Tea Bag Solution

 Tea cup presentation at Laynes cafe, Leeds with saucer to put your used teabag on.  Which caterer wants the washing up hassle of teapot and lid when everyone uses a mug at home and work.  Teapot R.I.P.

Award Winning Insomnia

Insomnia are one of the biggest coffee/cafe brands in Ireland with 60 units and they have just started franchising.  They seem to have cracked the tea drinkers as well.  Real leaf tea in biodegradable pouches - several UK chains could learn a lesson or two.

Full Leaf Teas

Starbucks has full leaf tea, not powder, in their tea bags.  You will be able to taste the difference, trust me and better quality tea should allow you to charge more.

Benugo are switched on to quality tea

Everyday isn't Good Enough

Costa may make good coffee but they haven't woken up to the 'real tea' revolution that is sweeping artisan coffeeshops, quality cafes and the food shows.  Consumers are prepared to pay for a premium tea bag or loose leaf tea and tea powder just isn't it.  Powder tea bags is the new instant coffee powder; to be avoided.

Check out previous blog posts on Suki, Jing, Tregothnan and Tea Nation teas.

Loose Leaf or Tacky Teabag

Upscale Tea Palace in Covent Garden ready for the Jubilee

or tacky Royal tea bags from another store nearby

A Sac, not a Bag

Paper T-Sacs allow you to offer loose leaf tea without the stigma of tea bags.  Benugo uses these to great effect at all its outlets.

Available from Jenier Teas.

The Only Tea Grown in England

Tregothnan's tea plantations in Cornwall would be worth bearing in mind if you looking for a distinctive and UK local product.  I am a 'builders' tea' person but their Manuka tea is delicious. www.tregothnan.com

Fresh Scones and Tree Stumps

The sign on entering Highgrove (the Gloucestershire home of HRH The Prince of Wales) says: Beware!  You are now entering an old fashioned establishment. 

The gardens are quirky, fun and show the amazing artistic potential of tree stumps.

The catering by William's Kitchen at Calcot (Manor Hotel) was simple but good - tea and scones.  The owners, Richard & Cathy Ball, guaranteed me £100 that their scones will always be freshly baked and you can't argue with that.  They came up trumps with creme patissiere for a guest who couldn't eat cream.  Lovely china but not sure tea bags are old fashioned or up to the overall quality of the experience.