Behind
Closed Doors
Tell us about We Are Tea - when did it
start and what inspired its creation? l I first had the idea for We Are Tea when I bought my first cup of tea from a very well known coffee-shop chain. I was working as an accountant in the City at the time and had recently stopped drinking coffee. I was so underwhelmed by this tea experience, I decided right there and then to start a tea company. In reality however, many years passed from this experience to launching We Are Tea. The original business model was to open a number of teashops on the high street – very much in keeping with the slick interiors and processes of the US-style coffee shops. I effectively flipped the model on its head and made whole-leaf tea the star of the show. Although the business model has changed to a retail/wholesale brand, my focus remains unchanged – I want to break down the barriers to speciality tea and restore pride back into the Nation’s favourite tipple. We follow the same simple philosophy - we ethically source exceptional whole- leaf teas and hand-pack them right here in the UK. We continue to reach new audiences with quality, design, innovation and our no nonsense approach to tea. No fuss. No chintz just exceptional teas, made simple.
Given your ethical approach to your product, can you give us an overview
of how you source your teas. l We work with some of the finest tea gardens on the planet and we have built strong relationships with them over the years. The difficulty has never been finding great-tasting teas, it has always been convincing the producers to let them leave the country of origin – I have become very persuasive over the years. Ultimately I buy tea with my consumer
36 The Delicatessen Magazine
WE ARE TEA IS A LONDON BASED, INDEPENDENT AND ETHICAL TEA BUSINESS WHO HAVE WON 46 GREAT TASTE AWARDS. WE SPEAK TO DAREN SPENCE (SPENCE), THE FACE BEHIND THE BRAND TO TELL US MORE ABOUT THIS EXCITING COMPANY.
head on. Buying tea is like buying anything, it is important to ensure that you like it otherwise chances are that no one else will. All of the tea gardens that we
purchase from are audited by the Ethical Tea Partnership, which means that our customers can buy with confidence that the tea that goes into their favourite mugs has been ethically sourced.
What is your unique selling point? l In a world where big brands are
masquerading as cute start ups, we are refreshingly exactly what we say we are. From our work with the Ethical Tea Partnership to our charity support for Contact the Elderly to working with other British independent businesses and our ingrained family values, the ethos absolutely running through the veins of the business is that we try to be a ‘good business’. Good in every sense.
How does We Are Tea differ from
competitors in terms of taste? l We started life as a teashop in the heart of the City and utilised our access to thousands of paying customers to create and finesse our whole-leaf tea blends. This was a great platform on which to build our tea credentials and develop a range of speciality teas that had mass appeal. The fact that most of the blends that were created during this time are still with us is testament to how good they actually are.
Where are you currently selling We Are Tea and what has been
your most popular flavour? l We have two distinct arms to the business: food service and retail. Our food service customers include health clubs, farm shops/delis, restaurants and really good pubs. The best-selling blend with our food service clients is our Breakfast Strong Blend. We developed it especially for the out of home sector and wanted it so be strong and assertive and yet work well in a fast-paced food service environment. I think we succeeded as this particular blend won 2 Gold Stars at the 2015 Great Taste Awards. We also sell our retail teas through
farm shops/delis, multiple retailers and various other retail outlets. The tea that I am most proud of in this sector, although is not the best seller, is the blend that we created especially for our charity partner Contact the Elderly. The charity works with the elderly in our communities and is a great charity with a great cause and achieving real results. I am very proud to be involved and helping in a small way.
Finally, what are your plans for 2016? l We are going through a very
exciting period of growth with our export strategy taking effect and have some brilliant product development in the pipeline. I cannot say too much on the product development but watch this space as it promises to help take We Are Tea through the next stage of its exciting story. l
www.wearetea.com
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