Suki's Belfast Brew brings local flavour to M&S in Britain

Shoppers at M&S stores in the UK and Ireland are set to experience the richly flavoured Belfast Brew tea from Suki Tea, Northern Ireland's multi-award winning boutique tea blender.

Based in Belfast, Suki Tea is supplying Belfast Brew in an innovative and exclusive packaging format to around 200 M&S food stores in what is the company's first deal with a major multiple retailer.

Belfast Brew, blended initially by the company for the Northern Ireland market, has won a series of quality awards including UK Great Taste Awards and was subsequently chosen by foodservice operations including Patisserie Valerie across the UK.

"Winning business from such a prestigious retailer as M&S is an immensely important development for us in high-end retailing," says Oscar Woolley, Suki Tea managing director. M&S has been a target for us since the start of the business in 2005.

"While our focus has long been on foodservice, we always said we'd look at retailing especially with M&S. We were delighted when M&S approached us about 6 months ago to see if we'd be interested in becoming a supplier. We jumped at the opportunity and timing was perfect as we had just developed this product with them in mind.

"What helped us to secure this hugely important business is the accreditations we have achieved such as SALSA and for ethical trading by conservation organisations such as the Organic Food Federation, Rainforest Alliance and the Fairtrade Foundation," he adds.

Suki Tea was founded by Mr Woolley and business partner Anne Irwin in 2005 to focus on quality loose-leaf teafruit and herbal infusions.

In addition to selling extensively in the UK and Ireland, the company now exports to Japan, Rwanda, Kenya, Poland, the Netherlands and Belgium. The company also runs Ireland's first and only Tea Academy at its Belfast base.