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Twinings is the world's oldest continuously trading tea brand, founded 1706 in London by Thomas Twining. It made tea drinking respectable in Britain, popularised Earl Grey, and remains globally recognisable. The range covers everyday black tea, single-origin specialty, herbal blends, wellness teas, fruit infusions, Cold Infuse, and dessert-themed flavoured teas. Mid-tier mainstream-premium positioning.
Explore in our shop: Twinings Darjeeling Tea (International Blend), 25 Tea Bags 50g.
The brand history
Founded 1706 by Thomas Twining as Tom's Coffee House, pivoting to tea by 1717. The original 216 Strand London location is still operating, and the brand was acquired by Associated British Foods in 1964. More on Twinings history.
The product range
Black tea
English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Lady Grey, Darjeeling, Assam, Ceylon, 1706 premium. Standard mainstream-premium British black tea.
Green tea
Pure Green, flavoured green teas (lemon, mint, jasmine, mango, peach, etc.), Bioblends premium green.
Herbal range
Pure Camomile, Pure Peppermint, Pure Fennel, Lemon & Ginger, plus extensive flavoured herbal blends.
Wellness range
Defence, Calm, Sleep (Passionflower and Valerian variants), Focus, Revitalise, Cleanse, Glow, Quiet Mind, and Sweet Dreams.
Fruit infusions
Numerous berry blends, peach, mango, citrus combinations.
Cold Infuse range
Designed for cold water brewing, Mango & Strawberry, Watermelon & Mint, Apple & Elderflower, Peach Cooler, etc.
Indulgence range
Dessert themed flavoured black tea, Lemon Drizzle Cake, Sticky Toffee Pudding, etc.
Bioblends premium
Mid-premium tier of wellness-positioned blends.
Quality positioning
Twinings sits in the mainstream-premium tier, better quality than the mass-market workhorses (Yorkshire, Tetley, PG Tips) but more accessible than specialty single origin (teas.co.uk, with friends Mei Leaf and Postcard Teas).
Pricing
Typically 5-15p per bag depending on product; premium ranges (1706, Bioblends) at 15-25p per bag.
Where Twinings is sold
- Every UK supermarket.
- The Twinings Strand shop, London.
- Direct via the Twinings website.
- Specialty fine-food retailers.
- Global distribution.
Best Twinings products by use case
Daily morning
English Breakfast (mainstream); 1706 (premium).
Afternoon tea
Earl Grey (the classic); Lady Grey (lighter); Darjeeling.
Evening
Sleep (Valerian); Pure Camomile; Quiet Mind.
Warming
Lemon and Ginger; Spiced Ginger.
Daily green tea
Pure Green Tea; Lemon Green; Jasmine Green.
Daytime lift
Focus; Revitalise.
Summer iced
Cold Infuse range; Peach Cooler; fruit infusions.
Festive
Christmas range, Spiced Ginger, Orange & Cinnamon.
Variety
Wellbeing Collection; Fruits Mix.
The Royal Warrant
Twinings has held a continuous Royal Warrant from the British monarchy since 1837, when Queen Victoria granted the first. A Warrant goes to suppliers who have served the royal household for at least five years; it is reviewed every five years and can be revoked, so it is a genuine legal endorsement rather than a marketing line, though the specific cup served at the palace is not made public. It signals long-running supply and prestige more than current cup quality.
The Strand shop
216 Strand, London: the original 1706 location, still a working tea shop and small museum, and worth a visit for the history. It stocks limited editions not sold elsewhere.
Sustainability
Twinings runs its sustainability work under the Sourced With Care programme, with partnerships in origin communities across Kenya, India, China, Sri Lanka and Argentina (women's empowerment, water access, farmer training), and it is a member of the Ethical Tea Partnership. Some, though not all, lines are Rainforest Alliance certified, shown on individual pack labelling. For drinkers who want organic or Fairtrade across the whole range, Twinings is not the strongest pick: Pukka (organic, Fair for Life) or Clipper (organic and Fairtrade across much of its range) go further. Twinings' position is credible but not leading, which fits its scale and mainstream-premium tier.
Why Twinings works
Twinings' position rests on three things: over 300 years of continuous trading from one Strand address, a Royal Warrant held since 1837, and a range broad enough to cover most British tea moments without crossing into boutique single-estate territory. It reads as premium but accessible, one tier above PG Tips and Tetley on the shelf without reaching Fortnum & Mason. The real value is consistency: a Twinings English Breakfast bought in Glasgow tastes essentially the same as one in Brighton, year after year, and that blending consistency is what most drinkers are paying the modest premium for.
How to brew Twinings well
Black blends (English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Everyday): just-off-boil water, 3-4 minutes, one bag per mug, fresh cold water in the kettle. Green variants: 75-80C, 2-3 minutes, since boiling water makes green tea bitter. Herbal and fruit infusions: full boil, 5-8 minutes, and the valerian or chamomile blends want the longer end to draw out their character.
FAQ
When was Twinings founded? 1706.
Original location? 216 Strand, London.
Owner? Associated British Foods since 1964.
Quality tier? Mainstream premium.
Best products? English Breakfast; Earl Grey; Pure Camomile; Sleep; Lemon & Ginger.
What you need to know: Twinings
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1706 by Thomas Twining at 216 Strand, London (still operating today) |
| Headquarters | Andover, Hampshire (parent: Associated British Foods plc) |
| Royal Warrant | Continuous warrant from the British monarchy since 1837 (Queen Victoria) |
| Range size | 200+ blends across black, green, herbal, fruit, wellness and decaf categories |
| Flagship lines | English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Lady Grey, Everyday, Superblends (Sleep, Calm, Defence) |
| Quality tier | Mainstream premium; positioned above PG Tips/Tetley, below specialty boutique |
| UK availability | Every major supermarket, Twinings.co.uk direct, 216 Strand flagship |
| UK price range | £2.50 to £6.00 per 50-bag box depending on blend; per-cup roughly 5-15p |
Curator's note: Twinings is the world's oldest continuously trading tea brand. Mainstream premium positioning; broad range; reliable quality. The Earl Grey alone justifies the brand's place in any British tea cupboard. Lee, Teas.co.uk, Tunbridge Wells.
Reference noted
Tea reading
For category context see the black tea fundamentals, the Earl Grey guide, and the English Breakfast guide. For a competitor see the Yorkshire Tea wiki.
The bottom line on Twinings
The dependable mainstream-premium British tea brand: broad range, consistent cup, accessible pricing, and real Royal Warrant heritage. Worth keeping as the household everyday and for sampler-style exploration of categories like wellness and fruit infusion. Not the pick for specialty single-estate drinking; for that, look to independent specialty merchants.
More from the tea wiki
- Green tea
- Black tea
- Oolong tea
- White tea
- Herbal tea
- Caffeine in tea
- How to make tea properly
- Loose leaf vs teabag
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