With our parent company having decades of experience monitoring the global tea market, we at Trees and Leaves were able to recognise the fluctuating tea market in the U.K. Desiring to respond to the change in the market, we conducted a market research study throughout London, Hertfordshire and the South East of England to look at consumption trends towards non-traditional teas to healthy teas and noted that people were increasingly becoming aware of the preventative and curative foods that are available.

We conducted a series of product testing initiates with consumers at high footfall locations such as the St. Albans market. A demand for flavoured tea, green tea and traditional black tea was found evident. We also noted that the community was interested in trying out blended teas like cinnamon tea, Murunga tea, chamomile tea and several other organic / natural products that are known for their health benefits.

Tea originated in Sri Lanka is preferred by Brits due to its ethical production, quality and unique taste that it’s known best for.

This was fortunate for us given our close ties with Sri Lanka, the land of Ceylon tea. So we journeyed deep into the plantations, looking closely at the cultivation of healthy tea, how it is dried and processed, the distinctions among different grades and ways of recognising the best products. We were pleased to also note the potential of being able to give back to the low-income communities who worked on the plantations.

Successfully launching our first retail outlet in 2018 along with our online commerce site – treesandleaves.co.uk. – we are now totally committed to this exciting journey into the world of healthy, organic and ethically sourced teas and other produce.

The latest scientific studies show that just three cups of tea a day, could cut the risk of bone fractures in the elderly by almost a third. It suggests that tea could become a powerful weapon against osteoporosis, the bone-weakening condition that already affects around three million people in Britain. Recent studies around the world have suggested that regular tea drinking can slow down certain cancers and reduce the risk of diseases such as heart disease. Most reports showing a positive link with cancer prevention appear from studies using green tea compared with black tea.

We have also considered the numerous health benefits of honey. It is an important element of traditional medicines such as Ayurvedic treatments. Scientists have also researched its benefits in relation to modern medicine, particularly in the healing of wounds, boosting energy and skin care properties.

Cinnamon, a highly delicious spice, has been valued for its medicinal properties for thousands of years. Modern science has now confirmed what people have known for ages.