MFI brand to be relaunched through owner VictoriaPlum.com's website

The etailer has added MFI’s bedroom range to its online offer, which has been made available to shoppers from today.

VictoriaPlum.com said there were no plans to relaunch a standalone MFI website, which ceased trading less than a year ago.

Following that decision last July, VictoriaPlum.com said it would not sell the MFI name to avoid it falling into competitors’ hands.

The move effectively spelled the end of a furniture brand that was the market leader in the sector until as recently as 2006, but the MFI name will now return as part of the enlarged VictoriaPlum.com proposition.

MFI was originally formed back in 1964 and grew its portfolio to more than 200 stores across the UK. But the business went bust in 2008 and all its stores ceased trading after it struggled in the wake of intense competition in the sector.

VictoriaPlum.com initially bought the rights to the MFI name in 2011 and said the introduction of the bedroom collection was “just the start of the journey” to expand “into other areas of the home”.

The etailer’s head of trading Jon Crook said: “The team at VictoriaPlum.com has used extensive customer research and market insights to carefully select our MFI range.

“We are really proud of our bedroom furniture and think it is the perfect collection to launch MFI back into the market and help VictoriaPlum.com to further grow as a leading online home retailer.”