Few suppliers of hospitality products go back as far as Samuel Groves. This venerable Birmingham-based manufacturer of kitchen equipment started in 1817, initially making brass candlesticks. By the 1870's, production had expanded to electroplated teapots and trays and it started toe a significant exporter in the 1910's. Henry Groves was the last family owner when in 1917 Samuel Groves was registered as a Limited Company. Moving to Musgrave Street, Hockley Birmingham in 1921. The big take-off into catering supply came during the Second World War when Samuel Groves won a major government contract and gained a major boost from the introduction of the Mermaid brand at the beginning of the 1950's, Molly the Mermaid had first appeared in the 1920's. The MD of the time saw a statue of a little mermaid in an antique shop and brought her back to Birmingham where she took up residence in the foyer of the factory. Her likeness has since proved an enduring logo. The move into larger premises in Norton Street, Birmingham in 1965 enabled the Company to expand its interests in cookware, bakeware, holloware and utensils. Henry Groves 1862-1936, third generation in the family firm was listed in the 1881 census as having the occupation of metal spinner, a process we still use at Samuel Groves today. Product innovation has not, however, been at the expense of the Company's traditional manufacturing ethos, even though the market and indeed cooking practices have evolved over the years, Samuel Groves quality and processes have remained constant. We are traditional manufacturers and every product is still hand-finished.
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