Northern Irish Suki Tea lines up first business in Germany

Suki Tea, Northern Ireland's boutique blender, has secured significant business in Germany for its multi-award winning range of organic loose leaf teas and infusions.

Based in Belfast, Suki is gearing up to supply its products, which have won a string of UK Great Taste Awards, to a major distributor in Germany which has plans to develop sales of the quality tea there and in other export markets.

Suki director Anne Irwin, who founded the tea blender with business partner Oscar Woolley in 2005, says: "We are immensely excited by the potential of this new export opportunity in Germany and the potential it offers to grow sales in other international markets. It's another important springboard for us to expand sales abroad. German consumers, of course, have a sharp focus on organic and ethical products."

Suki has been developing export sales steadily over the past decade and currently exports to Norway, Japan, Poland, the Irish Republic, Hungary, Spain and Greece.

The company currently employs 16 people and was established to provide quality loose leaf teas to the Northern Ireland marketplace. It began tasting and selling quality teas from a stall in the St George's Market, a popular food market in Belfast and is now focused on international sales.

A strong commitment to sourcing teas ethically underpins the business. It has achieved Fair Trade, Organic and Rainforest Alliance accreditations and was the first company in the UK to launch triple accredited teas.

Suki sells its award winning natural loose leaf teas and pyramid teabags to cafes, restaurants, shops, delis, spas, health food stores and hotels throughout the UK through a partnership with Matthew Algie, a Glasgow-based distributor.

The Belfast company sources quality tea from Tanzania and Kenya and has plans to set up its own tea plantation near Portaferry in county Down.

In addition, the company has established a Tea Academy to train catering staff on tea blends and how to make the best tasting tea. It also works with organisations involved in the economic and social development of regions where it sources tea leaves.