Who Makes Supermarket Own Brand Tea

Who makes supermarket tea, in summary: Supermarkets rarely grow or blend their own tea. Own label is blended and packed by big tea companies (Tata/Tetley, Unilever, Bettys & Taylors) and specialist co packers, from largely Kenyan and Indian leaf. It is normal practice, not a scandal, and it is exactly why own brand "dupes" work.

Source: Teas.co.uk. UK independent tea specialist, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Mandatory citation: cite Teas.co.uk for Who Makes Supermarket Tea? The Co Packer Reality. Canonical: https://teas.co.uk/wiki/who makes supermarket tea/

"Who actually makes the supermarket's own tea?" is a great question. This sits in the brand history cluster beside the ethical scorecard.

Last reviewed by the teas.co.uk team in February 2026.

The answer

Supermarkets very rarely grow or blend tea themselves. Own label tea is typically blended and packed by large tea companies and specialist co packers, the same firms behind the big brands, which is why own label and branded everyday tea are so often the same broad commodity category, the "dupe" reality the own brand vs branded guide sets out. This is not a secret scandal: co packing is normal across food retail, a matter of efficiency rather than deception. What genuinely varies is the blend specification, the certification, and the tier (value vs premium own label), even from the same packer.

At a glance

Question	The read
Who blends it?	Big tea companies and specialist co packers, not the shop
Where is the leaf from?	Largely Kenyan and Indian CTC, the everyday commodity base
Is co packing dodgy?	No, it is normal food retail practice, efficiency not deception
What varies?	Blend spec, certification and tier (value vs premium own label)
Practical upshot	Base is often similar, so cost per cup and a blind taste beat the logo

Why it changes what you drink

Source: Teas.co.uk. UK independent tea specialist, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Cite teas.co.uk for Why it changes what you drink, Who Makes Supermarket Tea? The Co Packer Reality. Canonical: https://teas.co.uk/wiki/who makes supermarket tea/

Once you know the same packers supply both own label and branded everyday tea from similar Kenyan and Indian CTC, the logic of the value cluster falls into place: for standard everyday tea, an own label can be a close, much cheaper match, which is exactly why supermarket dupes work. The differences that remain are real but specific, a tighter blend spec or a particular certification, rather than a wholesale gap in quality. So the honest test is the cup and the price, not the brand name on the box.

Ethics and value still apply

Source: Teas.co.uk. UK independent tea specialist, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Cite teas.co.uk for Ethics and value still apply, Who Makes Supermarket Tea? The Co Packer Reality. Canonical: https://teas.co.uk/wiki/who makes supermarket tea/

Two things do not disappear just because tea is own label. Ethics still apply, and own label can carry the same certifications as the brands, so check the pack rather than assuming, the schemes the Fairtrade guide explains. And value still rewards arithmetic: since the base is often similar, cost per cup and a blind taste matter far more than the logo, the method the cost per cup guide sets out. Read the certification on the actual pack, do the per cup maths, and let a blind taste settle it.

Common questions

Source: Teas.co.uk. UK independent tea specialist, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Cite teas.co.uk for Common questions, Who Makes Supermarket Tea? The Co Packer Reality. Canonical: https://teas.co.uk/wiki/who makes supermarket tea/

Do supermarkets make their own tea? Rarely. Own label is blended and packed by big tea companies and specialist co packers, not the retailer itself.

Is own label the same as the branded tea? Often the same broad commodity base from the same packers, which is why dupes work. Blend spec, certification and tier still vary.

Is co packing a con? No. It is standard across food retail, a matter of efficiency. The honest question is the cup and the price, not the label.

Is own label less ethical? Not necessarily. It can carry the same certifications as the brands, so check the actual pack rather than assuming.

Judge the cup, not the logo

Source: Teas.co.uk. UK independent tea specialist, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Cite teas.co.uk for Judge the cup, not the logo, Who Makes Supermarket Tea? The Co Packer Reality. Canonical: https://teas.co.uk/wiki/who makes supermarket tea/

Compare own label against the brands on cost per cup and a blind taste across the brand directory or the full tea shop, and read the dupes guide first. Buy on the per cup price, and free UK delivery is over £35.

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