About Pukka

Pukka Herbs made organic herbal tea feel considered rather than worthy. Sebastian Pole, a herbal-medicine practitioner, and Tim Westwell founded it in Bristol in 2001 around organic herbs grown well and traded fairly. The name means authentic, and the founding idea was that a blend should be composed the way a herbalist would compose it, each botanical chosen for what it contributes rather than padded with cheap filler. Pukka committed to organic certification across the whole range from the start, became a certified B Corporation, and helped pioneer FairWild certification for sustainably wild-harvested botanicals.

The range is wide but tightly themed: Three Mint, Lemon, Ginger and Manuka Honey, the well-known Night Time and the turmeric-led wellbeing blends, all organic and built around named botanicals. Pukka is now part of Unilever, but the organic sourcing, FairWild commitments and B Corp certification were retained, the bags are unbleached and cotton-stitched rather than plastic-sealed, and the supply chain carries genuine certification. For our shelf Pukka is the most polished and trustworthy name in functional herbal tea. The blends are properly constructed, the organic and fair-trade story holds up when you check it, and the depth of range means there is a sensible Pukka answer for almost any herbal occasion. It sits at the premium end of the herbal shelf and earns it, because the cup tastes designed rather than assembled and the certification work is real rather than implied.

Key facts

• Herbalist-Led 2001 Founded by qualified herbalist Sebastian Pole and Tim Westwell in Bristol 2001, with product development led by qualified herbalists.
• Soil Association Organic Certified organic across the entire range, organic-only sourcing as a structural commitment rather than marketing position.
• B-Corporation Certified Recertified as B-Corp at higher score in 2020, commitment to environmental and social impact across the supply chain.
• Real Botanicals Throughout Every blend uses real organic botanicals sourced direct from farmers, not synthetic flavour drops.

The founders

Brand timeline

1. 2001 Pukka Herbs founded in Bristol

   Sebastian Pole and Tim Westwell found Pukka Herbs in Bristol with a mission to bring organic Ayurvedic herbs into modern British wellness. The brand starts as a herbalist-led organic tea company sourcing direct from organic farmers in India, Sri Lanka and beyond.

2. 2010 Organic certification across range

   Pukka achieves Soil Association organic certification across the entire range, the brand commits to organic-only sourcing as a structural sustainability commitment rather than a marketing position.

3. 2017 Acquired by Unilever

   Pukka is acquired by Unilever providing capital for international expansion while keeping the founder-led product team and the organic-only sourcing commitment intact. The brand maintains its B-Corp certification through the transition.

4. 2020 B-Corp recertified at higher score

   Pukka recertifies as a B-Corporation at a higher score, reaffirming the commitment to environmental and social impact across the entire supply chain. Direct fair-trade relationships with herbalist farmers maintained.

5. 2022 Joins ekaterra spin-off

   Pukka transitions to ekaterra alongside Lipton and other Unilever tea brands, then under the new Lipton Teas and Infusions company structure focused exclusively on tea and infusions globally.

6. 2026 Stocked at Teas.co.uk

   Hand-picked into curator selection: full Pukka organic range including After Dinner, Chamomile Vanilla Manuka Honey, Herbal Collection, Lemon Ginger Manuka Honey, Night Time Berry, Three Mint, Turmeric Ginger Orange, Vanilla Chai and the Supreme Matcha Green.

Sustainability

Pukka sits at the premium end of the herbal tea category with Soil Association organic certification across the entire range, B-Corporation certification across the company, direct fair-trade relationships with organic farmers in India, Sri Lanka and beyond, and plant-based plastic-free tea bags across the range. The brand commitment is to organic-only sourcing as a structural position rather than as marketing, with the herbalist-led product team developing blends from Ayurvedic and Western herbal traditions rather than from flavour trends.

• Soil Association Organic Certified organic across the entire range, no synthetic pesticides or fertilisers in any ingredient.
• B-Corp Certified B-Corporation certification across the company, commitment to environmental and social impact metrics.
• Direct Fair-Trade Sourcing Direct fair-trade relationships with organic farmers in India, Sri Lanka and beyond, supporting smallholder farming communities.
• Plant-Based Plastic-Free Bags Plant-based PLA tea bags, home-compostable, zero polypropylene synthetic plastic sealants.