Tetley is an English tea manufacturer and wholly owned by the Tata Global Beverages group. Tetley is the largest tea company in the UK and the worlds second largest manufacturer and distributor of tea. Tetley is also well know for its advertising campaigns featuring the Tetley Tea Folk headed by 'Gaffer'.


Teapot Pouring Tea into a CupTetley was founded by Joseph and Edward Tetley in Yorkshire when they started to sell tea in 1837, which became a success so much so that they relocated to London in 1856, setting up Joseph Tetley & Company, Wholesaler Tea Dealers. Tetley was the first tea company to sell tea bags in the UK in 1953.

The Tetley Group was created in July 1995 after a management buy out and then became part of the Tata group in 2000.

Tetley now sells 60 different branded tea blends which include a range of fruit teas and blends from all around the world.


Range of Products

The Everyday Original blend is by far the most popular tea in the range and produced from the finest tea leaves.
Tetley Decaff has the same taste without the caffeine.

Green Tea and Pure Green Tea along with Earl Grey, Kenyan Gold, Extra Strong and Blend of Both make up part of the range of speciality teas.

Herbal Infusions include Peppermint and Camomile Tea for that delicate flavour.

Iced TeaA new Super Fruits range has been introduced to offer a healthy range of teas which include flavours such as Apple & Pear, Blueberry & Raspberry, Super Mint and Peach & Orange with added vitamins.

Ethical Tea Partnership

Tea PlantationTetley are one of the founding members of The Ethical Tea Partnership (ETP) which was created to provide a socially fair and environmentally sustainable global tea industry.

Ethical Tea Partnership Logo

ETP was founded in 1997 and works on a range of issues that have brought about long lasting improvements for people who live and work on the tea estates, they also partner with reputable organisations to jointly raise funds for projects that help tea producers meet their high standards. The ETP uses independent monitors to assess how estates are performing against the social and environmental criteria laid out.

The ETP has also committed to source all its tea from Rainforest Alliance farm by 2016, the ETP working with the Rainforest Alliance to help estates achieve Rainforest Alliance certification. Tetleys progress with this was recognised in 2013 when its parent company was awarded a Sustainable Standard-Setter award.

For more information on The Ethical Tea Partnership select the link www.ethicalteapartnership.org

Information on the Rainforest Alliance can be found here www.rainforest-alliance.org

Tea Folk

It was back in 1973 that we saw for the first time Tetley tea folk advertising tea on the TV, the campaign running until 2001. They returned again in 2010 and still present today.

Some of the main characters include.

Gaffer - The boss of the Tetley Tea Folk worked his way up from tea boy.

Sydney - Kind hearted and daft and always on hand to make a cuppa.

Maurice - The inventor who helps to keep Tetley at the cutting edge of technology.

Archie- The youngest of the folk being groomed to step into Gaffer's shoes one day.

Other characters include Clarence, Tina and Gordon .

A whole range of collectables have been produced over the years and there are often offers from Tetley in the form of mugs, cosies and figures.

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