English Tea Shop is a 30% employee-owned, independent specialty and organic tea company headquartered in London. Since our launch in 2010, we have grown to 55 markets worldwide. In the UK, our 100% organic teas and tisanes are available in top retail and foodservice outlets, including Selfridges and Holland & Barrett, as well as esteemed hotels such as The Grange, Strand Palace, and Wesley. From the very beginning, English Tea Shop has been committed to working directly with small-scale farmers, ensuring fair trade practices and building a value chain that empowers farming communities. This foundation reflects our belief in creating shared value (CSV) by integrating economic, social, and environmental benefits into every aspect of our operations. We are proud to share that 77% of our employees, including shop floor cadre, are shareholders, demonstrating our dedication to inclusivity and shared success. At the core of our operations is Open Book Management (OBM), a transformative approach that fosters transparency, collaboration, and entrepreneurial thinking across all levels of the business. The Big Game is how we bring OBM to life—by empowering our team to understand the financial workings of the company, actively contribute to decision-making, and benefit from performance-based bonuses that reward collective success. As a certified B Corp, English Tea Shop is recognized for balancing profit with purpose. Our commitment to sustainability and growth has been celebrated with accolades such as the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development (2020) and the National Business Award for Sustainability. Our teas are lovingly crafted at our own manufacturing facility in Colombo, Sri Lanka, where our 300-strong team benefits from various initiatives that empower and uplift them. Our mission goes beyond tea; we aim to inspire a world that is environmentally secure, socially inclusive, and economically prosperous—one teacup at a time!
2010