Photo by Bruce Richardson

What is happening to the British national beverage? Tea may have been an essential element of British society for 300 years, but the nation’s love affair with their traditional brew is showing signs of restlessness.

No commodity is more inherent to the image of Britain than tea. This caricature is so ingrained in the American mind that many people often assume that I, as a tea blender, procure all my teas from London. That would have been the case years ago, but Britain’s influence in the world tea market has diminished and the once dominant industry now scurries to find its place. They must put on a fresh new face that will compete in a market becoming more and more crowded with emerging stars in the world of tea.

Writer Elizabeth Knight loves to recall an encounter she had with the tea buyer for Fortnum & Mason. His comment was: “Tea is like wallpaper in Britain. It is my job to introduce our customers to beautiful and rare teas that they would not otherwise encounter.” That is indeed the image that British marketers are trying to shake. To the younger set, tea is the preferred beverage of their grandmother, or it’s something your mum gives you when you are feeling “under the weather.” It is a common staple as ubiquitous as wallpaper.

Those grandmothers are one of the bright spot in the sales of traditional tea bags. Customers from age 55 to 64 are loyal tea drinkers, and this demographic continues to grow with an aging population. Fifty-five percent of this market has a favorite brand that they drink regularly.

Brand loyalty

I’ve seen evidence of this loyalty—mainly to brands such as Typhoo and PG Tips—for years. British customers who visited the tea room I once owned were devoted to these brands. It was “mother’s milk” to them. One visiting English family had a hard time making a decision from the 50 or so teas I listed on my tea menu. They had been in the United States for several weeks, and their box of PG Tips that had accompanied them on their journey had been exhausted two days prior. They were ecstatic when I presented them with an unopened sample box of their favorite tea bags that had been gathering dust in my pantry. That small gift insured their happiness and the success of their final few days of holiday in America.

But the future of the British tea industry cannot be sustained by its seniors or low-cost teabags. The decline in sales for the traditional British tea market was more than nine percent from 2002 to 2003. Market consultants point to the rise of coffee, bottled water and health drinks that have cut deeply into the consumer base once dominated by hot tea. American-style coffeehouses are found on nearly every block in London. Commuters clutching sleeved cups of Starbucks coffee are as common on Bond Street as they are on Wall Street.

Closing of the London Tea Auctions

Several turns in England’s recent tea history have been significant. In 1998, the tea world took note of England’s decreasing dominance as three centuries of tradition came to an end when the last London tea auction took place. Since the time of Elizabeth I and the domination of the East India Company, tea had been the commodity that ruled the empire.

More recently, the 100-year-old Typhoo Tea brand was sold to the Appejay Surrendra Group in India. This buyout comes on the heels of Tata Teas 2001 acquisition of Tetley. Two of the five best-selling English teas are now owned by Indian companies.

American teas take a foothold in London

American tourists enjoying afternoon tea in some of London’s most fashionable venues will soon see familiar brands on the tea table. Harney and Sons Fine Teas is now the house tea at The Dorchester Hotel at Hyde Park. The hotel’s palatial Palm Court has for years been one of the top afternoon tea settings in the world. Another landmark hotel, The Savoy, has turned to Canada’s Metropolitan Tea Company as their tea supplier. Even the retail giant Harvey Nichols has added artisan teas from Numi Teas in their café/tearoom in Knightsbridge.

Where are the bright spots of change?

Photo by Bruce Richardson

Several years ago, the British Tea Council embarked on a campaign to promote a young and contemporary image of tea. Their strategy: promoting celebrities drinking tea, emphasizing tea’s health benefits and recognizing tea retailers who serve outstanding tea. Executive director Bill Gorman insisted his own reading of the tea leaves did not forecast doom for the tea industry. He said the growth in speciality teas was making up for any decline in the traditional brew. “On average, every person in Britain still drinks three cups of tea a day,” he said.

One recent winner of the Tea Council’s Top Tea Room award was the Bird on the Rock Tea Room in Shropshire. Located west of Birmingham and near the Welsh border, this rural tearoom offers an extensive list of well-chosen teas—both single estate and blends. More than a dozen international magazines and newspapers have written about its success, and it has built a devoted clientele. Tearooms and teashops across the isles are taking note and many have followed suit by expanding their offerings to include more than the standard Earl Grey and English Breakfast teas.

In southwest England, Jonathon Jones, head gardener of the Tregothnan estate near Truro in Cornwall, concluded that tea bushes would do well on the estate known for its flowering camellias. The conditions are not unlike the cool and rainy uplands of parts of mountains of Darjeeling. He planted 500 bushes five years ago and debuted his first harvest in the fall of 2005 at a media event hosted by Kew Gardens. High production costs and low yield will keep the price high but, for the moment, this story has brought interest—and a bit of pride—to the English tea scene.

The stars of the London retail tea scene show encouraging evidence of the future of British tea. Of course, Harrods and Fortnum & Mason continue to stock their tea bars with rare single estate and blended teas from top gardens. They have long been leaders in the move to gourmet teas.

The newest tearoom making a splash is the Tea Palace in Notting Hill. This chic, bright space attracts 30- to 45-year-olds in search of a calm oasis in one of London’s most fashionable neighborhoods. Nearly half the space is devoted to shelving 150 tea canisters. It is one of the best presentations of tea in England.

One of the best places to enjoy a cup of white or oolong tea (and maybe a sighting of a celebrity) is the Lounge at Sketch on Conduit Street. This trendy restaurant serves well-prepared teas in the relaxed boutique setting of their lounge. If a full afternoon tea is more your liking, the Berkeley Hotel serves one of the most creative and refined teas in London. They are masters at pairing tea and beautiful foods for a memorable experience.

Putting on a new face

What changes are the major packers making? Twinings and Jacksons of Piccadilly appear to be the most successful in moving toward green tea. They accounted for 60 percent of Britain’s green tea sales in 2004. Twinings added several flavored teas including strawberry, mango and apple cinnamon.

England is taking note of America’s newfound love affair with tea. Fueled by the popularity of green tea, white tea and herbal blends, American tea consumption is being driven by a health-conscious consumer base. Marketing tea as a gourmet product might be easier to accomplish on the American tea scene because there is no pre-conceived notion of what tea can or cannot be. Flavored teas have been popular here for two decades. Like flavored wines, flavoring was the “hook” that brought the many consumers into the new market. Tea drinkers who entered the world of tea because of flavorings tend to investigate other teas as their tastes evolve. Britain’s brand loyalty, and the custom of adding milk to tea, may have stymied their desire to sample nontraditional brews.

The British tea industry’s challenge now is to reach younger consumers by making tea more fashionable and contemporary. Herbal and fruit infusions, which have the greatest appeal among 25 to 44 year olds, will help bolster consumption among a younger demographic. The British may do well to follow America’s pace in encouraging new tea drinkers. After all, old wallpaper, as beautiful as it might have been, still needs freshening now and then.

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