Way back in 2006, founders Spence and Suze were on holiday in Budapest. Spirits were dampened as Suze came down with a bout of pneumonia, they stumbled upon a tea room & found respite in a cup of Moroccan Mint tea. This simple cuppa inspired a bigger & better idea – to break down the barriers of the often complicated world of specialty tea and bring it to the masses back here in the UK!
Our story
Where it all began
Whole leaf & nothing but the leaf
Thinking caps on, we decided that great tea deserves the whole leaf & a cosy place to enjoy it out of home.
Winning tea shop
In 2007 our tea shop opened its doors in the shadow of St Paul's Cathedral. The business took off and life was good.
Onwards & upwards
We won our first Great Taste Award & Best Performance By A First Time Entrant, we now have 60 & counting!
Disaster strikes!
Just as we were looking to open up a second shop, Occupy London hit and as a result of vandalism and theft, the shop sadly closed.
A new beginning
All was not lost, from this experience and customers requests for great tea to enjoy at home, our retail business was born. We Are Tea secured first of many national listings, we are now stocked in over 200 retailers.
A step in the ethical direction
In 2012 we joined the Ethical Tea Partnership with every one of our blends ethically sourced. Beyond tea, the ETP facilitates strategic sustainability & social projects, find out more here.
Our ethical journey continues
Our world deserves a helping hand, in 2013 we migrated from nylon to 100% biodegradable corn starch teabags. Inspired? Check out our top tips on recycling teabags.
A new look
We rebranded and transformed into what we are today. We switched out the tin tea caddies for cardboard packaging that can be recycled – yay!
Guilt-free sipping
We made the switch to 100% compostable (yep that’s right, lids too) takeaway cups for cafes and restaurants that stock our tea. Find out more about our bioplastic cups.
Award winning
In 2017 our tasty Moroccan Mint won a Quality Food Award for best in the tea category.
New teas, new faces & more
We’ve grown our team (& moved to London Bridge).
Our Great Taste Awards are up to 60 & we plan to go plastic-free by the end of the year!
In August we officially became a B Corp. Read more about what B Corp certification is & how it's transforming businesses arond the world.
Find your perfect tea
Ready to find the perfect tea for you? Check out our personalised tea consultation.