Jamie Oliver, fresh from landing in the Rich List published by The Sunday Times, has added to his estimated £40 million fortune by setting up a licensing deal with Churchill China.

The rights previously belonged to Royal Worcester, the china maker, which entered administration last November. But yesterday it emerged that Churchill — based, like Royal Worcester, in Stoke-on-Trent — has snapped up the rights to produce Jamie Oliver-branded crockery. The move came as Portmeirion, the pottery company famed for its botanical range, acquired the Royal Worcester and Spode brands for £3.2 million.

Mr Oliver, who licenses rights through his Fresh Retail vehicle, has earned his fortune through cookery books and popular television shows, including The Naked Chef and Jamie's School Dinners, which triggered a national campaign to improve canteen standards.

A spokesman for Mr Oliver said: “We're delighted to be working with Churchill.” He would not be drawn on the fee attached to the deal.

A spokesman for Churchill said: “The plan is developing branded ceramics for mid-market and mass market in the UK and to export. Some will be manufactured in Stoke and Jamie will be involved in the design process.”

Dick Steele, the chairman of Portmeirion, hailed an “historic” moment for the company, which was founded 49 years ago in the village of the same name in North Wales.

“We've only ever made one acquisition before. These are really great brand names, with great histories. Without Spode the Younger, we wouldn't have had bone china when we did. Technically, he was an absolute giant.

“We have got worldwide distribution. We can take these brands and market them properly.”

The patterns that Portmeirion has acquired include Blue Italian, Christmas Tree and Evesham. Portmeirion, which is listed on AIM, said that the purchase would generate at least £7 million of additional sales in the remaining eight months of the financial year and £12 million every year after that.

Portmeirion shares soared 35p, or 21 per cent, to 205p.

Royal Worcester fell into administration in November and was followed in January by Wedgwood, the pottery maker that was part of Tony O'Reilly's Waterford Wedgwood. The downfall of such famous companies threw the Stoke-based industry into crisis.

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