Here at Bosinver we love to support local businesses whenever we can and popping in for a chat is part of the relationship that we value. We use Cornish Tea’s products in our Welcome packs at Bosinver so I jumped at the invitation to Cornish Tea’s first factory tour and it did not disappoint.
I had a hectic schedule that day so booked in to the first tour at 9.30am, surprised to find them deep in the Cornish countryside between Liskeard and Looe but well signposted, complete with friendly parking attendant! My camera was at the ready and I immediately took a couple of snaps of the whacky parking notices below.
We were ushered into the office and hospitality area decked out with their colourful branded products and a tasting area where our guide, Duncan, was waiting to show us around.
Duncan turned out to be the MD and originator of the brand, creative genius and ace story teller. My luck was in…..
We started at the raw materials- stacks of coffee beans in jute sacks from Guatemala, Brazil and Colombia and tea from Malawi, Zimbabwe and Kenya. Onwards to the tea blender and then to coffee roasting where the raw green beans are cooked in a giant oven, carefully monitored for time and temperature by a skilled member of staff.
Next we’re the fusion teas – berry, red bush, strawberry, chai, mango, earl grey, mint – the list goes on….being packaged and boxed, followed by the main tea bag machine packing up cartons of Smugglers Brew tea.
I was especially impressed with the Company Sustainability ethos.. There is no plastic packaging, even the teabags are made of corn starch and are home compostable. The cardboard boxes do not need glue or sellotape and are all the same size for ease of storage and transportation. All products are Fairtrade or Rain Forest Alliance certified and the factory is organic certified, enabling them to manufacture for other high street brands.
Wow, what a journey in 10 years from a scribbled idea on the back of Duncan’s hand after a random conversation about Yorkshire tea (why not Cornish?) to the multi-million pound business it is today.
So pleased to see another successful local business we are proud to be associated with and a new reassurance (besides the good taste) to making my own Smugglers Brew morning cuppa from now on…
