The Story of Tea ...
Whether it may be a delicate green tea or a zesty lemon tea, a cup of tea is a fine craft brewed to perfection with the right blend between art and industry, tradition and revolution, East and West.
The Tea trailed journey began within the forests of China amidst massive tea cultivations, the tea gardens of India, and even the Buddhist temples of Japan dating as far back as 2737 BC. However, tea became popular in Europe much later as the first few mentions of tea took place during the latter half of the 16th century mainly among Portuguese residing in the East as traders and missionaries.
It was the Portuguese and Dutch traders who first imported tea to Europe, with regular shipments by 1610. Tea, the most quintessential of English drinks, is a relative latecomer to British shores as the East India Company did not capitalise on tea's popularity until the mid-18th century, although the custom of drinking tea dates back to the third millennium BC in China, it was not until the mid-17th century that the beverage first appeared in England.
Tea was first sold as a health beverage in London, England at Garways’s Coffee House, by 1840, Anna Duchess of Bedford introduces “Afternoon Tea” which became a lasting English Ritual.
Curiously, it was the London coffee houses that were responsible for introducing tea to England. One of the first coffee house merchants to offer tea was Thomas Garway, who owned an establishment in Exchange Alley. He sold both liquid and dry tea to the public as early as 1657. Three years later he issued a broadsheet advertising tea at six and ten pounds per pound (ouch!), touting its virtues at 'making the body active and lusty', and 'preserving perfect health until extreme old age'. Tea therefore remained a drink for the wealthy due to its high price.
However, Tea has now firmly established itself as the ‘ British way of Life’ where an average of 165 million cups of Tea are consumed every day.
Black tea is one of the most popular blended teas, common in British tea culture. English breakfast tea is a black tea blend usually described as full- bodied, robust, rich and blended to go well with milk and sugar, in a style traditionally associated with a hearty English breakfast.
The right blend…
Ahmad Teais a UK- based business, drawing on four generations of tea blending and tasting experience. Driven by the company’s passion to deliver the finest tea consisting of an exceptional infusion, consumed and thoroughly enjoyed by people on a daily basis, Ahmad Tea embarked on a tea trailed journey from the 1950’s which focused on creating an enjoyable, memorable and satisfying experiences through a simple refreshment within and beyond Britain.
Ahmad Tea is renowned for the quality of its Teas across the globe, and yet remains a global business, true to the vision that founded it.
By 1951, Ahmad Tea started manufacturing bulk tea from the provincial tea growing regions in Asia and tea was sold across central Asia.
By 1986, set in motion by 4 generations of tea knowledge and experience, Ahmad Tea established its office and factory operations in Hampshire, UK.
As part of expansionary efforts due to accelerating demand, Ahmad Tea relocated to a bigger site in London by 1989as export markets continued to grow, thereby predominantly including tea drinking countries across Eastern Europe.
“My philosophyis that I will not sell anything that I would not drink at home.”
Tea Distribution to over 80+ Countries…
As head of an international business, Rahim Afshar wears a variety of hats. Being the Chairman of Ahmad Tea which blends and distributes tea to more than 80 countries, he also acts as “Chief Tea Taster”
The hub of the business, headquartered at Chandler’s Ford near Southampton, is the tea tasting room, which is yards from Rahim’s office. “My philosophy,” he says, “is that I will not sell anything that I would not drink at home.”This refusal to accept anything but the finest teas – primarily in terms of their flavour, aroma, strength and consistency continues to guide and inspire the entire company.
The company sources tea leaves from China, India, Kenya and Sri Lanka; while tasting and creatingblends take place in the tea tasting room in England, the UAE free zone of Ras Al-Khaimah is used as the company’s processing and export hub. Rahim says: “We are very international, with factories in the UK, Russia, Ukraine, China and the UAE, serving more than 80 countries”.
The Product Range...
The world has changed – The way we live communicate and play have all been revolutionized and we live in a world of experience, where pleasure is not derived from acquiring any single object but instead from unique, authentic experiences, routed in tradition. The aim of Ahmad Tea is to bring the consumer into its world, providing them with a compelling and sensory experience.
At Ahmad Tea the high quality and consistency of the blends is one of the unique selling points which is a testament to the care and dedication that Ahmad Tea puts into every cup of tea, with careful selection and quality control of each stage of the tea journey from crop to cup.
Ahmad Tea has more than 300 different – wide ranging products designed and brewed to suit the palettes of the brands ever growing customer base.With an average of 30 million cups of Ahmad Tea enjoyed around the world every day, the classic Black Tea, Fruit Black Tea, Green Tea, Herbal Tea and even the signature Cold Brew Ice Tea are popularly demanded across the world.
“Spread Kindness Programme”
From the inception Ahmad Tea hasbeen committed to supporting charities and sourcing products sustainably. This deep- rooted commitment to community and care comes from the personal values of the founding family. And these values are at the very heart of how Ahmad Tea manages the business. That’s why the “Ahmad Tea Spread Kindness Programme” was introduced.
Whilst believing that true kindness is unconditional, so with every cup of tea that is made, Ahmad Tea strives to make a positive impact and help those most in need.
The community driven projects focuses on Healthcare, Orphanages, Education, Sustainability and the Environmental efforts across the world.
Razavi Medical Complex at Apeksha Hospital, Maharagama Ahmad Tea London – CSR milestone in Sri Lanka
As a token of appreciation and gratitude towards all the citizens of Sri Lanka, Razavi Madical complex became a reality as a state of the art medical complex, a 7 storey built in the National Cancer Hospital, currently known as Apeksha Hospital, which was handed over to the public through the Government of Sri Lanka in the year 2016. Ahmad Tea strategically partnered with the Ministry of Health by committing to fund the design and building the state of the art hospital which facilitates 373 beds for adult patients, 5 operating theatres, 12 Surgical ICU beds, Day chemotherapy unit and emergency treatment unit, indoor and outdoor pharmacies, 19 paying rooms, laundry and sterilization department, patient canteen on each floor and consultants offices along with Bone marrow biopsy unit as well as bone marrow treatment unit which is the only facility available for the public sector in Sri Lanka and has been highly successful in the treatment.
Sri Lankan Market...
Experience the taste of the World with premium Ceylon Tea.
In August 2017 when Sri Lankan Tea industry ceremonially celebrated 150 years of its proud journey, Ahmad Tea London successfully launched its brand here in Sri Lanka by its official flagship store “Ceylon Special” in Colombo 3.
The wide variety of tea which promises a quality experience with every sip you take, together with the value for money that the products offer has many local customers coming back for more.
Ahmad Tea products are now available in selected supermarket chains, giving the local consumers the opportunity to experiencing an International brand with the premium quality Ceylon Tea.
Razavi Medical Complex at Apeksha Hospital, Maharagama Ahmad Tea London – CSR milestone in Sri Lanka