Supreme in talks to acquire Typhoo Tea

CONSUMER goods manufacturer and wholesaler Supreme Plc last week confirmed that it is participating in a “process regarding the potential acquisition” of Typhoo Tea, which has fallen into administration on Wednesday.

“Whilst discussions with the administrators are now at an advanced stage, there can be no certainty that the potential acquisition will be completed,” Supreme added in a regulatory filing.

Typhoo Tea has filed a notice to appoint administrators earlier this month, allowing the company temporary protection from creditors while exploring options to address their debts.

Asian entrepreneur Sandeep Chadha, commonly known as Sandy, is the CEO of Supreme Plc, a company that has generated substantial revenue through the manufacturing and distribution of vaping products.

Manchester-based Supreme supplies products across categories including batteries, lighting, vaping, sports nutrition and wellness, and soft drinks.

It is the master distributor for two leading vaping brands - Elf Bar and Lost Mary.

Supreme’s strong track record in the vape sector with its distribution network and com-

pliance capabilities put the company in prime position to leverage deals with other manufac-

turers. Supreme’s 88Vape brand is a major player in the sector.

In addition to distributing globally recognised battery brands such as Duracell, Energizer and Panasonic, Supreme also supplies lighting products exclusively under the Energizer, Eveready, Black & Decker, and JCB licences across 41 countries.

Supreme has also developed brands in-house and is rapidly expanding its footprint in

Sports Nutrition and Wellness through its principal brands, SCI-MX and Battle Bites.

The nutrition brands, including Sealions and Protein Dynamix, have an online presence and

can be found in many high street discount stores and other retailers across the country.

The company has recently expanded into the soft drinks market with the acquisition of Clearly Drinks, adding established brands such as Perfectly Clear and Northumbria Spring to its portfolio.

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 reports, 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.