The Flying Fish Tea Co. has launched a new line of 100% recyclable, renewable, and plastic-free tea products, with a direct to the door delivery service in environmentally-friendly packaging that has been designed to slip straight through the letterbox.

Nowadays, it’s a lot easier to capture our attention; words such as responsible and sustainable are just two that, as we say in the UK, “Floats our Boat”. The Flying Fish Tea Co., and yes, we know it’s a rather original name for a company, are on a mission to make the UK tea industry far more sustainable without compromising quality.

Before we get into the core of this feature, we thought it only fair to explain why it is named The Flying Fish Tea Co. It’s not a homage to an underwater species. The company’s name comes from the ‘Flying Fish’ clipper that was launched in 1851 and met its demise in the Chinese port city of Foochow whilst carrying a cargo of tea leaves.

The Flying Fish Tea Co. is a UK company striving to keep the clipper legacy alive through the supply of only the highest quality, carefully sourced, hand-selected produce while putting a modern spin on tradition with fruity flavours and bold, eye-opening tastes.

Their latest endeavour launched some new tea blends, which involved two years of strategic planning to ensure the products met the founders’ strict criteria for sustainability and quality of produce.

A rigid framework has been designed to help transform the existing UK tea industry. It will ensure that Flying Fish Foods Teas are developed using only the highest quality ingredients and from responsible sources. In addition to this, all of the company’s packaging has been produced using fully recyclable materials from 100% renewable sources.

The blends themselves were subject to extensive historical research and consultancy with world tea experts. Understanding the use of the plant through history, botany and etymology led to a unique twist on traditional and historical blends to satisfy even the most discerning tea connoisseur.

The end result is a sumptuous range of zero plastic, FSC-certified products that put a refreshing twist on traditional tastes without compromising on ethics.

Jon and Duncan, The Flying Fish Tea Co. Founders, said, “We feel very passionate about the history and heritage of tea and tea culture, most of the produce you get in supermarkets is a very low grade of tea known as “fannings”. It is a by-product of tea leaf grading and is essentially dust left over after the sorting process. We believe that quality whole leaf tea should be enjoyed and accessible to everyone.

“Tea plantations have been known to have a direct impact on habitat and the wider environment, while the oil-based plastics used to seal most tea bags today mean that they’re not fully recyclable, largely ending up in a landfill. We want to highlight the problems with the industry, and to show that it is possible to create eco-friendly products that aren’t only responsible, but also bring highest quality produce to customers looking for a modern spin on classic flavours”.

The Flying Fish Tea range includes a selection of black, green, and herbal teas, which are currently available in plastic-free, compostable pyramid tea bags. The five blends – Sailors Brew, Admiral Grey, Full Sail, Intrepid Cannoneer, and Evening Zephyr – take some of the country’s best-loved favourites and combine them with a nautical twist from the clipper era.

Rumour has it that exciting developments are in store for Flying Fish Foods, with talk of an additional five blends coming soon, along with brand new product lines. Loose leaf tea options and a wider selection of hot and cold drinks are just some of the possible announcements we’re expecting soon.

You can read more about the company, its goals and view its current range of products at www.flyingfishtea.co.uk.

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