

The sunglasses shape is a reference to a mayoral campaign.
 

When Niko Omilana ran for Mayor of London, he campaigned wearing a pair of children's sunglasses. It became the image people remembered him by, and years later it became the shape of his sweets. Every piece in the bag is a tiny pair of shades.
 

Omilana built one of the largest YouTube followings in Britain before turning to confectionery, and he came to it with a specific gap in mind: a mass-market gummy brand that worked for households the big names left out. The recipe was built around that from the start, using potato and pea protein where most gummy brands use gelatine, with the colours coming from fruit and plant concentrates such as black carrot, radish and spirulina rather than artificial dyes.
 

The launch was engineered as content rather than advertising. A three-minute video went out across his channels and pulled close to a million views on YouTube alone before a single bag reached a shelf, and the brand moved into national retail almost immediately. It remains one of the few creator-founded sweet brands that kept its momentum after the initial spike.
 

Sweet and Glory stocks Shades by Niko wholesale for UK retailers.
 

The Shades by Niko Range
 

The range sits in a single sharing bag format, which keeps it simple to shelf and easy to price. Flavours run across fruit and sour, from straightforward single-fruit bags through to mixed fruit and a sour option for customers who want the sharper end. All of it is the same sunglasses-shaped foam sweet, which is what makes the brand instantly recognisable on a shelf or in a photograph. Check the current range for what is in stock now.
 

Why Stock Shades by Niko?
 

This is a brand that arrives with its own demand already built. Omilana's audience skews young and male, which is a group most confectionery brands struggle to reach, and they search for the product by name. For a convenience store, a forecourt or a sweet shop near a school or college, that means the sell-through does not depend on your display doing the persuading.
 

It also fills a genuine gap in most ranges. Very few gummy brands are made without gelatine, and fewer still are ones that customers actively ask for. That combination makes Shades a useful line for shops serving mixed communities, where a recognisable brand that suits more households than usual is worth more than another variation on what is already on the shelf. For more on what is selling through social media right now, see our guide to TikTok candy trends and viral sweets in the UK.
 

Frequently Asked Questions
 

Who makes Shades by Niko?
 

The brand was created by Niko Omilana, a British YouTuber and content creator. He founded it after identifying a gap for a mass-market gummy brand suitable for a wider range of households.
 

Why are the sweets shaped like sunglasses?
 

Omilana wore children's sunglasses throughout his campaign to be Mayor of London, and the look stuck. The shape of the sweets is a nod to it.
 

Are Shades by Niko suitable for vegans?
 

The ingredient panel lists no animal ingredients. The texture comes from potato and pea protein rather than gelatine, and the colours from fruit and plant concentrates. Packs carry the brand's own dietary certifications, so always check the pack and the ingredient panel for the specific line you are buying.
 

What flavours are available?
 

The range covers fruit and sour options in sharing bags. Availability changes, so check the current range on this page for what is in stock.
 

Can I buy Shades by Niko wholesale in the UK?
 

Yes. Sweet and Glory supplies Shades by Niko wholesale to UK retailers with no minimum order and fast UK delivery from Manchester.