Find out more about the company that supplies our loose leaf teas!
Just before Christmas we installed a brand new shelf at the shop that has allowed us to expand our range of loose leaf teas. We also stock 4 different tea infusers made from stainless steel, perfect for making just one cup at a time, as easily as with a tea bag.
With this expansion, I thought it would be a great time to share more about the teas we stock and the company behind the blends. We're really proud to be working with The Teahouse, who are based in Warwickshire. Not only are they wonderful people, but their knowledge and passion for good tea really shines in the blends they supply to us.
About The Teahouse
Ross and Jinnie founded their family run business in 2005. The Teahouse was born from their shared love of loose leaf tea, specifically looking for whole leaf, high quality blends that are ethically sourced and environmentally friendly.
They journeyed through China, India and Maylaysia before starting their business, forming strong working relationships with the tea estates that they still buy from today. The farmers and growers they work with are members of either The Ethical Tea Partnership or Rainforest Alliance. By building and maintaining these relationships with growers for over 17 years, they are able to purchase tea as soon as it is harvested, including some of the organic teas that we stock at the shop.
From an environmental point of view, many brands use tea bag infused with plastic, the boxes may have plastic liners and most have shrink-wrap around the outside too. The Teahouse supply us with loose leaf tea in paper bags, no plastic in sight. The bags are fully recyclable, but they are also a great size for reuse so we often keep them for other purposes at the shop. Reuse is a value that The Teahouse shares as even the boxes that their deliveries come to us in have been repurposed from other small businesses local to them.
I asked Jinne and Ross why sustainability was such an important part of their business:
"Sustainability has always been important to us. Right from the word go, when we set up the business, over 17 years ago, we used cardboard tubes to pack our teas as well as offering a refill service. The eco packaging industry has grown in the last few years, which has allowed us to switch to recyclable and reusable tins, paper tape, paper bags and we reuse cardboard boxes from local businesses. We also use sea freight for many teas from Asia and it literally is a slow boat from China which means less air miles and less carbon emissions. Don’t forget tea leaves are home compostable making it a very environmentally friendly product!"
I was also curious to know what their proudest moment has been as they've grown their business:
"When we first started in 2005, very few people drank loose leaf teas. Teabags were considered normal but we worked hard to create a business that we were passionate about. A key moment was when we worked with Cath Kidson. They asked us to create 3 loose leaf tea blends for their 20th birthday celebrations, Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, and The Olympics – 40,000 tins of loose leaf teas were hand packed for the UK market."
What Tea Do We Stock?
We currently have 12 blends at the shop, 7 of these teas are organic and 3 are seasonal teas that we will be switching up throughout the year. At the moment, our seasonal teas are a delicate Winter Apple Herbal Tea, aromatic Christmas Cookies Green Tea, and a warming Spiced Orange Black Tea.
In the spring we'll be introducing new herbal blends, including Rhubarb Fizz and a tropical Summer Breeze that both work well as hot drinks, cold brews for iced tea, or to make lollies!
Our core range of teas include the following 9 blends:
From left to right, top to bottom
- Organic Earl Grey Cream Tea
Black tea that has been scented with bergamot creates the Earl Grey. This version has the addition of vanilla to provide a smooth, creamy finish.
- Mighty Minty Herbal Tea
A blend of peppermint and spearmint leaves that are cool and refreshing. Mint tea is often drunk to aid digestion, but its other benefits include clearing clogged sinuses and promoting calmness. The peppermint leaves in this tea are high in essential oils, offering 60% menthol.
- Organic Rooibos Tea
Also known as Red Bush tea, theses leaves are from a South African herb that is naturally caffeine free and high in vitamin C. It also has been show to have 50 times more antioxidants than green tea. Drunk with, or without milk it isn't too disimilar in taste to black tea.
- Organic Jasmine Green Tea
Made by layering green tea leaves with jasmine petals and allowing the subtle aromas to blend. This particular green tea is made with tight, heavy looking leaves that will open during brewing.
- Organic English Breakfast Tea
Made with a blend of black teas grown in Assam and Sumatra. It makes a dark, full-bodied tea that is perfect for a morning cuppa, with robust, full-bodied aromas and a copper colour.
- Organic Berry Crush Herbal Tea
Made with apple, raspberries, hibiscus and rosehip among other ingredients. It makes a dark, reddish purple tea, and you'll be pleasantly surprised by the strength of the flavour.
- Organic Turmeric and Ginger Herbal Tea
One of my favourite blends that we stock, this tea is vibrant and yellow in colour. Turmeric has long been used in traditional medicine for it's anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Combined with the ginger, it creates a warming, spicy tea that is soothing for the digestion.
- Sleepy Herbal Tea
A soothing, calming blend of chamomile, lavender, linden flowers and blue mallow flowers. It will help you to unwind and relax at the end of the day for a restful sleep.
- Organic Sencha Green Tea
Sencha is a popular green tea as it is less bitter in flavour than most, with a suble floral taste. The dark, wiry leaves open during brewing and create a soft, almost sweet aroma.
The wonderful thing about selling loose leaf tea as a refill is that you can buy any amount, no minimum or maximum. It makes a great gift, filling reused jars and tins, or you can buy little bits to taste new teas without it being wasted or going stale.
I hope you'll give our teas a go and support not only us, but another amazing small UK business.
Take care,
Katie
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