International Tea Day

IT’S ALWAYS TIME FOR A TEA!

We make no secret of the fact we’re super proud of our tea range! Of course, we’re a little bit biased, but we’re here today to give you SIX reasons why our tea is the best of the best!

INTERNATIONAL TEA DAY

FRIDAY 21ST MAY

1The history of fair trade tea in the UK dates back to 1979, when WE imported

the very first fair trade cuppa

into the country. Being the first to import and sell fair trade tea, we proved that people were keen to pay a premium to make sure the producers had a better deal. Even in the 1980s, tea tasted all that much better for it. We’re so proud of how far our journey with fair trade tea has come.

2It’s been harvested

by carefully selected,

traditional farmers in East Africa, who are able to provide for their families and communities thanks to the fair wages they receive for their tea leaves. Many of the smallholders that our suppliers work with have farmer-owned factories, which means that they earn better returns for their work. See here to meet some of them for yourselves! Conversely, a lot of non-fair trade tea is produced on large plantations and estates across India, East Africa, and Sri Lanka, and is picked by employed labourers who endure long hours for notoriously low wages. In countries like Kenya and Sri Lanka, most of the tea is grown on smallholder farms, which are often less than half a football pitch in size. These smallholder farmers find it nearly impossible to compete with the large plantations, who always own and control the tea processing facilities which are essential in handling the perishable tea leaf, which has to be processed within 24 hours. In return for their handpicked, garden-grown tea, the smallholders receive low and unstable prices from either the large plantations, or the international broker companies. These growers earn a tiny fraction of the price their tea is sold for on the international market, and frequently end up trapped in a cycle of debt and dependence.

3The full range is Great Taste Award-winning. Did you know Great Taste is the largest and most trusted food and drink accreditation scheme. Only around 2% of products entered each year, receive the highest award of 3 stars.

4Ours is the freshest tea around! How can we guarantee the smooth and fresh taste of our tea? Our secret is Leaf Lock True Taste®, a unique process that locks in the freshness of the tea and specially protects it all the way from origin to pack.

5Blended by experts. We partner with Ringtons’ master blenders to create our everyday ethical brews. Ringtons are based just down the road from our HQ, in Newcastle.

Available in loose leaf, regular teabags and catering packs. 6 Our tea is 100% transparent. By this, we mean that, just like all of our ownbranded goodies, we have published absolutely all of the costs that go into making our tea; from costs of picking, packing, delivering, how much goes back to the farmers and how much profit we make – you can read it all. See more on transparency here.

Which is your favourite brew?

Traidcraft Breakfast Blend Traidcraft Earl Grey Traidcraft Decaffeinated Tea

CANON NICHOLAS KERR  ELLEN FORT  FRANCES ANN BROWN 

'These teabags make the best cup of tea. (Drinking one right now!)'

MISS ROZ HUGHES  'Simply the best brew around. Everyone I introduce to this tea says it’s the best. Great tasting & great value.' 'I buy this for my mum and others, my Mum says that is has a good taste.'

NEIL PIERCY  'Perfect in the afternoon or in the early morning without milk; not too weak which Earl Grey teas can be.' 'This is my favourite tea which I have been drinking for years. It has a strongish but not bitter flavour which is very satisfying. I prefer it to any other decaffeinated tea.'

STEVE MACFARLANE  'Lovely tea and by far the best Fairtrade decaf tea that I have found.'

Have you seen Fairtrade Foundation’s animation, all about tea and why drinking Fairtrade tea is so important? If not, take a look here.

WATCH NOW

Why not accompany your favourite brew with a hand-painted rainbow mug and a biscuit or two!