What Surrey Ceramic does

Surrey Ceramic Company Limited (trading as Surrey Ceramics and locally known as Grayshott Pottery) is a UK-based handmade stoneware tableware manufacturer founded in 1956 and headquartered in Grayshott, Hindhead, Surrey. The company designs, throws, fires and finishes catering tableware for the hospitality sector, offering over 200 product shapes combinable with more than 30 glaze finishes (including signature reactive glazes such as Apollo, Halo and Sea Spray, plus the 2023 launches Forest and Tuscany) through a 'pick and mix' customization model. Production is anchored at the Grayshott site, which houses six large kilns firing in excess of 1260°C (one refurbished in March 2023 with heat-reflective veneer technology), hand-checked quality control at every stage, a renovated showroom and a retail emporium with café; all raw materials are sourced from UK or Ireland suppliers.

Surrey Ceramics operates as an Employee Benefit Trust, giving staff a direct interest in the business and supporting extreme workforce longevity (multiple team members averaging 40+ years of service, with joint Managing Directors Chris Greenaway and Glenn Myers having joined straight from school). The company serves a broad mix of enterprise chains (Nando's, Wagamama, Bella Italia across 100+ restaurants, Caffè Nero across 600+ stores, Flight Club, Gail's, YO! Sushi), celebrity-chef and luxury hospitality (Gordon Ramsay's Lucky Cat, Duck & Waffle, Oblix at The Shard, The Ned, Soho House, Gleneagles, D&D London), international hospitality groups (COYA in London, Dubai, Miami and Monaco; Lucky Cat Miami), cultural institutions (Tate London's 'Corner' deli and retail collection) and independents (The Find, Colicci). Bespoke services include custom moulds, impressed and hand-written logo branding, and food-safe tiles for display installations.

The commercial model combines direct B2B sales through showroom consultations and inside sales (phone/email quote-based pricing with no minimum order quantities) with a distributor channel via Jacksons, Continental Chef Supplies (CCS) and Lockhart that brings large chain opportunities. Revenue is generated primarily from one-time bespoke orders, with recurring replacement demand from chain accounts. The company markets through content (blog, case studies, newsletter), LinkedIn, trade shows (HRC) and showroom visits, and has a global footprint via UK hospitality brands expanding internationally (USA, UAE, HKG). Revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

Surrey Ceramic

Legal name

Surrey Ceramic Company Limited

Website

https://surreyceramics.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Surrey Ceramics is a 1956-founded UK handmade stoneware tableware manufacturer, Employee Benefit Trust-owned, supplying bespoke and custom-glazed crockery to restaurants, hotels, cafés and chains (Nando's, Bella Italia, Caffè Nero, Tate London, Gleneagles) via direct showroom sales and UK catering distributors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Hindhead

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Catering Tableware Sales: One-time sale of bespoke stoneware tableware to restaurants, hotels, and cafes. Products ordered per piece with no minimum quantities. Revenue generated from initial product orders with replacement orders as needed.
2. Bespoke/Custom Orders: Custom-designed tableware solutions created to client specifications including bespoke moulds, logo application, and unique glaze combinations.
3. Retail Pottery: Thriving retail pottery business including an extensive emporium and café operating alongside commercial operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Surrey Ceramic manufactures handmade stoneware catering tableware for the hospitality sector, combining traditional pottery techniques with modern manufacturing. The company offers over 200 product shapes that can be matched with any of 30+ glaze finishes, allowing restaurants, hotels, and cafes to create bespoke, customizable tableware solutions. Production occurs at the Grayshott, Surrey facility using six large kilns fired at temperatures exceeding 1260 degrees, with no minimum order quantities.

Product overview

Surrey Ceramic is a handmade stoneware tableware manufacturer founded in 1956, operating from Grayshott, Surrey as an Employee Benefit Trust. The company offers a core tableware range of over 200 shapes combined with over 30 glaze finishes (Forest, Tuscany, Nirvana, Delhi Black, Soho, Jasper, Apollo, Halo, etc.) through a 'pick and mix' customization approach. Bespoke services include custom moulds, logos, and branding for restaurants seeking unique presentation. Coffee cups come in five sizes (Espresso through Latte), specialty shapes include irregular bowls, carafes, and oil dishes, and food-safe tiles are produced for display installations. The company serves both independent restaurants and national chains (Nandos, Wagamama, Bella Italia, COYA), celebrity chefs (Gordon Ramsay, Nathan Outlaw), and luxury hotels (The Ned, Gleneagles). No minimum order quantities and samples available.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Restaurant Tableware

Quantifiable outcome

• Supplied over 6,590 bespoke tiles to Caffè Nero across 600+ stores
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers22 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• ColiccicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025Family-run café operator grown from single ice cream van to 30+ cafés and restaurants across London's parks. Partnership aligned through shared values as Surrey Ceramics is also an Employee Benefit Trust. Colicci transitioned to Surrey Ceramics tableware for locally sourced, UK manufactured crockery.
• Tate LondonflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2024Tate Modern's new deli concept 'Corner' uses Surrey Ceramics tableware. Additionally, Tate retails a collection of Surrey Ceramics Delhi Black tableware in their shops and online. Partnership includes shared logo on retailed products.
• JacksonscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJacksons has been supplying the catering and hospitality sector and brought Thai Square to Surrey Ceramics for new tableware. Ongoing distributor relationship facilitating client introductions.
• Continental Chef Supplies (CCS)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIntroduced Gleneagles Dormy Restaurant to Surrey Ceramics. Scotland area account manager Mike Conte facilitated the relationship resulting in large order.
• LockhartminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCatering distributor that facilitated supply relationship with Wagamama.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Spode: Historic English pottery and tableware maker (part of Portmeirion Group) producing traditional and contemporary tableware for retail and hospitality. Comparable heritage UK ceramics manufacturer with overlapping product category.
• Royal Doulton (Fiskars Group): Heritage English tableware brand (now under Fiskars alongside Wedgwood) producing bone china and porcelain for hospitality and retail. Comparable UK heritage tableware manufacturer with hospitality segment presence but part of a large multinational group.
• Wedgwood (Fiskars Group): Iconic UK heritage tableware brand now part of Fiskars Group. Produces premium and hospitality tableware using traditional and modern techniques — comparable UK pottery heritage and premium hospitality positioning, but operates as part of a broader global portfolio.
• Libbey (Tablecraft): Large US-based tableware and foodservice glassware/ceramics manufacturer with global hospitality distribution. Operates at much higher volume and broader product breadth, but competes in the same hospitality tableware procurement space.
• Villeroy & Boch: Major European tableware and ceramics group producing hotel and restaurant porcelain at scale. A broader incumbent offering standardized and bespoke hospitality tableware globally, with stronger scale and brand recognition but less artisanal specialization.

Direct peers

• Churchill China: UK-listed ceramics manufacturer specializing in tableware for the hospitality and foodservice sectors. Produces high-volume and bespoke tableware solutions for hotels, restaurants, and catering — direct overlap in product, customer, and geography.
• Steelite International: UK-based manufacturer of tableware for the hospitality industry, producing ceramic and porcelain dinnerware for hotels, restaurants, and catering. Direct competitor in the B2B hospitality ceramics space with overlapping customer base including major chains.
• Denby Pottery: UK-based pottery manufacturer with heritage dating to 1809, producing stoneware tableware for both consumer and hospitality markets. Comparable handmade stoneware production techniques, UK manufacturing base, and customisation capability for hospitality clients.
• Portmeirion Group: UK-listed pottery and tableware group owning brands including Portmeirion, Spode, and Royal Worcester. Operates in hospitality tableware and consumer ceramics with comparable UK manufacturing heritage and hospitality customer base.

Regional players

• Maxwell & Williams: Australian-based tableware brand producing porcelain and stoneware for hospitality and retail. Comparable handmade stoneware production and customization capability, but serves different primary geography than the UK-focused Surrey Ceramics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/surrey-ceramics
• Xx.com/Surrey_Ceramics
• Facebookfacebook.com/SurreyCeramicsUK

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Surrey Ceramic