The reality behind your cuppa

We believe in doing things properly. But in the world of tea, “properly” is complicated.

The global tea industry is built on volume. Most tea is grown for mass production, sold at auction for the lowest possible price, and blended into bags chosen more for strength and colour than taste. It’s a system that often rewards speed over care, and price over quality — with little regard for where the tea comes from, how it’s grown, or who grew it.

That’s not just bad for the flavour in your cup. It’s bad for the people behind it too. When prices are pushed too low, producers are left with little margin to ensure fair wages, let alone invest in sustainable farming practices. The result is an industry that’s stuck — under pressure, underpaid, and under-valued.

What we do differently

From the beginning, we set out to do things properly - not only in pursuit of delicious cups of tea, but for the people and places behind the leaves too.

We choose to source teas that are grown with care, by producers who share our commitment to quality and ethics. That means working with trusted partners - from gardens in Assam and Darjeeling to skilled producers in Japan - who understand both the craft of growing and the importance of being paid fairly for it.

Rather than buying bulk commodity tea, we select each batch individually based on taste and shared values. All of our teas are whole leaf, bought seasonally, and much of our range is currently sourced from Rainforest Alliance–certified estates.

But while certifications have a role to play, they’re far from perfect, so not our only measure. We’re focused on the bigger picture - building long-term relationships with producers and working closely with them to understand how we can do things better.

Why it matters

Paying more for better tea means producers can focus on quality over yield, and invest in the future of their land and communities. It also means we get better tea - and therefore more people choosing to drink it. Together this means helping grow and secure the future of what is a vast global industry that millions of people around the world rely on.

Progress so far

We’re still a small team, but we’re proud of the steps we’ve taken so far:

  • We pay well above Fairtrade prices across our core range, with a focus on taste, traceability and values.

  • 100% of our tea bag range is currently sourced from Rainforest Alliance–certified estates.

  • We’ve moved our Hibiscus sourcing to Malawi, working with a supplier focused on smallholder inclusion and fair pricing.

Impact Report

We also publish our progress in our annual Impact Report, where you’ll find more detail on our wider sustainability efforts, and what we’re working towards next.

Read now

Looking ahead

As a certified B Corp, we are passionate about using our business as a force for good, and firmly believe that better tasting tea is the way to do that. We hope to champion a tea industry that not only survives, but thrives - one where quality is fairly rewarded. For now that means asking a lot of questions, build stronger relationships at origin, and finding ways to challenge a system that still treats tea as a cheap commodity.

It is far from easy, and we’re not perfect. But we are committed - to doing things properly, asking the difficult questions, and using our voice to nudge the industry forward.