For twelve years, Steph Buttery worked in the Royal Navy as an officer. As part of her job, she toured the world and, whilst stationed over in Japan, fell in love with the country’s food and drink culture.
After returning home and being unable to get her hands on the favourites she’d become accustomed to, she set out to create her own Japanese-inspired sour soft drink brand here in the UK – facing some trials and tribulations, including a global pandemic that drew her back into service, along the way.
Today, her products are stocked up and down the country in Yo Sushi! and at a number of different eateries here in Manchester, such as Cocktail Beer Ramen + Bun, Affleck’s Palace and FanBoy 3, but it hasn’t been an easy journey to get there.
“It all began when I travelled with the British Royal Navy to Tokyo where I tasted the hugely popular alcoholic drink Chūhai,” said Steph.
“I loved the taste but back in England there was nothing on the market quite like it and shipping the drink from Japan was out of the question.
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“So I set to work making the drink for myself an authentic-tasting, alcohol-free, sour fruit soft drink.”
Just when things were starting to come together for her business, the pandemic hit – leaving restaurants and stores to shut their doors as the country went into lockdown. Still, she wouldn’t let that deter her.
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But that was not the only challenge. As 95% of her business dried up overnight, to add more into the mix Steph found herself being reposted back to her previous role in the Royal Navy.
Image: Chu Lo Drinks
Whilst working as part of a military effort to ensure that lifesaving PPE could reach those in the NHS frontline who need it most, she hit upon another way to support staff working all day and night in the battle against the virus.
Already assisting the Department of Health in London in her capacity as a Navy office, she also donated 20,000 Chu Lo drinks to London NHS staff during the pandemic – having been inspired by similar donations of food by Wasabi and Bento‘s donation of 500 meals a day to NHS staff.
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At the time she said: “Naturally, while working in the Department of Health, the Chu Lo Drinks business must take a back seat.
20,000 drinks were donated to NHS staff during the height of the pandemic. / Image: Chu Lo
“Having Wasabi agree to this partnership means that Chu Lo soft drinks can do their bit towards lifting the spirits of those heroes on the frontline dealing with the worst of this crisis.
“If Chu Lo drinks can help bring a smile to those most affected during this difficult time, it will have been worth it.”
Having seen huge success already in just a few short years, Steph also recently joined Gordon Ramsay on the very first BBC series of his Apprentice-style food show, Gordon’s Future Food Stars, taking on weekly cookery and business-led challenges battling it out against other entrepreneurs.
Image: Chu Lo Drinks
Read more:Manchester entrepreneur to appear on Gordon Ramsay’s new Apprentice-style TV show
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Her Chu Lo drinks are currently available in four different sour flavours – lemon, peach, apple, and cherry – and they’re well worth seeking out.
Made using real fruit juice, the super-sour soda is low in sugar, alcohol and gluten-free, and vegan-friendly,
Find them at a range of restaurants in Manchester, or online via the Chu Lo store.
Feature image – Chu Lo
News
Beloved Manchester artist Stanley Chow slams Conservative Party for using his artwork
Daisy Jackson
Celebrated local artist Stanley Chow has lashed out at the Conservative Party.
The illustrator, who is famed for his cartoon portraits of famous faces, has discovered that the political party have been using his Andy Burnham illustration at their party conference.
Publicly addressing the usage, Stanley said he would be ‘seeking legal advice’.
He shared a photo of his Andy Burnham portrait that has been placed onto a water bottle with the slogan ‘Bottler Burnham’.
The label also says: “0% strength. Bottled under pressure from Badenoch.”
In another photo, Stanley Chow revealed that the Tory party conference has used his Andy Burnham portrait on pots of sweets, too.
This time, they say: “Andy Panders’ people pleaser pick n mix. Free sweets for everyone, it will only cost you higher taxes.”
Stanley wrote: “It seems like @conservatives have been using my artwork without my permission at their conference party…
“Regardless of whatever your political allegiances are, it’s still copyright infringement… I’ll be seeking legal advice.”
Backing him up in the comments are a number of other local artists, including Mancsy, who said: “As well as the copyright infringement, I expect more of political parties than making gags at the expense of the opposition. It’s alarming on multiple levels.”
Someone else wrote: “Imagine calling a prime minister a people pleaser like it’s an insult… when it’s their job.”
Another person said: “How does that even happen?! Layers of people signing off who go, ‘Sure, let’s not worry about copyright’ (people who’ve presumably never step foot in MCR and seen your artwork, like EVERYWHERE). Drag em, babe. Copyright and reputation, surely.”
Manchester man jailed after sexually assaulting and masturbating in front of woman on train
Emily Sergeant
A man has been jailed after sexually assaulting and masturbating in front of a woman on board a train to Manchester.
Following an extensive British Transport Police (BTP) investigation, Nisan Fernando Kurukulasuriya, of Troutbeck Road in Altrincham, was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court last month.
At the trail last month, the court heard how, on Monday 20 April 2026, 39-year-old Kurukulasuriya was on a train from Stoke to Manchester and sat next to a woman he didn’t know, who was on the phone.
He then sexually assaulted her repeatedly, doing so again even after being pushed away by the woman.
The woman then noticed that Kurukulasuriya had exposed himself and was masturbating in front of her. She shouted at him, and in response, he stood up and ran away to leave the train – but the woman immediately got up to report the incident to staff.
When the train arrived at Manchester Piccadilly, the woman alerted a member of staff while Kurukulasuriya was stood only a few meters away, and BTP were subsequently called straight away.
Police quickly attended and arrested Kurukulasuriya.
When police interviewed him, Kurukulasuriya showed no remorse for his actions and refused to answer any questions put to him.
After pleading guilty to Sexual Assault and Outraging Public Decency at a previous court hearing, Kurukulasuriya was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment, and was also handed a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) which will bar him from sitting next to any woman he doesn’t know on public transport, as well as being put on thensex offenders register for 10 years.
BTP Detective Sergeant, Mark Haviland, called Kurukulasuriya a ‘despicable man’ who targeted a woman travelling alone ‘for his own sick sexual gratification’.
Georgina Pellant -
22nd April 2022 
