Typhoo facts for kids
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Former Typhoo tea factory in Moreton, Merseyside
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| Owner | Supreme Imports |
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| Introduced | 1903 |
| Previous owners | Schweppes (1968) Cadbury Schweppes (1969–1986) Premier Brands (1986–1990) Premier Foods (1990–2005) Apeejay Surrendra Group (2005–2021) Zetland Capital (2021–2024) Supreme Imports (2024-) |
Typhoo (sometimes called Ty•Phoo) is a very well-known brand of tea in the United Kingdom. It was started in 1903 by John Sumner Jr. in Birmingham, England. Even though Typhoo makes a lot of tea, including for many supermarket brands, it was ranked 5th in sales volume in the UK in 2022.
Contents
The Story of Typhoo Tea
How It All Began
The story of Typhoo tea began in 1863. That year, William Sumner wrote a book about tea. Later, in 1870, William and his son John Sumner opened a shop in Birmingham. It was both a pharmacy and a grocery store.
A New Kind of Tea
In the early 1900s, William's grandson, John Sumner Jr., took over the family business. His sister told him how calming tea fannings (small pieces of tea leaves) could be. This gave John Jr. an idea. In 1903, he decided to create a new type of tea to sell in his shop.
John Jr. had clear rules for his new tea brand:
- The name had to be special and different.
- It needed to be easy to say.
- It had to be a name that could be officially protected.
He chose the name Typhoo. This name comes from the Mandarin Chinese word for "doctor" (Chinese: 大夫; pinyin: dàifū).
Growing Bigger
Typhoo started making tea bags in 1967. This made it much easier for people to make tea. In 1968, Typhoo joined with a company called Schweppes. The next year, Schweppes then joined with Cadbury to form Cadbury Schweppes.
In 1978, the tea production moved from Birmingham to Moreton in Merseyside. This new factory was also near other food factories.
In 1986, Cadbury Schweppes sold Typhoo. They wanted to focus on their main products. Typhoo was then bought by its managers, who created a new company called Premier Brands. This company quickly bought other tea companies. In 1990, Premier Brands was bought by Premier Foods.
Recent Times
In October 2005, an Indian company called Apeejay Surrendra Group bought Typhoo for £80 million. They created The Typhoo Tea Company. The tea continued to be made at the Moreton factory.
Around 2018, Typhoo Tea faced some tough times. The cost of materials went up, and their profits dropped. In early 2020, the company suggested reducing jobs at its factory to help the business. They faced challenges from the changing market.
In 2021, a British investment company called Zetland Capital bought Typhoo.
In March 2023, Typhoo announced it would close its Moreton factory. They decided to have other companies make their tea instead. In August 2023, people broke into the factory and caused a lot of damage. This made it hard for Typhoo to send out tea orders. The factory was sold in June 2024 for a lower price because of the damage.
In November 2024, Typhoo faced more difficulties and went into a process called administration. This happens when a company has financial problems. In December 2024, Typhoo Tea was bought by Supreme, a company based in Manchester.
Sponsoring Sports
In 2012, Typhoo became the main sponsor for St. Helens Rugby league club. This team plays in the Super League.
Famous Slogans
Typhoo is well-known in Britain for its catchy TV advertisements and jingles. Some of their famous slogans include:
- Putting 'T' back into Britain
- There's only one 'T' in Typhoo
- You only get an 'OO' with Typhoo
- For the tea that picks you up, pick up Typhoo
- Making good tea since 1903
- Typhoo Tea - two thumbs fresh
- Great British tea since 1903
