NEWS ESG agrees license with TV Chef Matt Tebbutt E


urosonic Group (ESG) has agreed a collaborative license with TV Chef Matt


Tebbutt to develop a cookware range for Autumn 2026. The brand has said it has


plans to provide a first glimpse of the range, which includes pans, cookware and utensils, at Exclusively Housewares – which takes place on June 9-10 at The Business Design Centre, in London. Mr Tebbutt commented: “It has been a great pleasure working closely together with the ESG and PROCHEF team to develop a


range I am very proud of. It has always been an ambition of mine to create something special in the housewares market and I am so pleased to see these innovative products being brought to market.” Mr Tebbutt is a trained chef and author of several cookbooks, and is also well known to millions as a TV presenter having hosted Saturday Kitchen for the last 10 years. He’s also been a regular presenter on Channel 4’s Food Unwrapped and it was announced in September 2025 that he would be a judge on MasterChef: The Professionals. ESG CEO, Harpreet Chadha, added: “We felt Matt represented


the perfect fit for the PROCHEF brand and his attention to product detail and passion in the kitchen, enabled us to bring these two exciting brands together and partner in delivering inspiring products to a wider audience”.


‘All good things come to an end even Smiths of Loughton’


The independent kitchenware and gift shop, run by brothers David and Michael Smith, has announced that it will cease trading after 42 years serving the local community. In a farewell message to customers on Instagram, the Owners said the decision marks the end of a long and much-loved chapter for the family business, which has helped generations of shoppers fill their cupboards, dress their tables and find those all-important last- minute gifts. “It’s been our absolute pleasure to serve the good people of


A


Loughton and beyond,” they said. “Over the years we’ve supplied countless kitchens, wrapped thousands of presents and, we hope, saved a few forgotten birthdays along the way.” The store has become known not just for its cookware, tableware and gifts, but also for the atmosphere inside – where conversations were as common as purchases. “We’ll miss the chats, the laughs and the unmistakable sound of a bone china mug being dropped, followed by someone insisting it


fter more than four decades at the heart of Loughton’s high street, Smiths of Loughton is preparing to close its doors for the final time.


definitely wasn’t them,” the Owners joked.


Looking back


over the shop’s history, David and Michael paid tribute to their parents, who founded the family business in 1968 after taking a major leap of faith. “They sold their home and car to start it all in Bishop’s Stortford. Without them none of this would have happened,” they said. The brothers also shared a light-hearted thank you to a particularly


memorable customer: “And a special thanks to whoever bought that ship in a bottle in 1987 – we still think about you.” Although the shop’s online operations will end, the store itself will continue trading for a little while longer, giving loyal customers the chance to visit before the final goodbye.


Theo Paphitis steps up to CEO hotseat at Robert Dyas R 4 |


etail entrepreneur and former Dragons’ Den star Theo Paphitis has stepped in as interim chief executive of Robert Dyas as the home and hardware retailer navigates what he described as “testing times”. Mr Paphitis, who acquired the business for £10m in 2012, has taken on the leadership role in a bid to refocus the company’s strategy and return the retailer to profitability.


The high street chain, known for its mix of home improvement


products, electrical appliances and household essentials, has faced growing pressures in recent years as shifting consumer habits and the ongoing challenges of the high street continue to impact retail performance.


Speaking about his increased involvement in the business, Mr


Paphitis said he had stepped in last summer to help guide the company through a difficult trading period. “Robert Dyas has had a more testing time and at the end of last


summer, I increased my direct involvement in the brand, taking up the role of interim CEO to steady the ship and refocus the strategic direction within the brand, as I have with other brands in my group over the years,” he said.


February/March 2026 housewareslive.net


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