Press Release:
Liverpool City Region based Stratton Tea UK has secured £100,000 in funding from the River Capital managed Business Growth Loan Fund helping to support the company’s continued growth and expansion.
The loan marks a second round of funding from River Capital following an initial £100,000 investment through the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund (NPIF) in June 2023.
Founded in 2022 by industry veteran Razi Khan, Stratton Tea specialises in sourcing, blending and trading premium teas, coffees and spices. Since receiving River Capital’s initial NPIF investment last year, the company has experienced impressive growth, expanding its team from one person to four and achieving over £700,000 in revenues in its first year.
This growth experienced over the past 12 months has been supported by the introduction of Saif Servaia as a shareholder and he has brought extensive experience from a number of roles including Managing Director for White Cliff Tea, Tata Consumer Products Ltd’s largest contract packer in India.
The latest investment will support the company’s growth into the consumer retail market alongside its existing B2B trading operations providing vital working capital and support of marketing initiatives. The funds will also enable the company to fulfil new export contracts and customer orders as Stratton Tea expands into new global markets including China, Europe and the Middle East.
In securing the funding, Razi acknowledged the support provided by the LCR Finance Hub who proved invaluable in assisting Stratton Tea in preparing their financial projections and documentation, which helped secure the investment.
Due to the growth of the business, future plans include leveraging its strategic location near the Port of Liverpool to establish a manufacturing facility in the local freeport area, creating new jobs as it scales its consumer operations over time.
Sue Chambers, Investment Manager at River Capital. “We are delighted to continue our support of Stratton Tea and Razi Khan with this additional £100,000 investment,” “Razi has built an outstanding business leveraging his 25 years of expertise in the tea industry and this funding will allow Stratton Tea to capitalise on its growth opportunities while creating new jobs in the Liverpool region.”
Razi Khan, Managing Director of Stratton Tea, added “This new Business Growth Loan from River Capital provides us with the working capital needed to drive our ambitious growth plans. With strong sales pipelines and new markets opening up, we are well-positioned to build on our successful first year. We appreciate River Capital’s continued partnership and confidence in our business.”
ENDS