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Where does tea come from?

Most of the world's tea comes from four countries: India, China, Kenya and Sri Lanka. But what variations there are!

India produces a vast variety of teas, including golden, thick and malty Assams, one of our favourite teas for blending; the light, soft and delicate Darjeelings and the bright amber teas from the Nilgiri region in South India.

China is known as the birthplace of tea. Eighteen regions of China produce a huge and diverse range: black teas, green teas, oolong, white, flavoured and compressed teas.

Next comes Africa, another big tea producer. Most comes from Kenya, but tea also grows in Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and South Africa. Kenyan teas grow high up in the Great Rift Valley and are a favourite the world over for their pleasant brisk flavour and vibrant coppery red colour.

Sri Lankan tea comes in a wide variety of flavours and aromas. Some are full-bodied and some more delicate, but all have a characteristic bright orange colour.

But what of the rest of the world?

You'll find tea growing in Turkey, Georgia, Japan, Vietnam and Malaysia. In the Southern hemisphere, Indonesia is a large tea producer and exporter. The islands of Papua New Guinea produce tea and so does Australia (although only a minute quantity). There's even a green tea ‘Azores', which comes from Cha Gorreana on the Ilha de S. Miguel in the Azores! And last but by no means least there's the Southern Hemisphere's other big tea-growing region, South America. Here, Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador and Peru all produce tea. Argentina's tea makes a clear, reddish brew which is perfect for iced teas.

Finally, a note on "Herbal Teas". Although commonly called herbal teas - these do not, in fact, contain tea! So, we tend to call them "Herbal Infusions". The fruit and herbal ingredients can come from all over the world. However, the major producer of herbal tea ingredients is actually Germany.