About Twinings

Twinings is the oldest continuously trading tea brand in the world. Thomas Twining opened his tea shop at 216 Strand in London in 1706, and that same shop still trades there today. The name has been on the door since 1787, one of the oldest unchanged logos anywhere, and Twinings has held a royal warrant for tea without a break since 1837. It did more than any house to define what the world thinks of as English tea, and it remains the brand most tied to Earl Grey. The family ran it for ten generations before it became part of Associated British Foods, where it still trades under its own name.

The range is huge: breakfast and Earl Grey classics, a deep flavoured-black line, green and white teas, cold infuse, and the Superblends wellbeing range. Sourcing runs through the Sourced with Care programme funding healthcare, water and schooling on the estates that supply it, with Rainforest Alliance certification across the core range and recyclable, lower-plastic packaging. For our shelf Twinings is the benchmark every other tea is quietly measured against. It is rarely the single best cup in a category, but the quality floor is high and the choice is enormous, and a handful of blends, the Dark Chai and the Salted Caramel Green especially, are among the best teas we sell at any price. If a customer wants one trustworthy name to start from, this is the one we point at first.

Key facts

• Founded London 1706 Thomas Twining opens the original tea-room at 216 Strand London, the world's first dedicated tea shop and the longest continuously-operating tea brand globally.
• Royal Warrant Heritage Twinings holds Royal Warrants from the British Royal Family and has supplied the royal household with tea for over 175 years.
• Rainforest Alliance Certified Every Twinings tea box across the catalogue is Rainforest Alliance certified, sourced from estates committed to forest preservation and fair labour.
• Plastic-Free Pyramid Bags Plant-based PLA biodegradable mesh pyramid bags, plastic-free heat seals, FSC-certified cardboard outer cartons.

Sustainability

Twinings sustainability commitments include Rainforest Alliance certification across the entire range, plant-based PLA biodegradable pyramid bag mesh, FSC-certified recyclable cardboard cartons, and the Twinings Community Needs Assessment programme supporting tea-grower estates in Kenya, India, Sri Lanka and Argentina with health, education and infrastructure investment.

• Sourced with Care Their global programme helps improve healthcare and education for farming communities in Sri Lanka.
• Plastic Free Bags The tea bags are made from natural plant fibres (abaca and wood pulp) and are industrially compostable.
• Carbon Goals Twinings is working toward becoming carbon neutral in its operations and reducing waste across its entire supply chain.
• Royal Warrant Heritage Twinings holds Royal Warrants from the British Royal Family and has been blending tea continuously since 1706, with the original London tea-room still operating at 216 Strand.