The gourmet tea company, based in Belfast and with sales throughout the UK, Ireland and other parts of Europe, as well as to Japan and Africa, has placed an initial order for 2,000 tea plants with a leading grower in Tanzania and plans to grow them on land at Portaferry in County Down.
Oscar Woolley, Suki Tea’s managing director, who founded the company in 2005 with business partner Anne Rooney, says Portaferry had been chosen as the preferred site because of its virtually frost-free climate.
“We believe that Portaferry could be an ideal location for growing tea because there’s a micro-climate there,” he said, “a sheltered environment that’s moderated by nearby Strangford Lough, the largest natural inlet in the British Isles.
“Our decision to push ahead with the project is based on extensive research, analysis of the soil at Portaferry and time working with our suppliers in Tanzania to learn how best to grow tea in Northern Ireland. Tea in Tanzania, after all, is grown on vast plantations that are 7,000 ft above sea level. It has also been grown in the UK, at Tregothnan, Cornwall, since 2000.
“Of course it’s a bit of a gamble for us, but the work we’ve carried out ahead of the decision suggests that it should be possible to grow tea at Portaferry. If all goes according to plan, as it should, we could be producing our own Portaferry blend in about five years. It will take this length of time to prepare and nurture the tea plants after they arrive in Northern Ireland in May.
“We’d expect to be planting the tea in about 18 months. We have still a lot to learn about the whole process and will be in Tanzania next month to develop the skills we’ll require to grow tea successfully.
“The process will also equip us with greater knowledge about tea and how to ensure that we continue to offer customers a premium quality experience. Ultimately, we want to be able to offer a really fresh tea, a blend available a few weeks after the leaves have been plucked.”
As part of the project, the company intends to set up a tea house on site with exhibition space that will be used to inform visitors, including schools and tourists, about the history and development of tea.
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