Beloved British tea brand Typhoo has unfortunately fallen into administration after 121 years but a Manchester company could be set to save it from the jaws of insolvency.
Undoubtedly one of the biggest and best-known brands in the UK, not to mention the teabag of choice for millions up and down the country, Typhoo is a household name to most and has been a mainstay in supermarkets and newsagents for longer than we’ve been alive.
Despite its long-standing reputation and catering to a market of obsessive tea drinkers who aren’t going anywhere, the brew business has proved difficult for them, with a steady decline in sales and increasing losses year on year, as well as levels of debt creeping up to a now unsustainable point.
Financial advisory firm Kroll has now been appointed to handle the administration and find a buyer for the tea business, with a Manchester-headquartered company currently believed to be the frontrunner.
Supreme PLC is London-listed but has a HQ in Manchester.The old Tyhpoo factory which closed last year.Typhoo could be pulled back from the brink of administration. (Credit: Supreme via Facebook)/Rept0n1x via Wikimedia Commons)
Typhoo has been struggling to keep a foothold in the tea markets in recent years – suffering a significant setback when its Merseyside factory on the Wirral was broken into back in August 2023 – however, they have now been given a lifeline by a company just down the road in Stretford.
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According to industry news outlet, Proactive Investors, vape and battery distributors Supreme Imports (based over in Trafford Park) are now said to be in ‘advanced talks’ to buy the tea brand and save it from going belly up after well over a century on our shelves.
The Bristol-based veterans were acquired by Zetland Capital back in 2021 which looked to have stabilised finances for a little while, but despite steadying the ship in the immediate, the last three years have seen a return to turbulent times.
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While administration should keep them afloat while a sale is secured, there is still the matter of sizeable debt to be contested with; as of September last year, Typhoo owed more than £73 million to creditors – a whole £20m more than the previous year. In contrast, Supreme recently posted pe-tax profits of £14.7m.
Meanwhile, serious dips in revenue haven’t helped, with losses of around 25% recorded in the previous financial year and the closure of the Moreton plant (which contributed to approximately £24.1m worth of “exceptional costs”) leaving them at risk of going total collapse. It isn’t the heavyweight it once was.
Not for sale in Asda or Tesco for a long time. That doesn’t help!
Conversely, with a diverse portfolio including not only vapes and batteries but lightbulbs, protein powder and bars; other e-cigarette items, the Clearly Drinks brand and even Sealions sleep gummies, Supreme are in the position to potentially rescue Typhoo, although a buyout deal is not yet finalised.
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It’s unclear what the PLC will ultimately do with the brand should the acquisition be completed but it could prove to be a big coup if they can help it recover.
More importantly, with more than 100 jobs at risk throughout the company, not to mention Tyhpoo’s heritage as a historically significant domestic brand, we would love nothing more than to see the much-loved brew-makers back on their feet and livelihoods kept intact thanks to a local brand of our own.
Government sets up taskforce to deliver ‘urgent action’ on maternity care in England
Emily Sergeant
A taskforce aiming to deliver ‘urgent action’ on maternity care in England has been set up by the Government.
The new Maternity and Neonatal taskforce – which is chaired by the Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting – will tackle ‘deep-rooted inequalities’ and deliver urgent action on the recommendations of the independent national investigation into maternity and neonatal services in England.
This means that women, babies, and families will receive safer and higher-quality care from the NHS in the long run.
According to the Government, the expert panel includes families, senior NHS leaders, royal colleges, campaigners, academics, and third sector representatives.
The Government has set up a taskforce to deliver ‘urgent action’ on maternity care / Credit: Jimmy Conover (via Unsplash)
As part of the selection process, the Government has been working closely with harmed and bereaved families to ensure their personal experiences were reflected, and those who have been chosen collectively have the clinical expertise, lived experience, and sector know-how to deliver the changes so desperately needed for families.
Starting next week, the Secretary of State will chair regular roundtables with the new taskforce – with the first priority to agree its Terms of Reference.
The taskforce will also address recent developments in maternity and neonatal care, including recommendations from the Thirlwall Inquiry, and the independent review into maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust.
📢 National maternity and neonatal investigation to be launched
Too many families have suffered preventable harm.
The investigation will urgently look at services with specific issues and the entire maternity system, making sure each family receives safe and compassionate care. pic.twitter.com/J8XkwGM9dN
— Department of Health and Social Care (@DHSCgovuk) June 23, 2025
The taskforce will also be supported by a wider range of experts – as part of ‘expert reference groups’ – that the Government says will bring ‘a broader range’ of perspectives.
“Every woman and baby deserve safe, compassionate care during pregnancy and birth, and the very best start in life,” commented Duncan Burton, who is the Chief Nursing Officer for England.
“Although NHS maternity and neonatal teams work incredibly hard to support women and families every day, we know there is more we must urgently do to improve care and experience.
“I look forward to working with members of the taskforce to improve safety and deliver the best possible outcomes and experience for women, babies, families, and colleagues working in these services.”
Featured Image – Credit: Aditya Romansa (via Unsplash)
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Manchester Piccadilly is closing AGAIN for more improvement works this weekend
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Piccadilly is set to close again for more improvement works this weekend.
In case you hadn’t heard, Manchester Piccadilly train station was closed for nine days back in mid-February while a ‘once-in-a-generation upgrade’ was carried out – with very few train services running in or out of the station in the process, and as you’d expect, widespread disruption caused for those travelling around the region.
But thankfully, after many journeys were impacted for those travelling to and from major destinations like Manchester Airport, and on the West Coast Mainline, the station was back up and running at the end of February, with passengers thanked for their patience in the meantime.
Network Rail invested £7.9m into the major upgrade, with the main points of action being to improve tracks, points, and signalling systems on the southern approach to Manchester Piccadilly station.
At the time it was announced that the station had reopened, passengers were alerted to further minor closures in the future, and one of those closures is set to take place this weekend.
🗓️ On 1 & 22 March, we’ll complete follow-up work following our £7.9m track upgrade at Manchester Piccadilly.
🛤️ Morning journeys will be disrupted on those days, with rail replacement buses in operation to keep you moving.
This Sunday (22 March), routine follow-up work will take place to secure the new railway foundation stone through a process called tamping, and this will impact trains until 1pm, so passengers are advised to check online ahead of time if planning to travel.
These upgrades are said to help deliver ‘smoother, more reliable’ journeys for passengers in the future, but during this time, trains from the south and east will not run into Manchester Piccadilly.
All station facilities at Manchester Piccadilly will remain open on the day, including the ticket office, Passenger Assist lounge, toilets, and retail outlets, and Metrolink trams will continue to stop at the station too.
Northern has confirmed that it will continue to run a reduced timetable on services to Liverpool Lime Street, Blackpool North, and Chester.
Danny Jones -
29th November 2024 
