Tiger Feet, the UK’s largest wholesaler of greeting cards, balloons, party supplies, stationery, giftware and toys, has filed a Notice of Intention to appoint administrators. The filing gives the company a short statutory period in which to explore options for securing future funding, according to a statement from chief executive Andy Dodwell.
Dodwell said the notice provides a limited statutory window to examine ways to secure the business’s future funding. He added that the directors, together with their professional advisers, are assessing all available options. The company said no administrators have yet been appointed and that it is continuing to trade as normal while the process is under way.
For suppliers, the notice signals that the wholesaler is examining its funding position, but it does not by itself confirm a change in ownership or operations. The company said the business is continuing to trade normally while the process runs.
The notice comes less than six months after Tiger Feet opened a new headquarters and flagship branch in Manchester. The company also introduced a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) system intended to help operations run more smoothly.
Tiger Feet was founded in 1984 as Budget Greeting Cards by Paul Lavery, who was later joined by his brother Martin. Investment group Ardenton Capital has been an investor since 2019 and is now the majority shareholder.
In March 2024, BGC acquired the trade and assets of Paul White Ltd and Tiger Feet Party Ltd, which traded as Tiger Feet Direct. Five months later, BGC Wholesale and Paul White Gateshead merged, and the business was rebranded as Tiger Feet.
The wholesaler currently operates from seven branches: Manchester, Bradford, Birmingham, Nottingham, Gateshead, Belfast and Dublin. Its Bristol branch closed a few months ago.
Alongside publishing its own greeting cards, Tiger Feet is a significant distributor to several wholesale greeting card publishers. Its range also includes party supplies, stationery, giftware and toys, which it supplies through its wholesale operation.
The filing leaves open which funding or restructuring route the company will pursue. The statement did not identify a preferred option or set out a timetable beyond the statutory period. The company has stressed that the notice is separate from the appointment of administrators and that trading continues while the statutory period runs.
Tiger Feet’s network and product range make it a notable participant in the UK greeting-card and party-goods supply chain. The outcome of the statutory process will determine how the business addresses its funding needs and what structure it takes forward.