Stoke-on-Trent pottery firm Emma Bridgewater signs deal with Starbucks
GLOBAL coffee giant Starbucks has signed an 'exciting' deal to sell thousands of specially-designed mugs made by a Stoke-on-Trent pottery firm.
The 6,000 red, white and blue British-themed mugs have been designed by Emma Bridgewater to tie in with the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics
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![Emma_Bridgewater_Starbucks[1]](http://legacymedia.localworld.co.uk/275796/Article/images/16217965/3823576.png)
Creative designers from Emma Bridgewater show off the mugs
They are being sold at 100 Starbucks outlets in the London area – as well as at the firm's Potteries Shopping Centre cafe.
Now the two companies are hoping to link up for other projects which could also see more jobs created at Emma Bridgewater's Hanley factory.
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News of the deal comes as Starbucks is also reviewing its entire supply chain with a view to buying more products from other Stoke-on-Trent pottery manufacturers.
Each limited-edition mug costs £19.95.
Company owner Emma said: "This deal is for a few thousand mugs initially which is not to be sniffed at, but potentially it could be the start of something bigger.
"I really hope we can pull it off but if Starbucks places an enormous order with another factory in Stoke-on-Trent, such as Dudson, Steelite, or Churchill, that would be the next best thing."
Starbucks UK and Ireland managing director Kris Engskov said: "What I love about Emma is that she is taking something so precious to Stoke-on-Trent and promoting it so passionately. "That was something we could identify with so I called her up, simple as that.
"We've never done anything like this in the UK before, but we saw it as a great opportunity to focus on British craftsmanship at a time when thousands of people from all over the world are going to be coming here."
Mr Engskov, who visited the Emma Bridgewater factory earlier this month, added: "We are also going to be selling Emma's Union Jack mug in our stores, it's a first-time partnership but we hope it will continue.
"Stoke-on-Trent has a great story and we're proud to be part of that."
The mugs for Starbucks's 'flat white' coffee are already made in Sandyford by Churchill China and Mr Engskov said there could be further opportunities for city manufacturers.
He added: "We are looking at our whole supply chain and seeing what else we can do to source local products."
Stoke-on-Trent Central MP Tristram Hunt said: "Like Starbucks coffee, 'Made in Stoke on Trent' is a global brand signifying quality and craftsmanship. More and more crockery production is coming back to the Potteries and it is great news that Starbucks is leading the way."
Emma Bridgewater has already sold £3.25 million of Diamond Jubilee ware through stockists including high-end retailers such as Harrods. It is on target to sell more than 50,000 mugs for next week's celebrations.
Comments
by RegenMan1
Wednesday, May 30 2012, 6:13PM
“Very good....
.... at self promotion that is.
What happended to the millon sunflowers that we were promised back in March?
Got the free publicity then diddly squat happened on (in?) the ground.”
by MrEneoda
Wednesday, May 30 2012, 9:30AM
“Tonyjohnt - I agree with you about the Poverty Pay issue ... and the German economy - an economy built on high quality, high value engineered products - Siemens, Bosch, Mercedes, BMW etc .... not pretty little bits of clay fashioned by artisans on minimum wage!”
by Tonyjohnt
Wednesday, May 30 2012, 2:00AM
“I think some are missing the point. This isn't something to drink your char out of. It's a commemorative piece. An ornament.
I also take great exception to the notion that poverty pay is how we compete on the world stage. It seems the Germans don't take that attitude but are riding the current storm far better than us.”
by InsiderOut
Wednesday, May 30 2012, 1:16AM
“Is it not true that Stoke-on-Trent City Council let the Emma Bridgwater company use the council's factory at very low rent? Is it only this subsidy that has allowed this company to progress? Good luck to Emma Bridgwater but credit to the council for enabling it!”
by stokemaveric
Tuesday, May 29 2012, 4:21PM
“im all for stoke on trent being promoted as the home of the pottery industry but £20.00 for a mug is a bit steep...isnt this how the decline of the pottery industry started?...and then we had the wares made in the far east where the weekly wage was about £8.00 per week...and the imported mug was 99p instead of a fiver.. i was a '' china dipper'' in the pottery industry and in our line 4 of us ''china dippers'' used to ''dip'' 6,000 pieces a day on average.. 24,000 mugs a day..120,000 pieces a week...week in week out...our company had the disney contract,nescafe contract and other brand names and our company still went to the wall when the buyers found out that it was cheaper to import and it was then redundancy for local.skilled people.. and our mugs werent 20 quid a shot...good luck anyway emma bridgewater...but when starbucks see that they can get the same product 95% cheaper made abroad im afraid it will be ''goodbye'' im not trying to be a doom merchant but they are a global company and cash is king in their eyes..well done tho...for now...”
by Clem51
Tuesday, May 29 2012, 3:48PM
“Problem is, if this becomes a popular item at £19.95, it will attract the Indonesian copiers, who can produce it for 50P, and flood the market! Market Forces and all that...”
by Mr_Jingles
Tuesday, May 29 2012, 2:24PM
“What fantastic news for our great city's companies and local community - well done Emma a truly entrepreneur in this areas pottery manufacturing. City Council I hope that you are taking notes and learning how things should be done. You don't need to stomp up front £40 million quid on a wing and a prayer to make a sound business plan and investment for this city's future prospects.”
by Tonyjohnt
Tuesday, May 29 2012, 2:07PM
“Spot on, MrDAP!”
by mole10
Tuesday, May 29 2012, 12:39PM
“Surely this should be seen as a good news item?
I'd like to see the claim proved true that 'crockery production is returning to S-o-T'
Facts and figures please.”
by MrDAP
Tuesday, May 29 2012, 12:25PM
“Tell you what then snaphappy, let Starbucks take their contract off to Jakarta instead.”