A Stoke-on-Trent party supplies business is expanding into the US after carving out a niche providing products for Ramadan, Eid and other cultural celebrations.
Hanley-based Peacock Supplies, founded by Sarah Gulfraz in 2013, has grown from a specialist online retailer into an international business supplying nearly 1,000 products ranging from Eid decorations to confectionery and handmade Ramadan calendars.
The company, which employs six permanent staff in Stoke-on-Trent and takes on an additional 15 workers during peak trading periods, is now partnering with a third-party warehouse in New Jersey to support growing demand in the American market.
Sarah said the US had become the company’s second-largest customer base after the UK.
She said: “We’ve been building our domestic presence there for some time, so it made sense to expand our offering to accommodate our supply deliveries and customer returns.”
Peacock Supplies was launched after Sarah struggled to find themed products for Ramadan, Eid, Umrah and other celebrations despite millions of households across the UK marking the occasions each year.
The business has since expanded into supermarkets and department stores including Morrisons and TK Maxx in the UK and Europe.
However, Sarah said increased competition from larger brands entering the market had made it more difficult to secure shelf space.
She said: “I don’t mind competition. It’s healthy. But spending years building up demand, showing supermarkets and department stores that there is a market for these products and then getting beaten by the big guys on price – it’s frustrating.”
The company recently joined online marketplace Temu as part of efforts to reach more customers directly, listing around 300 products on the platform. Their first order came within 24 hours of listing.
Alongside decorations and tableware, Peacock Supplies has also invested in an on-site commercial kitchen at its Stoke-on-Trent warehouse to produce sweets and chocolates for weddings, baby showers and other celebrations.
The company has diversified further by developing its own third-party logistics operation, handling storage and fulfilment for more than 40 e-commerce businesses, which means that Peacock Supplies has a consistent revenue stream alongside spikes in demand during the year.
Sarah said understanding the cultural significance of different celebrations had been key to the company’s success.
She said: “Our team of specialists understand the nuances between each cultural celebration. Our passion for honouring them accurately is felt by our customers through the high-quality products we sell.
“Given that the UK is such a diverse place, full of different communities from around the world, there was and continues to be a need for supplies to celebrate these groups. We deliver exactly that with a British influence, which makes us unique.”
