Before we delve deep into Mr . Ames ’ delicious brews , it is worth mentioning that the ratio of tea lovers to ‘ not so keen ’ on our team reflected UKTIA ’ s stats . With three of us being avid tea coinessurs and boiling the kettle many times a day , making anything from a cup of good old English Breakfast to a fancy floral tea , in contrast to editor Sam , who represented the 14 percent of adults that are not-so-regular tea drinkers . Despite this , Sam was swayed on first sip when we gathered round a steaming teapot of ‘ jun chiyabari ’, a Nepalese brew , with co-owner Nick Gandon to talk everything tea . Back in the mid 1990s when he was just 17 , Nick joined Reginald Ames Tea , packing sacks of tea to send out to restaurants and cafés . Since then , the company and Nick alike have gone from strength to strength . With Nick now at the helm alongside his co-partner , Reginald Ames Tea has since tripled sales , increased the team from just three to over 30 , and currently supplies around 200 popular household names and bespoke brands with freshly packaged , ethically sourced tea with imminent plans to move to a much larger manufacturing and production facility in order to keep up with demand .
‘ We pride ourselves on three things ’ Nick tells us , ‘ Sustainability , our ethics and the sheer quality of our tea .’ In non-Covid times , Nick tells us that between himself and James , they visit their suppliers that are located all over Africa and Asia , at least five times a year between them . ‘ This is the most reliable and only way we can really see where our products come from . This firsthand involvement means we can give our customers reassurance with every sip and reaffirm the ethics behind our company .’ Reginald Ames Tea sources the finest ingredients from around the globe , which include teas certified ETP ( Ethical Tea Partnership ) as well as Rainforest Alliance , fairtrade , organic , or , in some cases , several of these certifications at once . ‘ This allows us to create the best possible ethical and sustainable blends ’ says Nick who also informs us that Reginald Ames stocks more than 350 different teas , herbs and infusions , which then in turn can be used to create many thousands of different blends . Not only is all tea ethically sourced , Mr . Ames packaging is all recyclable , compostable and sustainable . ‘ We were one of the first to start using a compostable tea bag ’ says Nick , ‘ not because we had to at that time , but because it was the right thing to do .’ This caring and passionate attitude is one which pours through all aspects of Mr . Ames , it is a trait rooted deep in their company starting all the way back in 1909 and reflected in Nick ’ s earnest passion and drive , right down to the dedication of their warehouse staff who we see happily packaging tea , absorbed in the intricacies of the job in hand .
After dressing up in strict health and safety gear and once Nick has taken us on a tour of the warehouse , during which we witness glorious sights , sounds and smells to please all the senses ; from rich tea aromas to satisfying machines that seal mighty bags of tea and pop out pyramid tea bags in a pile , as well as discovering various machinery that has truly stood the test of tea-blending time , we venture upstairs to a tea-tasting session . Accompanied by three of Mr . Ames ’ expert tea mixologists and tasters , including Nick himself , we sampled a line of around 20 individual brewed tea leaves , herbs and spices that make up Mr . Ames ’ nine scrumptious blends . It was an educational and enlightening experience to see how different raw ingredients and leaf types develop and combine to create new tastes and flavours , even our non-tea drinker was converted . The whole team , enthralled in the blending process , even developed their own signature blend , a development on Mr . Ames ’ s festive fudge with chocolate and liquorice additions .
And of course you too can now sample all of the Ames tea knowledge and passion in the Mr . Ames products , which range from pyramid bags ‘ you get a better brew of flavours ’ to loose leaf . Purchase one of these products and be certain with every sip , that ethics , quality and taste have been painstakingly prioritised in each blend . Customers do not even have to worry that Nick isn ’ t there to advise , as each packet comes complete with notes on pairing , ‘ tremendous with teriyaki , perfect with panna cotta and beautiful by itself ’ is the advice given with Mr . Ames ‘ Liquorice and Peppermint ’, which is priced at a very fair and reasonable £ 3.95 for 20 pyramid bags .
Mr . Ames have come a long way from their small beginnings that started with just one man . A company with a real story behind them , this is perhaps the mystery that adds the magic and originality to what they do . To this day , over 110 years later , the company remains true to his beliefs that only the best quality will do – and you are sure to taste it with every sip .
Look out for Mr . Ames tea in bright and bold packaging amongst local stockists in Tonbridge , Royal Tunbridge Wells , Hildenborough and Hadlow , or purchase online for nationwide delivery . And remember Mr . Ames implores that the key to making a perfect cuppa is a clean kettle full of fresh water !
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