Kokova Magazine

With tea tastings set to rival wine tours we take a look at this little leaf and all that it has to offer as we approach the start of National Afternoon Tea Week (11th-17th August 2014).

We asked James Jobling, master tea taster for British tea merchants Ringtons about this growing trend and why tea is becoming the new wine alternative. What makes one cup different to the next and what tea is now available?

"Ringtons was founded in 1907 and we sold one type of loose black tea to our customers via horse and cart. 107 years later, we now offer over 50 varieties of tea in both tea bag and loose leaf form so it's fair to say the tea industry has certainly evolved.

In more recent years sales figures show green, white and specialist tea is growing in popularity, although the traditional black tea market still remains strong and accounts for the majority of the total industry spend. The UK tea sector is seeing more cafes and companies offering speciality tea and at Ringtons we ourselves have a Rare collection of specialist teas on our website to meet this demand, however it is still a niche market within an enormous sector.

The market for single estate tea, whereby tea is taken from just one tea estate or garden, is also growing in popularity but is still in its infancy. However, it is certainly one area to watch as we expect it pick up momentum in the near future.

The tea industry can be compared to the wine sector, in that tea leaves like the grapes used in wine are influenced by the environment in which they are grown. The cultivation of tea is affected by the geography, geology and climate of the country and even by the region of origin. This results in subtle taste differences in different blends, which also vary throughout the year as the weather and other growing conditions of the bushes changes, which in turn adds to their appeal."

James Jobling

Ringtons remains a family business and still offers a traditional doorstep delivery service to over 260,000 customers throughout the UK, albeit via vans instead of horsepower. The company's e-commerce website delivers worldwide, while the business-to-business division Ringtons Beverages provides tea, coffee, catering ancillaries, espresso equipment and barista training to the UK's leading hotels, cafes, businesses and restaurants. For more information visit www.ringtons.co.uk

At Your Source we have noticed the growth in many areas of tea, including hot, cold and iced but when it comes to tea, for us, we like nothing better than a good strong brew, hot from the pot.

With reports of tea menus rivalling that of wine in a growing number of restaurants it is worth having a look around and seeing what more is on offer, from the shelves of your local supermarket to the select tea companies offering more than just your average cuppa.

As we approach National Afternoon Tea Week we will be looking at a few of our favourite tea masters and other up-and-coming companies, bringing together some great flavour combinations.

And with Ringtons, if it is good enough for the Queen, and publicly recommended by Cheryl Cole, who are we to disagree!