Tea Tasting with Ringtons for Fairtrade Fortnight 2025

On Wednesday 1st October, in celebration of Fairtrade Fortnight, the Shared Interest team held a Fairtrade Greggs breakfast morning followed by a tea tasting event hosted by Ringtons. 

Although Shared Interest is not currently working with tea producers, it is still an important commodity in the Fairtrade world, with 20% of all Fairtrade farmers and workers working in the tea value chain. In the UK, tea is the most consumed drink, behind only water - outstripping coffee consumption by three-to-one. 

Meanwhile, Greggs continues to be a force for upholding fairer trade, helping to generate over £1.5 million in Fairtrade Premium in 2024 alone through the sale of its products. This means thousands of farmers and workers which work with Greggs can reinvest back into their community or businesses and enjoy a more secure and sustainable livelihood.

If you're looking for Fairtrade breakfast or lunch inspiration, look no further than Greggs' 10 most tasty treats made with Fairtrade ingredients. Check them out here.

A Force for Fair Trade, Brewed in Newcastle

Ringtons is a fifth-generation family business founded in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1907 by Samuel Smith, who began selling tea door-to-door by horse and cart. 118 years later, they continue to deliver tea, coffee and other sweet treats to over 220,000 customers throughout the UK as part of its personal tea delivery service, as well as supplying venues, businesses and retailers. If you would like to join a community of tea drinkers and have Ringtons tea delivered to your door, click here.

Each year, Ringtons roasts approximately two million kilograms of coffee. Fairtrade coffee has formed an important part of Rington's portfolio since the development of its coffee business 15 years ago. Today, the business works with small cooperatives in Latin America, aiming to build long-term, meaningful relationships, which have fair trade at their foundation.

Since 2017, Ringtons has been the top trader of Fairtrade tea in the UK. 

In the last financial year, Ringtons produced 1.85 billion tea bags, equivalent to around 56 cups of tea being brewed every second. The company is the sole supplier of tea to Marks & Spencer, a partnership that has lasted for 30 years. In total, Ringtons makes around 300 blends, resulting in about 650 different tea products. 

Did you know?

The caffeine you get from tea is distinct from the caffeine you get from coffee. In coffee, the caffeine molecules are floating around in your cup, freely, and upon consumption the caffeine is immediately ingested through the stomach, resulting in an energy spike and crash. In tea, the caffeine is wrapped in antioxidants and polythenols, providing a slower energy release whilst supporting the health of your digestive system.

How Ringtons is investing in a fairer world

The tea sector faces several ongoing issues, including: 

• Sexual abuse and harassment
• Poor working conditions
• Difficult living conditions 

To address the challenges steeped into the tea sector, Rington's works diligently and responsibly to support the livelihoods of the producers and communities they source from. 

Here's how Ringtons are brewing fairness in the tea industry:

Ethical Tea Partnership

Ringtons is an active member of the Ethical Tea Partnership, a non-profit organization that works to create a fairer, more sustainable tea industry for workers, farmers, and the environment. Ethical Tea Partnership projects focus on economics, equality, and the environment.

Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance

As a member of the Ethical Tea Partnership, Ringtons buys from certified producers that meet social, economic, and environmental standards set by Fairtrade and/or Rainforest Alliance. For micro-producers who cannot afford certification, the company ensures they still follow ethical principles.

World Coffee Research

Ringtons supports the livelihoods of coffee producers by contributing 1p for every kilogram of coffee purchased to World Coffee Research, which focuses on sustainable agricultural development. 

Charitable Trust

The Ringtons Tea Growing Community Charitable Trust provides grants to organizations that support smallholder farmers and workers in tea-growing communities, especially in East Africa.

Active supply chain monitoring

Ringtons' sourcing team works closely with suppliers and other stakeholders to monitor its global supply chains. The company traces its products back to the source to understand and address challenges faced by the industry.

Direct supplier relationships

The company maintains strong, long-term relationships with a core group of producers in countries such as India and Africa. It regularly communicates with and visits its tea and coffee estates to learn and work together with growers.

Supplier auditing and policies

Ringtons uses tools like Sedex to assess sourcing risks in different countries and requires suppliers to adhere to the Ethical Trading Initiative Base Code and the company's own Human Rights & Ethical Trading Policy.

Supply base transparency

The company publishes its supplier list on its website to promote transparency for its customers and suppliers. 

Highlights from our Tea Tasting event

Joining us in our Newcastle office were Ringtons colleagues Charlotte Skeates, Head of Sustainability and Sourcing Assurance; Sadie Walton, Green Coffee Buyer Specialist and James Jobling, Divisional Director and Director at Ethical Tea Partnership.

During the session, our team had the opportunity to sample an array of teas, from bright and golden Kenyan loose leaf tea to more economical, commonplace teabag-steeped tea from Argentina. The team also tried a lightly roasted oolong, grown wild in the Phoenix mountains of China. This semi-oxidised tea sits between the fully oxidised black tea alternative, and the wholly unoxidised green tea.

Pictured above-right, powdered green tea, or 'matcha', which has grown in popularity in recent times, is versatile and can be used in cakes, confectionary and more. Matcha involves drinking the tea leaves themselves - the better quality the leaves, the more enjoyable the experience. Equivalent to espresso, matcha is strong, punchy and full of antioxidants. 

Did you know?

Oolong and matcha tea has a unique natural property called L-theanine, which can increase alpha brain wave activity and regulate mood, acting as a natural stress reliever.

Invest in a fairer world

Investing in Shared Interest means supporting the livelihoods of farmers and artisans across the globe. It means strengthening businesses, creating opportunities, securing futures and joining a community upholding justice at the heart of international trade. Take the next step and open a Share Account today. Click the button below.