BRITA collaborates with the only English tea plantation, Tregothnan
Tea drinkers of the UK have spoken, and BRITA has listened. As a nation united by its love of tea, BRITA wanted to know what characteristics make an impeccable cup of the nation's favourite drink, so put the question to the people. The UK’s tea lovers were asked what flavours, characteristics and aromas they’d love in their perfect brew. The insights were then used to develop a bespoke tea blend through an exclusive partnership with Tregothnan – the UK’s first ever tea plantation. The result is ‘Blend it like Britain’, a new twist on the quintessentially British tea blend, that launched in June, and is available from tregothnan.co.uk at £14.95 - £17.95 – all profits will be donated to the mental health charity, Mind (visit Mind website here).
The bespoke tea is specifically designed to be enjoyed with filtered water to bring out the full taste and aroma of the cuppa – as 99% of it is made of water, quality is very key. Around 60% of the UK has hard or very hard water which significantly impacts the quality of hot drinks. BRITA filters remove taste-impairing substances found in tap water such as chlorine and help release the full flavour and aroma of blended tea.
The research has also revealed the time of the day the nation prefers to indulge in a cuppa, as well as the desired effects of their tea to ensure that ‘Blend it like Britain’ encompasses everything that the nation wants. It turns out, nationwide we appreciate a cup of tea first thing in the morning (84.5%). However, regionally, over 12% of Liverpudlian’s, 10% of Londoner’s and 10% of tea drinkers in Leeds confessed that they often fancy a cuppa in the middle of the night. Almost 80% of us choose Black tea with milk as our favourite brew, with green tea in second place as the hot tipple of choice for 40% of the nation. The antioxidants and nutrients could be the reason behind green tea’s popularity as it’s known to improve brain function, reduce fat and lower the risk of cancer, along with many other impressive benefits.
Based on preferential taste, 28% of the nation chose fruit, 23% picked sweet and 18% highlighted citrus as notes important for their tea. This informed the five vibrant components chosen to complement Tregothnan’s existing tea plantation leaves:
- Assam: bold and woody
- Lemon verbena: citrusy and fruity
- Chamomile: sweet, calming and relaxing
- Black mint: refreshing
- Rose petals: aromatic
In order of characteristics, lovers of tea would rather:
- Aromatic (22%)
- Bold (15%)
- Creamy (13%)
