Company Profile: The Kensington Tea Company

Earlier this year, I had the pleasure to be sent some tea samples from The Kensington Tea Company. They are a company who specialise in loose teas, in particular green tea's and rare tea's.

The Kensington Tea Company was established by the lovely Lorraine and her husband, Alex, who, after returning to England after living in Australia for five years were disappointed at the standard of tea available in the UK.

Through the disappointment they established this wonderful tea company. I was sent four samples from the Kensington Tea Company and I can honestly say I enjoyed each and every one of them. My favourite was their Christmas Spice. It was staggeringly beautiful to look at, with its sugar snowflakes and pink peppercorns. But, the tea was so gorgeous to taste. Who could resist a tea that contained real chocolate pieces?

Browsing around the online shop, you would be forgiven if you felt you couldn't decide what to buy. They sell gorgeous flowering tea's, beautiful speciality tea's and wonderful white tea. As most of their tea's are loose (though they do sell some pyramid tea's) there is an air of luxury about the Kensington Tea Company. I know from personal experience, and from contact I've received from readers of my blog, that being able to take the time to make a pot of tea and enjoy it is a simple pleasure enjoyed by many. Today, when many of us live hectic lives, we have just about enough time to threw a teabag into a mug and wait a minute while it brews. So to be able to make a pot of tea , see it flowering and smell it's wonderful aroma is a pleasure that means so much to people. And with the tea's that the Kensington Tea Company sell you feel you are preparing something really rather special.

There are many tea companies around nowadays. They vary from affordable tea to high end, expensive blends. But, within this, The Kensington Tea Company is unique and has its own niche in the highly competitive tea market. The fact they specialise in green tea, which is becoming extremely popular due to its health benefit's is one of the reasons they are so special. However, in addition to that, the quality of their products and the friendly customer service is also something to be treasured.

Earlier on this year, I asked Lorraine if she could tell me a little bit more about the company, what spurs them on to sell the best tea possible and what is important to them as a company. Her answers were interesting, and I hope you enjoy reading them too!

Lorraine, can you explain why you and Alex felt disappointed at the tea available in the UK when you returned to England after living in Australia?

For us it was disappointment predominantly on the range of green teas available. So many people were under the impression that there is one sort of green tea and you can have that green tea in many different flavours, but this isn't the case. There are numerous types of green tea which all vary so greatly in look, flavour and cost. The variations are due to the country of origin, the areas in which its grown, the methods used when growing, harvesting and processing etc. This is before any additional ingredients are even added. What was also disappointing is the flavoured green teas that were available were made with such a poor quality leaf, they often had a bitter after taste which just put people off.

So what inspired you to set up The Kensington Tea Company?

We wanted to start a new company, we wanted it to be something we were passionate about, we wanted it to be a growing market. Tea ticked those boxes for us. I fear we have since become 'tea bores' with our endless quotes and informative tea titbits!

For you, what makes a good tea?

Firstly the leaf itself, you can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear! and most definitely the brewing. This is why we always give clear brewing instructions. It makes all the difference.

Where do people go wrong with tea, in particular green tea?

Poor quality leaves, over processing and again not knowing how to brew correctly. All our orders are sent out with an informative booklet containing brewing instructions and details about Kensington Tea Company. Brewing instructions are on the back of each pack too.

Coffee and coffee shops are very much the "in" thing, but still, tea sales are on the rise. Why do you think tea is so loved by people all across the world?

In many cultures (including ours) drinking tea is an occasion, it brings family and friends together. Because its list of health benefits are constantly growing, people are opting for tea over coffee. A study has highlighted the return of the teapot with the surprise that it is young people and not OAPs who are now the biggest users of loose leaf tea.

What keeps you busiest during your working day?

My working day is so varied its hard to pinpoint one thing. The variation in my day is what I love. One minute I'm talking to a customer, helping them decide which teas to choose, the next Im art directing a photo shoot of our latest products. I like to be very hands on in every aspect of the company.

What do you find most enjoyable about working with tea?

The tea tasting and designing new blends! Its a very time consuming process, but the results are worth it. We won't launch a product if we aren't 100% happy with it. And of course having our storehouse full to the brim with an amazing choice of teas. We currently hold 77 different types, can you imagine having that choice at your fingertips every day?!

What is your personal favourite blend?

I can't choose just one! I have a few absolute favourites and my choice is usually determined by my mood, what my plans are for the day or how Im feeling physically. My first brew of the day is ALWAYS a Japanese Matcha. It kick starts my morning, gives me an energy boost for the gym and because it is so highly detoxifying, I feel I am starting the day on a healthy note (gleaming halo!). My day ends with a Green Tea with Chamomile Flowers, to relax and help me sleep. Throughout the day it can vary from a Kukicha (easy drinking green), a Pai Mu Tan (a full white), the beautifully perfumed Fragrant Blossom (a sublime blend of green, white, rose, jasmine and viola) and occasionally a Monkey Picked Oolong (sweet and fruity). Although I don't personally drink a lot of black tea as I prefer green for the increased health benefits, I have to admit loving a cup of Lapsang Souchong! When I do take black tea, it's never with milk. Tea tastings are initially carried out without milk so its what I have become used to.

What is most important to the Kensington Tea Company? (aside from producing high quality items!)

We want every aspect of shopping with us to be as enjoyable as visiting your favourite cafe for a delicious cup of tea! We hope our website is easy to use and informative. We want to be approachable despite being an online company (Ive had 45minute phone calls with customers just chatting about our teas!). All orders are processed quickly and efficiently. Im an impatient online shopper myself and there is nothing that makes my heart sing more than receiving that email saying 'your order has been despatched'. When our parcel arrives at its destination we want opening it to be a special occasion, so time is taken with the presentation of the packing. Of course the final product is what counts, but why lose the joy of going shopping just because you are doing it from your computer?

What new blends do you have coming in the future?

We have just launched a range of new blends which we are very excited about as they are already proving popular. Another blend which has just been perfected is going to be ideal for sipping whilst watching Wimbledon (does that give you any clues??). We are also very excited to be working on adding a 'gift' feature to our website. This will make it easier for people to order our products and send them direct to family, friends and work colleagues as presents.

I'm absolutely positive that The Kensington Tea Company will continue to grow and flourish. It's a totally unique tea company who are passionate about tea and care about the little things. From the vast selection of teas that they offer, to the fact that your parcel comes wrapped in lovely green tissue paper. Every little detail is considered. This is a tasteful and classy business and I hope that the brand will become more and more popular, so it can rightfully take its own place within the luxury tea market.

I'd like to thank Lorraine for taking the time to answer my questions. She is a very busy lady, and I'm sure every minute of her working day is full of things to do, so her sparing her time is very much appreciated.

If you'd like to explore the wonderful range of tea's that The Kensington Tea Company offer then go to their online teashop. You can see all the wonderful teas they have, enjoy the lovely tea ware, find out more information on all the different teas, and there is even a recipe and cocktail section!

www.kensingtontea.com