Peppersmith HQ used to be such a refined place, with maybe just the odd moustache or mint plant to spruce up the decor. Well that’s all changed now those tingz have arrived and we’re knee deep in fur and other monster paraphernalia.

Above is one of our new in-store displays, with Bowie hanging out in Planet Organic. And below is newest recruit Floyd, arriving at HQ.

This is just the beginning and you’ll be seeing much more of our new furry friends.

Our mission is to make confectionery that’s good for you and so it seemed remiss not to be doing something for little people as well as big people. We’ve now fixed all that with the launch of our brand new range especially for kids. tingz are little fruit flavoured xylitol sweets made with no sugar and no artificials.

Those very grown-up people at the British Dental Health Foundation have accredited them for helping reduce plaque and the risk of tooth decay so they’re the perfect guilt-free treat for your littl’uns.

They come in two different flavours strawberry & vanilla and orange & mandarin and you can find out loads more about them here.

With the finest eucalyptus from New South Wales, Down Under they’ve got a strong hit of menthol to help you breathe a little easier. Mmmm pokey

Dan’s turned up from Christmas with a new wardrobe and lots of R Kelly on his iPod – sure fire signs of a man determined to make the most of the New Year. He’s also vowed to cook more Sunday lunches, learn how to fix his own bike and buy a whole new set of underwear. Exciting times ahead.

Jodie says (wistfully) that it’s time for her “to enjoy the present and stop looking into the future”. Before she begins though she wanted you all to know, if you’re a Gemini it’ll be a good year for romance and next week’s bonus ball will be 17.

Mike’s year will be about keeping his email inbox in check, running like the wind (he’s doing the Edinburgh marathon) and archiving his extensive video collection of sleeping or slow-motion dogs. Woof.

Emma, perhaps not totally grasping the New Year’s resolution concept, says she’s going to buy herself a puppy. On the plus side, Mike’s no doubt excited about the potential for new footage.

Sadly, last year Gracie failed to find her mum a boyfriend and the year before she failed to learn five songs on the piano and so this year she’s settled for helping her boyfriend stop biting his finger nails. Take that 2013.

We’re not saying Gracie’s boyfriend looks like a Bichon Frise, we just thought we’d make it a doggie photo hat-trick. But if all else fails he could try the cone.

Those are some of our resolutions. Good luck with your own and whether you stick to them or not, have a great 2013.

The result is longer than an episode of Itchy & Scratchy but shorter than the Godfather II. Hopefully there’s enough gratuitous mint shots to keep you watching until the end.

A big thank you to Ian the Farmer for being very helpful and to Joby & Tom for shooting the video, getting some music and generally being very fun people to spend a day on a farm with.

How To Make A Mint from Peppersmith on Vimeo.

Some news, hot off the press. As of today our mints are available from ocado.com. You can find all three varieties here. We’re really happy about this as we know our mints are still quite hard to find and this means loads more people will be able to pick them up without any fuss.

And to sweeten the deal, here’s an Ocado voucher code to get you 25% off a pack (valid until 14/1/2012): COU5535174