Birchall Tea – A Long Tradition Of Tea

Is there anything more undeniably British than a cup of tea? Tea is at the very heart of British culture. Whether it’s morning, lunch or dinner – a good cup of tea is always welcome. With this in mind all of our venues are stocked with only the finest tea from the experts at Birchall Tea

Birchall Tea spans an impressive five generations; it all began 150 years ago in 1872. The origins of this fine company started with Birchall George Graham, who served as an officer with the Duke of Wellington’s regiment for many years. Birchall was posted in India, a place he had grown particularly fond of. When he returned to England after 18 years of admirable service he decided to follow his passion. He sold his commission and used his savings to return to India, where he hoped to develop his own tea company. 

He wasted no time and the first tea bushes were planted in early Spring that year. From that day the seeds of a tea dynasty were planted. Birchall Graham successfully developed the business and gained the knowledge and expertise required to produce the finest teas in the world. 

Fast forward to present day and the current generation of the Graham family continues to trade tea across the globe. The family-owned London tea company continues his craft and has extensive interests in East Africa, which includes their trading offices and an enormous tea factory in Mombasa, Kenya. They are one of the largest exporters of black teas from East Africa in the world. 

Expert Tea Growers in Africa’s Top Tea Gardens 

To create the best tasting tea, you need knowledge and dedication every step of the way. Birchall Tea is no exception and their East African tea estates provide valuable employment all year round. They have expert cultivators and estate managers, who are responsible for the overall functioning of the tea estates which includes everything related to tea planting, cultivation, harvesting, manufacture and welfare. Birchall Tea use their considerable tea growing knowledge and heritage to identify gardens with growers that are producing the finest tea leaves. And as they say “To get the best tasting tea you need the best growers. It is as simple as that.”

All of their teas are hand plucked to ensure the full flavour and rich taste that Birchall Tea is renowned for. Their commitment to crafting high-quality tea has been recognised globally with an abundance of prestigious accolades and awards. 

Setting A New Standard For Sustainability

Birchall Tea take their environmental responsibilities very seriously, and are committed to consistently reducing the impact of the company’s trading activities on the environment. The new Birchall Tea Factory in Amesbury, Wiltshire is solar powered. It is the UK’s first solar-powered tea factory, the roof-top solar installation boasts over 460 solar panels, capable of generating all the clean renewable electricity needed for their on-site operations. 

Furthermore all of their tea is Carbon Neutral. In May 2020, Birchall Tea became the very first tea company in the world to officially join the UN’s Climate Neutral Now Initiative. They have successfully achieved the Carbon Neutral International Standard, which they obtained by measuring and offsetting their greenhouse gas emissions and championing volunteer reforestation projects around the world. 

Birchall Tea works hard to ensure all of their products are either plastic-free or made from plant-based materials where possible. In 2019, they made significant changes across their tea ranges to reduce excess and single-use plastic from their supply chain. Birchall Tea sits proudly at the forefront of the green movement within the tea industry. 

For us, partnering with companies that are equally as committed to protecting the environment is paramount. We are passionate about providing our guests with high-quality experiences that quite literally – don’t cost the earth.

As purveyors of authentic British experiences, you’ll find that our Honeycomb Houses brim with heritage and include all of the key elements you would expect from a proper British pub. Why not enjoy a traditional cup of tea with friends and family at one of our wonderful venues.

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