Suki Tea promoting tasty business in Britain


Suki Tea, the leading loose leaf tea blender, has teamed up with Patisserie Valerie, the unique cafe / bakery business, to encourage more customers to enjoy the rich flavours of gourmet teas.



The VIP Tea Tastings being held in Patisserie Valerie cafes throughout Britain feature a presentation by devotee Oscar Woolley, managing director of Belfast-based Suki Tea, and follows a deal between the two gourmet food businesses.



Suki has recently started supplying a range of seven loose-leaf teas, including its unique Triple Certified Darjeeling, Earl Grey Blue Flower and Breakfast Tea, to more than 60 Patisserie Valerie cafes. In addition to its traditional teas, Suki is supplying its popular Spiced Citrus, Green, Whole Peppermint and Chamomile products.



Patisserie Valerie, in addition to serving Suki teas in the cafes, is retailing the products and the Northern Ireland company's gift sets.



Mr Woolley, commenting on the deal and the associated promotion, says: "Winning such significant business from Patisserie Valerie, one of the most respected café/bakery businesses on the high street, is a marvellous endorsement of the taste and quality of our teas. It's among our most significant and prestigious accounts.



"We've been building a close working relationship with Patisserie Valerie management for several years following an introduction from Matthew Algie, our distributor in Britain.



"We jumped at the opportunity to take part in the VIP Tea Tasting programme to support Patisserie Valerie in marketing our teas.



"The programme enables us to showcase our products and to encourage customers to experience gourmet teas from our extensive range and to highlight the benefits of quality teas especially our wonderful Darjeeling, the first in the UK to be triple certified by the Fair Trade organisation, the Soil Association, and Rainforest Alliance.



"Turnout for the talks has been excellent, and I've found that customers are becoming increasingly interested in such accreditations. Our support for the promotion is an example of our sharp focus on excellent service to our customers. Patisserie Valerie is strongly committed to superb presentation of all their products and, thus, saw an affinity with our approach," he adds.



Mr Woolley formed Suki Tea with business partner Anne Rooney in 2005. The company has won a string of UK Great Taste and other awards and now supplies its teas throughout the UK, Ireland and to international markets such as Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Africa. It sources teas from the leading gardens in Africa and India. Its portfolio also includes Matcha, the traditional finely milled green tea, imported directly from Japan.Matcha is at the heart of the Japanese tea ceremonyand will be marketed by Suki to existing and new customers throughout the UK and Ireland.



Patisserie Valerie was first opened in Frith Street in London's Soho in 1926 by Belgian born Madam Valerie who wished to introduce fine continental patisserie to England. The cafes are highly regarded for their quality cakes and patisserie, continental breakfasts, lunches, the finest teas and coffees and an atmosphere that is unique to each location.