Organic and Fairtrade pioneer Clipper has been bought for an undisclosed sum by Wessanen, owner of market leading grocery and health brands.
Clipper will be integrated into the UK businesses of Wessanen which includes Kallo Foods Ltd, owner of the Kallo and Whole Earth brands.
Established in 1984, Clipper has been an innovator in the hot drinks market for the last 25 years, leading the way in Green, White and Organic teas and Infusions. Clipper was the first tea in the UK to carry the Fairtrade mark and is the UK’s number one Fairtrade Tea brand and is the fastest growing everyday Tea brand, with reported turnover of £16 million.
Patrick Cairns CEO of Wessanen UK comments: “Clipper is a very exciting addition to the Wessanen brand portfolio. It has huge growth potential both here and internationally, having already established itself as the UK’s favourite organic and Fairtrade Tea brand and there are real synergies between our portfolio of products.
“Wessanen has always provided a nurturing envionrment for specialist natural and organic brands and this new acquisition takes us further towards our ambition of having the most desired organic brands in Europe. We very much admire what the team at Clipper have achieved and want to build on this, invest in the brand and manufacturing capability.”
