Tetley tea will be globally certified according to the Rainforest Alliance regulations. This means that now British tea won’t “damage the nature.” Tata Beverage Group, the #2 tea producer and distributor in the world will now purchase its raw-materials for bags and loose tea products only from Rainforest Alliance-certified farms.
The launch of the first certified products is set for April. The company says that the packaging will now get the logo, indicating that the tea is from the region where the tea leaves are certified. Then the varieties will be launched in Canada, UK, Europe and Australia by 2012. The company says that all the green, black and red teas are going to have the new symbol by 2016.
«Our consumers will be able to enjoy their favourite Tetley blend knowing it has been produced in a way that respects the environment and the tea growers and pickers«, noted Peter Unsworth, Tata Beverage Group chief executive.