Twinings still making tea history 300 years on

Peek inside most people’s kitchen cupboards and chances are you’ll find a box of Twinings tea. Founded in 1706, Twinings, which is served at top hotels and royal households, proudly calls itself “the No 1 premium brand worldwide”. Ten generations of Twinings have helmed the company for three centuries and today, it is present in more than 115 countries, boasting a range of 600 blends. Brand ambassador Stephen Twining hosted afternoon tea at Dubai’s Burj Al Arab hotel last week to launch two new blends – Lady Grey and English Afternoon Tea – and discuss the finer points of tea etiquette.

Is tea a hard sell in the Middle East given its tradition for coffee?

Tea and coffee have always really gone hand-in-hand, although everyone sees them as rivals. Tea drinking is seen as a sign of good hospitality, which is why in hotels it has to be absolutely “on the nose”. So, it’s very likely, if people love good-quality coffee, it will be easy to sell them a good cup of tea.

What are your best-sellers in the region?

Green tea has taken off in a big way and is driving a lot of our growth here. We got our timing right quite a few years back when we introduced it, as the world’s media was talking about its health benefits. We see growth in black teas, too, and the new and exciting blends we’re launching – Lady Grey and English Afternoon Tea – we believe will really suit the taste profiles here.

Original article by Rebecca McLaughlin-Duane

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Twinings still making tea history 300 years on