Name a more iconic pairing than tea and cake; essentially, the Ant and Dec of the coffee shop world. You decide which is which… but simply put, you can’t have one without the other.
Pair this with the increased demand for low-caffeine options, we were keen to find an easy-to-serve, endlessly sippable, leafy alternative to offer you, our wonderful customers.
Now, whilst our quest to find the perfect partner left us as a collective of tea buffs, we couldn’t leave you in the dark, so similarly to our hand guide to matcha, we’re here to read the leaves and demystify the world of wholesale tea…
Bagged vs Loose - Why Premium Tea Bags Are Better For Business
Now, we’re not here to stoke the fires of the loose vs bagged debate. We actually love tea served both ways; however, as experts in the coffee shop space, we know loose-leaf tea won’t work for everyone.
So, we’re just here to shed a little light on why bagged tea can be just as delicious as loose-leaf teas - especially for operators who may not have the space for all the equipment that loose-leaf teas require!
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Space Saving:
No need to make room for clunky tea strainers or special cups. If you’re low on counter or pantry space, bagged teas are perfect for you! -
Consistent Brew Every time:
No need to worry about measuring spoons or weighing out the perfect amount of leaves every time. With bagged teas, the hard work is done for you, ensuring that every cup is deliciously consistent every single time! The only thing you and your customer need to worry about is how long they want to steep! (We know every cup is very personal) -
Quick To Serve:
It’s really as simple as hot water and a tea bag. No faff, no fuss, just a great brew! Serve in a pot, your finest China or to-go, it really couldn’t be easier. -
Minimal Clean Up:
No washing up required! (And no stubborn leaves clogging your drains), Tea bags are easy to dispose of, going in either your compost or food waste bin. -
Plastic Free Pyramid Tea Bags:
Now this may not seem like a big deal, but trust us, it is. We will only offer you and your customers the very best. When we say plastic-free pyramid tea bags, we mean it! Plus, pyramid bags lend themselves to a better, more consistent steep. Many of the most beloved tea brands sneak plastic into their bags, which can affect flavour and make them non-compostable.
We know tea bags have a bit of a bad rep amongst the tea connoisseurs of the world, but you won't be finding any of that here at Cakesmiths! It was incredibly important to us to find a tea supplier that uses high-quality, whole-leaf tea within their bags.
What Blends Should I Stock?
We’re launching this range with 5 blends: Everyday English, The Earl of Grey, Queen of Green, St Clements Lemon and Proper Peppermint.
We felt this curated selection of teas covers all coffee shop customers, from your herbal enthusiasts to your classic tea drinkers and everyone in between.
To kick off this new collaboration, we’re offering an exclusive bundle of all 5, perfect for anyone who is looking to overhaul their tea selection and offer something unique and deliciously drinkable! Or if you’re not quite ready to commit to all 5, we’d recommend picking two flavours to start with and test on your menu. If that wasn’t convincing enough, we’ll even add a glass jar for each blend to display on your backbar (Pssst... this will make serving even quicker!).
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Elevated Everyday:
Perfect if you’re looking to elevate your everyday tea offering, these are two of the most popular blends and will ultimately be your hardest-working tea bags.
Why Not Try: Earl of Grey & Ever-So-English Everyday Tea -
Low Caffeine. Big Flavour:
Whether you’ve got health-conscious customers or are looking for a caffeine-free addition to offer to your afternoon rush, these two teas pack a serious flavour punch! The perfect perk-me-up additions to your backbar.
Why Not Try: Proper Peppermint & St Clement's Lemon -
Bright & Botanical:
The dream team, botanical bergamot meeting grassy green tea, these two blends make the perfect pairing to your line-up.
Why Not Try: Earl of Grey & Queen of Green
What Does Soil Association Organic Certified Mean And Why Does It Matter?
Soil Association Organic Certified products are, at their core, produced, processed, and packaged in line with a strict set of ethical and environmental standards.
Now, we know that sounds awfully wordy, but when put into the context of wholesale tea, it means every cup is brewed with tea that is grown without the use of any artificial pesticides, synthetic herbicides, chemical fertilisers or genetically modified organisms, meaning you and your customers get a clean cup of tea every single time!
Alongside this, the soil certification isn’t just a pretty name; any Soil Association Organic Certified products must be grown and harvested with the soil in mind, taking the necessary steps to encourage biodiversity through crop rotation and use of compost, championing farming methods that negate and avoid soil degradation, which in turn produces much more resilient plants and crops that offer a much better and more refined flavour.
As well as the health of the soil these plants are grown in, Soil Association Organic Certified tea must lend a hand in protecting the wildlife habitats surrounding the tea farms, reducing pollution and ensuring responsible water usage and just generally acknowledging their impact, their presence and products have in the wider eco-system.
All in all, products that achieve this certification are manufactured with the climate in mind, ensuring you (the customer) can trace every action and movement of their products. Soil certified manufacturers must give back just as much as they take.
What Is a B-Corp Status Brand?
Where Soil-Certified Organic is awarded to physical products, B-Corp is an award attributed to the brand itself.
Like Soil-Certified Organic products, B-Corp brands must adhere to super strict guidelines around accountability and transparency regarding their impact on workers, customers, suppliers, community, and the environment, with all the information readily available on their websites for anyone to see.
Meaning B-Corp brands must challenge the way they conduct business, asking not just ‘Is this good for business?’ but ‘Is this good for people and the planet?’
B-Corp Certified brands are legally required to consider the impact of any decision on their employees, suppliers, communities, customers and the environment. It’s this additional accountability that will help shape and build a better and fairer world.
Additionally, B-Corp brands are required to sign something called The Declaration Of Interdependence (we can confirm this has nothing to do with Lin-Manuel Miranda, but perhaps it could be his next musical challenge!). In signing this declaration, B-Corp certified brands signal their unwavering commitment to keeping their B-Corp status and being the change they want to see in the industry.
We are always keen to align ourselves with the change we want to see in the industry, where we are actively working toward our own certifications. We want to ensure we’re able to offer you and your customers the very best brands available on the market.
“When you choose Joe’s Tea, you’re choosing more than just a flavour. You’re backing a way of doing business that puts people and that planet first” - Joe, Founder of Joe's Tea
Why we’re partnering with Joe’s Tea!
Now you may be asking, is there really a tea brand that ticks all the above boxes?… and after much trial and error and a fair few cups of tea, we’re overjoyed to be partnering with Joe’s Tea!
Not only do they tick all the boxes from B-Corp (with a whopping B-Corp score of 117.8, the current median score for businesses completing the assessment is around 50.9 for comparison) to delicious whole-leaf tea bags, but he’s also just a really great guy who happens to make some pretty great tea.
Founded in 2011, Joe set out with a compostable tea bag in his hand and a dream to create tea that not only tastes amazing but does good along the way. Unlike other bagged brands, Joe’s Tea sources directly from the farmers and growers themselves, skipping out the unnecessary middlemen and auction houses, meaning they can focus on supporting these farms and farmers directly, ensuring fairer trading standards and ultimately (and more importantly) supplying you and your customers with a fresher, better-tasting tea (It’s a win-win!).
Joe’s Tea is committed to supporting all parts of their supply chain, from investing in the farms they work with, providing equipment, education and community support, to being awarded the Mother & Child Friendly seal by the Centre for Child Rights and Business. Ensuring any funds from sales are awarded directly to programs that benefit the children of those who work for them, setting up programs that benefit families for generations to come.
You’re not just buying a tea. You’re buying into a supply chain that gives back to the people who made it and the planet that grew it.
This is tea made with real heart, and you can really taste the difference!
