Beating the Brexit blues with a nice cup of tea

BRITAIN’S only tea grower says business is booming – due to the uncertainty around Brexit.

Bosses at the Tregothnan Estate say interest in the nation’s favourite brew has never been higher, with sales up by a third in the past two years.

And the plantation’s managing director put the spike down to a combination of increased interest in Britishness abroad and people responding to the political crisis at home by putting on the kettle.

The company’s most popular brew – the breakfast tea – is up by more than 100 per cent while chamomile tea has grown by around 300 per cent in the same period.

Overall sales are up around 30 per cent with countries such as China, Singapore and America taking it on.

Jonathan Jones, who is the MD for trade at the company, said: “We had an initial spike around the time of the referendum but we are seeing another big sales boom now with all the uncertainty and turmoil around.

“Tea is a very British thing and a lot of business is done over a cup of tea. We are known as a nation of tea drinkers and when times get tough and there is uncertainty around people will automatically put the kettle on.

“It does not matter if you are a Remainer or a Brexiteer, it is a great way to come together for a cup of tea and stay calm in times of crisis. That could be part of the reason.

“It does not matter what side of the argument you are on – tea is universal and you cannot have a fight over a cuppa.”

Mr Jones said the firm was in a unique position to expand and export tea across the world as they are Britain’s sole producers.

Tea was first developed commercially at the site in Cornwall from Camellia sinensis, the “Chinese tea plant”, in 2001.

The first ‘English tea’ was then sold in November 2005 to Fortnum & Mason of Piccadilly. He added: “We now have more than 30 different kinds of tea. Our breakfast tea is our best known and has gone up 100 per cent in the last two years.

“But we are also seeing a big spike in interest in our exports with bigger institutional customers.

“There has been huge overseas interest with exports to places like Taiwan, Japan and America.

“Our customers are buying into the whole idea about plucky Britishness.

“There is a growing awareness this country does really good quality engineering, food and drink, and the whole Brexit debate has increased this.

“Speaking to our customers I sense that is what it is about.

“The growth in business is up over 30 per cent since the referendum.”