About Bertrams
Bertrams was the second-largest book wholesaler in the United Kingdom, founded in 1968 by Elsie Bertram and her eldest son Kip with a modest initial investment. Within months of its founding, the company established itself as one of Britain's primary book wholesalers, a position it would maintain for over five decades. At its peak, Bertrams offered 200,000 titles available for same-day dispatch with access to over 13 million books in print. The company's remarkable growth was testament to Elsie Bertram's business acumen. By 1999, when she sold the company for £50 million, Bertrams employed 750 staff and achieved annual turnover of approximately £70 million. The business continued to operate from its Norwich warehouse, serving bookshops, libraries, and retail partners including major UK supermarkets with a comprehensive range of titles from all publishers. In 2018, Aurelius Investments acquired the business, but challenging market conditions led to the company entering administration in June 2020. The drawn-out sale process ultimately ended with administrators Turpin Barker Armstrong confirming bankruptcy. However, the Bertrams legacy continues—Gardners (through parent company The Little Group) acquired the Norwich warehouse assets, maintaining the distribution capacity for UK book retail. Books bearing the Bertrams distribution mark may still appear at UK retailers including Tesco, representing the company's long-standing supply relationships. From beloved children's classics like "The Tiger Who Came to Tea" to bestselling fiction and non-fiction, Bertrams played a vital role in getting books from publishers to readers across Britain for over 50 years.