A defiant message from the Tees Valley business bosses who have £400,000 of stock stuck on the Ever Given

Two entrepreneurs with a multi-million pound business have reassured customers after they found themselves caught up in a worldwide shipping story.
By Chris Cordner
Published 20th Apr 2021, 17:24 BST
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Jack Griffiths and Joel Pierre, both from Billingham, are the founders of the luxury loungewear company Snuggy, which turned over more than £1 million in its first 12 months.

But Snuggy has hit a hurdle. The firm has two containers with stock worth more than £400,000 on the Ever Given - the ship which was stuck in the Suez Canal, said Jack.

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Although the ship has since been freed, it is embroiled in a dispute over compensation, he told the Mail.

A message of reassurance from Jack Griffiths and Joel Pierre, co-owners of Snuggy.A message of reassurance from Jack Griffiths and Joel Pierre, co-owners of Snuggy.
A message of reassurance from Jack Griffiths and Joel Pierre, co-owners of Snuggy.

Snuggy, meanwhile, has around 8,000 of its product on board the container ship and bosses don’t know when they will get it back.

Jack issued a message of reassurance to customers when he spoke to the Hartlepool Mail today.

“We are still operating as usual and we have made things happen at our cost,” he said. “We have had to pay out for new stock to be shipped by air.”

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Jack added: “We have had to order more stock and we are still fulfilling orders.”

Joel Pierre and Jack Griffiths, the owners of Snuggy.Joel Pierre and Jack Griffiths, the owners of Snuggy.
Joel Pierre and Jack Griffiths, the owners of Snuggy.

The stock on board the Ever Given is the ‘biggest order we have ever placed since we started,” said Jack.

He described the setback as ‘one of the many hurdles we have had to face. This is not one we expected but there are ways around it. We are insured for it. It is not ideal.”

Snuggy has celebrity customers such as such as Geordie Shore and Celebs Go Dating star Chloe Ferry, TOWIE veteran Amy Childs and Love Island winners Cara De La Hoyde and Nathan Massay.

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Despite only being in their 20s, Jack and Joel aren’t new to running businesses, from selling hot tubs and car fragrances to selling various items on Amazon and eBay.

Jack and Joel as youngsters.Jack and Joel as youngsters.
Jack and Joel as youngsters.

“When we were 18 we went on our first lads holiday to Magaluf,” Jack added. “While everyone else was partying and drinking, Joel and I started working selling tickets to boat parties.”

But since returning to UK soil, both men have launched and grown several companies before settling with Snuggy.

The firm originally started in Billingham in 2019 before expanding and moving to Portrack Lane in Stockton last October.

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The Snuggy which has become a huge hit. It sold 5,000 items in its first three months alone.The Snuggy which has become a huge hit. It sold 5,000 items in its first three months alone.
The Snuggy which has become a huge hit. It sold 5,000 items in its first three months alone.

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Related topics:BillinghamHartlepool Mail