Teka has announced its new partnership with chef and television personality James Martin as the appliance brand looks to build awareness and strengthen its connection with UK consumers.
The partnership was officially unveiled at the opening of Midea and Teka’s new Manchester showroom, where Mr Martin joined the company for the launch and took to the kitchen for a live cooking demonstration using Teka appliances.
ERT Editor Will McGill was among those in attendance as Teka revealed details of the partnership and outlined how it plans to work with Mr Martin to increase the brand’s visibility in the UK.
Julia Livett, Head of Marketing at Midea UK, said bringing Mr Martin on board would help Teka increase its brand recognition and credibility as it looks to stand out in a competitive appliance market.
ERT Editor Will McGill with James Martin at the opening of the Midea and Teka showroom August 26 2026.
“I think it’s super important that we find a place for the Teka brand within a very crowded market, and I truly believe that James can help achieve that,” she said.
“We’ve got lots of passion and lots of enthusiasm, but it all hinges on getting consumers to buy into what we’re doing.”
Ms Livett said the TV chef’s involvement would give consumers who may not already be familiar with Teka another reason to engage with the brand.
She explained that the partnership would deliver “brand recognition, brand awareness, but also credibility”, adding “even if you don’t know the Teka brand, by association, we believe consumers will really buy into our proposition.”
The collaboration will go beyond Mr Martin’s appearance at the Manchester launch, with plans for recipes, social media content and further personal appearances.
Ms Livett said this activity would be particularly important in supporting retailers and generating consumer demand for Teka products.
“Putting it into the retail channels, you can do that, but it doesn’t mean it’s going to sell out. People have choices,” she said.
“What we will try and do is help support you to get consumers on board with the products, to fully understand them and to make them desirable. I think that’s in everybody’s best interest.”
At the launch, Mr Martin said consumers are increasingly looking for simplicity in the kitchen rather than being overwhelmed by gadgets and functionality.
“For me, it’s the gadget side of it really,” he added. “People don’t really want all that stuff anymore. It can be too much. If you look at professional kitchens, which often influence what we see in consumers’ homes, they’re increasingly stripped back, without all the unnecessary gadgets.”
He also highlighted the growing confidence of home cooks, driven in part by social media and greater exposure to different cuisines.
“People now are more travelled and they have more access to food around the world,” Mr Martin said. “They’re becoming more confident to cook those foods within their own home.”
Larry Yeun, President of Midea Europe Region, thanked Mr Martin for joining Teka and described the announcement as part of the beginning of the brand’s journey.
He also reiterated Midea’s commitment to growing its presence in the UK and supporting its partners as it develops the Teka brand.
“It can take time to build your brand presence, but I hope you see our commitment to the UK market,” Mr Yeun said.
“We are going to do a lot more things, and we want to be number one, we want to be the best.”
The new partnership will now see Mr Martin work with Teka across a range of consumer-facing activity as the brand looks to increase awareness and encourage more consumers to discover its appliances.
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