Tea is one of the most loved drinks in the world, enjoyed by billions of people everywhere. From the busy streets of London to the peaceful tea gardens of Asia, this simple beverage has become a part of many cultures and daily lives. Whether you need a soothing cup during a hectic workday or want to impress your guests with a fancy afternoon tea, the right kind of tea can make any moment special.
This complete guide covers everything you need to know about choosing and enjoying great tea. You’ll learn about:
- The different types of tea you can find, from strong black blends to light herbal infusions
- A detailed tea flavours list to help you find your ideal tea
- Information on popular tea brands and blends that consistently deliver quality
- Useful tips for selecting tea in commercial settings like those at the National Convenience Show 2022, an important event for food and drink professionals
- The advantages of both loose leaf and tea bag options
Whether you’re stocking up an office kitchen, managing a hospitality business, or simply growing your personal tea collection, this article will give you the knowledge you need to make smart decisions.
Besides tea, we also explore other favourite drinks like coffee. For example, if you want to learn how to create beautiful designs on your coffee, our guide on how to make coffee latte art can help. And if you’re looking to add some fun elements to your beverages, check out our Shmoo Pink & White Micro Marshmallows or try our Sweetbird Sticky Toffee Frappe Powder for a unique twist on your usual drink offerings. If you have any questions about our products or services, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.
1. Exploring Different Types of Tea
The world of tea extends far beyond a simple cup, offering an impressive variety of flavours and experiences to suit every palate and occasion.
Everyday Black Tea
Black tea forms the backbone of British tea culture, with robust, full-bodied options that deliver consistent satisfaction. Teapigs Everyday Brew stands as the quintessential morning brew—a strong, malty blend that pairs beautifully with milk and provides an energising start to the day. PG Tips remains a household favourite, offering that familiar, comforting taste millions rely on for their daily ritual.
Speciality Blends
Earl Grey elevates the tea experience with its distinctive bergamot infusion, creating a fragrant, sophisticated profile that appeals to those seeking something beyond the ordinary. The citrus notes add a refined dimension whilst maintaining the strength of traditional black tea.
Herbal Tea and Fruit Infusions
For those preferring naturally caffeine-free tea options, herbal tea and fruit infusions present an enticing alternative:
- Peppermint: Cooling and digestive-friendly, perfect after meals
- Chamomile: Gentle and calming, ideal for evening relaxation
- Rooibos: Naturally sweet with a nutty character
- Lemon & Ginger: Zesty and warming, excellent for immunity support
- Berry blends: Fruity and vibrant, offering natural sweetness
Decaffeinated Options
The decaffeinated tea range caters specifically to caffeine-sensitive consumers who still crave traditional tea flavours. These options undergo careful processing to remove caffeine whilst preserving the authentic taste profile, allowing enjoyment at any hour without sleep disruption concerns.
2. Loose Leaf vs Tea Bags: Which is Better?
The debate between loose leaf tea and tea bags centres on personal priorities and practical requirements. Loose leaf tea flavour and aroma typically surpass their bagged counterparts due to the quality and size of the leaves. Whole or large-cut leaves retain essential oils and natural compounds that create a more complex, nuanced taste profile. When steeped in a teapot or infuser, these leaves have space to unfurl completely, releasing their full spectrum of flavours.
Premium table service benefits significantly from loose leaf varieties. The ritual of brewing in elegant teapots adds sophistication to hospitality venues, whilst allowing customers to appreciate the visual beauty of unfurling leaves. Loose tea offers flexibility in strength adjustment—simply add more or fewer leaves to suit individual preferences.
However, tea bags excel in different scenarios:
- Consistency: Each bag contains a pre-measured amount, ensuring uniform flavour across every cup
- Speed: No measuring, no straining—ideal for high-volume environments
- Convenience: Perfect for self-service stations and vending machines
- Minimal equipment: Requires only a cup and hot water
Modern biodegradable and compostable tea bags bridge the quality gap whilst maintaining environmental responsibility. Brands like Teapigs, Birchall, and PG Tips offer premium-quality tea bags that deliver excellent flavour without compromising on convenience—making them the practical choice for busy offices and hospitality settings where speed matters without sacrificing taste.
3. Top Tea Brands You Should Try
The quality of your tea experience often comes down to choosing brands with proven track records for excellence. Three names stand out in the UK market for their commitment to flavour, consistency, and variety.
Teapigs has built a reputation for innovative blends and whole-leaf tea temples that deliver exceptional taste. Their range spans from classic English Breakfast to adventurous combinations like Super Fruit and Chamomile Flowers. The brand’s dedication to using whole leaves rather than dust creates a richer, more aromatic brew that appeals to discerning tea drinkers.
Birchall brings over 170 years of tea expertise to every cup. This family-run business specialises in premium loose leaf teas and carefully crafted blends that maintain traditional values whilst embracing modern tastes. Their selection includes everything from robust breakfast teas to delicate Earl Grey varieties, all sourced from the finest tea gardens.
PG Tips remains a beloved household staple across Britain, trusted for its reliable quality and distinctive flavour. Available in both loose leaf and tea bag formats, this brand offers the perfect solution for high-volume environments where consistency matters. Their pyramid tea bags ensure optimal infusion, delivering the same great taste whether you’re brewing one cup or fifty.
Each brand brings something unique to the table:
- Teapigs: Creative blends and whole-leaf teas
- Birchall: Heritage craftsmanship with premium loose leaf varieties
- PG Tips: Dependable everyday appeal in convenient formats
4. Discovering Unique Tea Flavours with Health Benefits
Tea offers far more than just a comforting hot drink—each variety brings its own distinctive character and potential wellness advantages.
Classic British Teas
English Breakfast remains the cornerstone of British tea culture, delivering a robust, full-bodied flavour that works brilliantly at any hour. Its malty richness provides the perfect foundation for milk and sugar, though many appreciate its bold character on its own.
For those who enjoy a sweeter touch in their beverages, incorporating something like the Simply Luxury Gold Chocolate Powder into your tea can create a delightful blend of flavours. This powder, with its rich taste and beautiful balance, can transform your regular cup of tea into a luxurious experience.
Earl Grey elevates the tea experience with its sophisticated bergamot infusion, creating an aromatic blend that feels both familiar and refined. The citrus notes from bergamot oil transform ordinary black tea into something memorable, ideal for those seeking a more fragrant cup without venturing into herbal territory.
Health-Conscious Options
Green tea antioxidants have earned considerable attention from health-conscious consumers. Rich in catechins and polyphenols, green tea supports overall wellbeing whilst delivering a naturally refreshing taste. Its lighter, more delicate profile appeals to those who find black teas too heavy.
If you’re looking for a healthier alternative to traditional milk in your tea or coffee, consider using Summit Gold 100% Granulated Skimmed Milk Powder. This product is perfect for creating authentic coffee shop drinks made from skinny milk without added colours or preservatives.
Evening Relaxation Blends
Wellness blends tea options provide gentle, naturally caffeine-free alternatives perfect for evening relaxation. Rooibos brings a naturally sweet, nutty flavour packed with minerals, whilst Hibiscus offers a tart, cranberry-like taste alongside potential cardiovascular support. The hibiscus benefits extend beyond flavour—this vibrant red infusion contains vitamin C and may help maintain healthy blood pressure levels. Chamomile, peppermint, and lemon & ginger varieties round out the collection, each offering distinct flavours and traditional wellness associations that make them popular choices throughout the day.
Alternative Indulgences
For those who enjoy milkshakes as an alternative to tea or coffee, the Shmoo Milkshake 7 Tub Package offers a low-fat option suitable for vegetarians with no artificial colours or preservatives.
Lastly, if you’re a fan of hot chocolate but want to maintain some health consciousness while enjoying it, you might want to consider using the Galaxy Hot Chocolate Machine, which comes with 500 free drinks ingredients package. With this machine, you can indulge in the ultimate comfort and luxury of hot chocolate while keeping an eye on your health.
5. Eco-Friendly Tea Choices for Sustainable Enjoyment
The beverage industry faces increasing pressure to reduce its environmental impact, and tea consumption plays a significant role in this change. Both businesses and consumers now look for products that offer quality without harming the planet. This growing awareness has transformed how tea is packaged and produced, with sustainability becoming a key factor in purchasing decisions for offices, hotels, and coffee shops.
Biodegradable tea bags are a significant step towards being environmentally responsible. Traditional tea bags often contain plastic elements that prevent proper decomposition, contributing to landfill waste and microplastic pollution. Modern eco-friendly tea bags use plant-based materials that break down naturally, allowing businesses to maintain their tea service while supporting ecological goals.
For commercial settings, the benefits go beyond being environmentally friendly:
- Compostable materials integrate seamlessly into existing waste management systems
- Bulk purchasing of biodegradable options reduces packaging waste from frequent small orders
- Staff and customers appreciate visible sustainability efforts
- Biodegradable tea bags bulk buy options provide cost-effective solutions for high-volume environments
Hotels and hospitality venues particularly benefit from these choices, as guests increasingly value establishments that demonstrate environmental consciousness. Office managers can showcase their commitment to sustainability through everyday decisions like tea procurement, creating a positive workplace culture that aligns with modern values. The quality and flavour remain uncompromised, proving that responsible choices need not sacrifice the tea-drinking experience.
6. Buying Tea for Offices and Hospitality Venues: What You Need to Know
Selecting the right tea brands for offices and hospitality requires careful consideration of several practical factors. High-traffic environments demand products that deliver reliability whilst catering to varied tastes across staff and customers.
Key Factors to Consider When Buying Tea
Here are some key factors to consider when buying tea for offices and hospitality venues:
- Volume and storage: Bulk buy options reduce the frequency of reordering and ensure continuous availability during peak service times. Commercial settings benefit from packaging that maintains freshness over extended periods, particularly when storing larger quantities.
- Format flexibility: Tea bags provide speed and consistency for self-service areas and busy periods, whilst loose leaf options elevate the experience in premium hospitality settings where presentation matters. Having both formats available accommodates different scenarios within the same venue.
- Brand reputation: Trusted names like Teapigs, Birchall, and PG Tips deliver predictable quality that guests recognise and appreciate. These established tea brands maintain consistent flavour profiles across batches, eliminating the risk of disappointing variations.
- Range diversity: A well-stocked selection should include traditional black teas for conventional preferences, herbal and fruit infusions for caffeine-free alternatives, speciality blends for adventurous drinkers, and decaffeinated options for evening service. Matching tea selection to your venue’s demographic ensures higher consumption rates and reduced waste from unpopular varieties.
The Importance of Coffee Selection
Additionally, coffee is another beverage that should be considered when curating a drink menu for offices or hospitality venues. The selection of coffee should also reflect the same principles as tea selection—considering volume, format flexibility, brand reputation, and range diversity.
For instance, the Eureka Atom Specialty 65 Coffee Grinder is an excellent choice for mid- to high-consumption commercial venues as it produces coffee grounds perfect for espresso while remaining quiet in operation.
Moreover, maintaining the equipment used to prepare these beverages is equally important. The use of tools like the Barista Buddy Group Head Steam Cleaning Brush can revolutionise the maintenance of espresso machines, ensuring a quick, efficient cleaning process which ultimately contributes to better coffee quality served in your establishment.
Why Choose ADS for Your Tea and Beverage Needs?
ADS is more than just a tea supplier; we are a complete beverage partner. We offer an extensive range of products where you can find premium loose leaf and bagged teas for purchase that meet the high standards required in commercial settings. Our carefully selected collection includes everyday favourites like English Breakfast and PG Tips, as well as specialised options such as Earl Grey and wellness infusions.
Effortless Tea Sourcing
With trusted brands like Teapigs and Birchall, sourcing tea becomes easy. This ensures that every cup served consistently delivers top-notch quality and flavour. Our range caters to various preferences, including:
- Caffeine-sensitive customers seeking herbal alternatives
- Those who enjoy the rich taste of traditional black tea
Delicious Shmoo Milkshake Powder
But we don’t stop at tea. We also offer delicious Shmoo Milkshake Powder, perfect for creating refreshing shakes and enhancing your milkshake experience.
Transforming Procurement with Bulk Buy Options
For busy offices, hotels, and coffee shops, our bulk buy options revolutionise the procurement process. Instead of managing frequent orders, establishments can efficiently stock up while ensuring freshness and variety. Additionally, our biodegradable and compostable tea bag options align with environmental commitments without compromising on taste.
The Ideal Partner for Beverage Offerings
The combination of diverse flavours, dependable quality standards, and convenience tailored for commercial needs makes ADS the ideal partner for any establishment looking to enhance their beverage selection while simplifying their supply chain.
Elevate Your Menu this Autumn
As we approach autumn, it’s the perfect time to revamp your current drinks list by introducing warm and indulgent drink options that will transform your menu. Our top picks from Sweetbird and Simply Syrups such as Chai, Cinnamon, Pumpkin Spice, and Winter are excellent choices for crafting delightful autumnal beverages.
High-Quality Coffee Equipment
If you’re also in need of top-quality coffee equipment, we have products like the Eureka Mignon Libra Coffee Grinder available. This grinder features built-in weighing technology for precise measurements which reduces waste and enhances coffee flavour.
Special Seasonal Products
During festive periods such as Christmas, we also offer unique seasonal items to further elevate your beverage selection beyond our regular offerings.
FAQs
What are the different types of tea and their unique characteristics?
Tea comes in various types including everyday black teas like English Breakfast and PG Tips, speciality blends such as Earl Grey, herbal and fruit infusions like Peppermint, Chamomile, Rooibos, Lemon & Ginger, Berry blends, as well as decaffeinated and naturally caffeine-free options. Each type offers distinct flavours and benefits suitable for different preferences.
How does loose leaf tea compare to tea bags in terms of flavour and convenience?
Loose leaf tea generally provides a superior flavour and aroma experience, especially when brewed using teapots or infusers, making it ideal for premium tea enjoyment. Tea bags, on the other hand, offer practicality and consistency, making them suitable for offices and hospitality settings where convenience is key.
Which top tea brands offer quality teas worth trying?
Trusted household names such as Teapigs, Birchall, and PG Tips provide a range of premium loose leaf teas and speciality blends. These brands are known for their consistent flavour quality and are widely available for both individual consumers and commercial buyers.
What unique tea flavours offer health benefits?
Classic strong black teas like English Breakfast are versatile for any time of day. Specialty blends such as Earl Grey feature fragrant bergamot notes. Green tea is renowned for its antioxidants promoting wellness. Additionally, wellness blends including Rooibos and Hibiscus provide relaxing qualities with natural caffeine-free herbal infusions that support health.
Why should I choose eco-friendly tea bags?
Eco-friendly tea bags made from biodegradable or compostable materials help reduce environmental impact. Choosing these sustainable options supports responsible consumption practices in offices or hospitality venues aiming to minimize waste while enjoying quality tea experiences.
What factors should be considered when buying tea for offices or hospitality venues?
When selecting teas for busy workspaces or hospitality settings, it’s important to consider consistent flavour quality through reliable brands and formats that cater to diverse consumer preferences. Bulk buy options combining variety with quality standards ensure convenience and satisfaction in commercial environments.
