Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Typhoo Tea plans to appoint administrators

The company is reportedly using the process to seek rescue solutions

Typhoo Tea plans to appoint administrators

TYPHOO TEA, one of Britain’s oldest tea companies, is teetering on the edge of administration after enduring years of challenges, including a costly break-in at its Wirral factory.

According to court filings, Typhoo has filed a notice to appoint administrators. This move allows companies temporary protection from creditors while exploring options to address their debts.


The company is reportedly using the process to seek rescue solutions, with administrators from EY already lined up. However, filing the notice does not equate to Typhoo entering administration at this stage.

Dave McNulty, Typhoo's chief executive, said, “This action has been taken to enable us to pursue a sale of the business. A further statement will be issued in due course with additional information.”

Founded in 1903 by Birmingham grocer John Sumner, Typhoo was once among the UK’s best-loved tea brands. However, in recent years, the company has struggled as Britons increasingly shift towards coffee, energy drinks, and novelty beverages like bubble tea.

According to Mintel, tea consumption in the UK has been steadily declining and is projected to drop by eight per cent between 2023 and 2028.

Typhoo’s revenues fell from £34 million in 2022 to £25m in 2023, while losses surged from £9.7m to £38m in the same period, as per publicly available accounts.

The steep rise in losses partly stemmed from a break-in at the company’s mothballed Merseyside factory. The incident caused extensive damage to machinery and tea stock, delaying the factory’s sale, which was eventually completed in June 2024.

Typhoo Tea revealed it had to absorb £24m in exceptional costs during the 2023 financial year, largely due to damage caused by a break-in. Company executives admitted these costs had a "material" impact on its operations.

Adding to its challenges, Typhoo has faced mounting competition from a surge of "wellness" tea brands entering the market. Meanwhile, tea manufacturers have struggled with supply chain disruptions, including tea paper shortages and rising import costs following Brexit.

Private equity firm Zetland Capital has held the majority stake in Typhoo since 2021. By the end of September 2023, Typhoo’s debts had climbed to £73 million, up from £53 million the previous year.

More For You

Charli XCX

Overcompensating features Charli in a self-aware and exaggerated version of herself

Getty Images

Charli XCX plays a hilariously exaggerated version of herself in new comedy 'Overcompensating'

Charli XCX is no stranger to the screen, having lent her voice to animated films like Angry Birds and UglyDolls, and made guest appearances in shows such as Gossip Girl and I’m With the Band: Nasty Cherry. Now, the pop star is stepping further into the acting world with a comical guest role in the upcoming Amazon Prime series Overcompensating.

A teaser for the comedy, set to premiere on May 15, features Charli in a self-aware and exaggerated version of herself. Booked to perform at a college event, she’s less than pleased when the organisers insist she sing her 2014 hit Boom Clap. The track, which gained massive popularity from The Fault in Our Stars soundtrack, is clearly not on her setlist. “Do you think I want to play f—ing ‘Boom Clap’ in a f—ing college?” she snaps at a frazzled stage manager. Her frustration escalates as she demands, “Are you joking?” leaving the poor staffer visibly shaken.

Keep ReadingShow less
Harshita Brella: High court blasts Delhi police inaction
Brella's body was discovered in the boot of a car in Ilford, east London, on 14 November. (Photo: Northamptonshire Police)

Harshita Brella: High court blasts Delhi police inaction

INDIAN authorities are under intense scrutiny after the Delhi high court criticised police efforts to locate Pankaj Lamba, the prime suspect in the murder of his wife Harshita Brella. The ongoing international manhunt has revealed a series of investigative failures, with the court describing the Delhi Police's approach as "utterly incompetent".

Brella was found dead in the boot of a car in Ilford, East London, in November 2024. Her husband was charged in absentia with murder, two counts of rape, sexual assault, and controlling behaviour shortly after her death.

Keep ReadingShow less
Polar vortex linked to clusters of severe UK winter storms

Understanding the drivers behind extreme events like winter storms becomes increasingly important

Getty Images

Polar vortex linked to clusters of severe UK winter storms

Researchers have uncovered a connection between powerful clusters of winter storms in the UK and an intense swirling polar vortex miles above the Arctic. The findings, made by a team from the University of Leeds and the UK Met Office, offer fresh insights into why the UK experienced a series of severe storms within a short period in February 2022.

The cluster of storms, named Dudley, Eunice, and Franklin, all occurred within a single week and caused significant damage across the country. These storms, alongside others that followed, wreaked havoc with strong winds, heavy rain, and widespread power outages.

Keep ReadingShow less
Coeliac Disease: What to Know After Rebecca Adlington’s Diagnosis

Olympic swimmer Rebecca Adlington has recently revealed about her condition

Getty Images

Key things to know about Coeliac disease after Rebecca Adlington’s diagnosis

Olympic swimmer Rebecca Adlington has recently revealed her diagnosis of coeliac disease and has called for greater awareness of the condition. In a video shared on Coeliac UK’s Instagram, Adlington discussed the importance of gluten-free prescriptions and urged the government to protect access to these prescriptions, which have been cut in some areas.

Her diagnosis shines a light on coeliac disease, a condition that affects approximately 1 in 100 people in the UK. However, due to the difficulty in recognising the symptoms, only around 36% of people living with the condition have been officially diagnosed.

Keep ReadingShow less