Rare Tea
Rare Tea Company is a London-based specialty tea retailer and wholesaler founded by Henrietta Lovell, selling loose leaf teas, teaware, and subscriptions directly to consumers and to premium hospitality accounts via direct-trade relationships with independent tea gardens.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Rare Tea does
Rare Tea Company is a UK-based specialty tea retailer and wholesaler founded around 2004-2005 by Henrietta Lovell, operating from a London head office at 35 Eyre Street Hill while incorporated in Scotland. The company sources loose leaf teas directly from a small set of independent partner gardens (Jun Chiyabari in Nepal, Satemwa Estate in Malawi, and Amba Estate) under organic farming principles, and sells them together with teaware, subscription boxes, and ancillary products such as branded honey, marmalade, a book, and Tea Masterclasses. Its core technology is a direct-trade model that emphasizes farmer-paid prices, single-estate traceability, and reinvestment via the Rare Charity educational scholarship program on partner farms.
The company operates a dual go-to-market motion. On the consumer side, it runs a Shopify-based direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront (rareteacompany.com) supporting GBP, USD, AUD, and EUR currencies with global shipping from its UK warehouse, and offers a tiered subscription portfolio (Rare, Very Rare, Extremely Rare, plus category-specific boxes for black, white/green, herbal, gaiwan, and the Infused 'Adventures in Tea' formats). On the trade side, a dedicated Wholesale & Trade division supplies restaurants, hotels, bars, and bakeries, with named accounts including Noma, Gordon Ramsay, Claridge's, The Connaught, Cheval Blanc, Hawksmoor, Momofuku, Alain Ducasse, Browns Hotel, and The Nomad Hotel, alongside bespoke blending, consultancy, retail partnership, and corporate gifting services. Unit pricing sits in the GBp 600-1,400 per tin range with per-cup economics of GBp 18-56.
Revenue is generated through one-time e-commerce sales, recurring subscriptions, B2B wholesale supply, and digital gift cards. Marketing is primarily organic, leveraging Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, an email newsletter with a 10% first-order discount, the Rare Tea Journal content platform, and a Trustpilot rating of 4.8/5 across 2,000+ reviews. The company is privately held with no disclosed external funding rounds, no parent company, and no M&A activity recorded; ownership and strategic direction remain concentrated with founder Henrietta Lovell.
Rare Tea firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Rare Tea
- Legal name
- Rare Tea Company
- Website
- https://rareteacompany.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Rare Tea Company is a London-based specialty tea retailer and wholesaler founded by Henrietta Lovell, selling loose leaf teas, teaware, and subscriptions directly to consumers and to premium hospitality accounts via direct-trade relationships with independent tea gardens.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Rare Tea industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Loose Leaf Tea
- NAICS
- Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920), Other Specialty Food Retailers (44529)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080), Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Tea (Leaf, Bagged, Instant, Concentrates) (CRADAHAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Tea Blending & Flavoring (AFAFADAG), Specialty Coffee & Tea (Single-Origin, Micro-lot, Premium) Processing (AFAFADAJ), Specialty Tea Shops (Loose-Leaf, Tea Bars) (THAFAKAD), Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI)
Keywords
Where Rare Tea is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Rare Tea business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Direct E-commerce Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of loose leaf tea, teaware, and gifts through their online storefront. Products include black, white, green, oolong, pu'er, matcha teas, and herbal infusions along with teapots, cups, strainers, and accessories.
- Tea Subscriptions: Recurring subscription box model offering regular deliveries of curated teas including Rare Tea Subscription Box, Very Rare Tea Subscription Box, Extremely Rare Tea Subscription Box, and category-specific boxes for black, white/green, herbal, and gaiwan teas.
- Wholesale & Trade: B2B supply to restaurants, hotels, bars, and bakeries. Services include wholesale supply, consultancy, bespoke blending, retail partnerships, and corporate gifting experiences.
- Gift Cards: Digital gift cards sold through the e-commerce platform enabling gifting occasions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual loose leaf tea tins and products |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Rare Tea product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Rare Tea Company sources premium loose leaf teas directly from independent tea gardens worldwide and sells them to individual consumers through its DTC e-commerce storefront and to hospitality businesses through its Wholesale & Trade division. The portfolio covers Black, White, Green, Matcha, Oolong, Pu'er, Yellow, Cold Infusion, and herbal teas alongside teaware, subscription boxes at multiple rarity tiers, and ancillary products. Bespoke blending, consultancy, retail partnerships, and corporate gifting experiences are offered to trade customers including restaurants, hotels, bars, and bakeries.
Product overview
Rare Tea Company operates as a direct-to-consumer tea retailer offering a unified portfolio of loose leaf teas and tea accessories. The core offering consists of loose leaf teas (Black, White, Green, Matcha, Oolong, Pu'er, Yellow, and Cold Infusions) sourced directly from independent farmers under organic principles, alongside a loose leaf herbal tea collection (Well-Being, Mint, Chamomile, Rooibos, Blossoms & Flowers, Herbs, and Spices). The teaware line includes Teapots, Teacups/Mugs/Bowls, Tea Sets, Strainers & Infusers, Cold Infusion vessels (including the Rare Tea Flask), Matcha Teaware, Accessories, and Storage solutions. Subscription boxes at multiple tiers (Rare, Very Rare, Extremely Rare, plus specialty boxes for Black Tea, White & Green Tea, Herbal Tea, Gaiwan, and Infused-Adventures in Tea) provide recurring revenue. Ancillary products include the 'Adventures in Tea' book, branded merchandise (Tea Towel, Wildflower Honey, Smokey Tea Marmalade), and Tea Masterclasses. B2B Wholesale & Trade services target restaurants, hotels, bars, and bakeries. The company differentiates through direct trade relationships, organic sourcing, and sustainability commitments.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Loose Leaf Tea Collection Premium single-estate loose leaf teas in Black, White, Green, Matcha, Oolong, Pu'er, Yellow, and Cold Infusion varieties, sourced directly from independent tea gardens under organic farming principles and sold to individual consumers. Bestsellers include Rare Earl Grey (£8.00), Silver Tip Jasmine (£11.00), Single Estate Lost Malawi English Breakfast (£9.00), and Speedy Breakfast (£6.00).
- Loose Leaf Herbal Tea Collection Herbal tea collection including Well-Being Tea, Mint, Chamomile, Rooibos, Blossoms & Flowers, Other Herbs, and Spices, sold to consumers seeking caffeine-free options.
- Teaware Collection Tea accessories including Teapots, Teacups/Mugs/Bowls, Tea Sets, Strainers & Infusers, Cold Infusion vessels (including the Rare Tea Flask), Matcha Teaware, Accessories & Spares, and Storage solutions.
- Gift Sets and Gift Cards Curated tea gift collections including Gift Sets, Curated Collections, Little Tea Presents, Gift Cards, and Rare Charity Donations for personal and corporate gifting occasions.
- Tea Subscription Boxes Recurring subscription boxes delivering curated loose leaf teas to subscribers, with rarity tiers (Rare, Very Rare, Extremely Rare) and category-specific boxes for Black Tea, White & Green Tea, Herbal Tea, Gaiwan brewing equipment with specialty teas, and an Infused-Adventures in Tea box bundled with the company book.
- Wholesale & Trade Services B2B services targeting restaurants, hotels, bars, and bakeries, comprising wholesale tea supply, consultancy, bespoke blending tailored to venue concept, retail partnerships, and corporate gifting experiences. Marquee clients include Gordon Ramsay, Noma, Alain Ducasse, Claridge's, The Connaught, Brown's Hotel, Cheval Blanc, Hawksmoor, and The Nomad Hotel.
- Tea Masterclasses Educational tea brewing and tasting classes delivered by Rare Tea Company for consumers and trade customers seeking hands-on training.
- Adventures in Tea Book A branded book about tea adventures, sold standalone and as part of the Infused-Adventures in Tea Subscription Box.
- Rare Charity Donations Charitable program reinvesting a direct percentage of revenue into educational scholarships on partner tea farms, supporting long-term social change in tea-growing communities.
Quantifiable outcome
- 4.8/5 Trustpilot rating with over 2000 reviews
Companies that use Rare Tea
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Rare Tea technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Rare Tea partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Jun Chiyabari Tea GardencorePartner tea garden featured on the About the Farms section, representing direct trade relationship for sourcing high-quality teas.
- The Satemwa Tea EstatecorePartner tea estate featured on the About the Farms section, representing direct trade relationship for sourcing premium teas.
- The Amba EstatecorePartner tea estate featured on the About the Farms section, representing direct trade relationship for sourcing teas.
- Rare CharitycoreCharitable initiative reinvesting a direct percentage of revenue into educational scholarships on partner farms, supporting long-term social change in tea-growing communities.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Rare Tea competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Pukka Herbs: UK-based premium herbal and wellness tea brand owned by Unilever, with DTC, supermarket, and wholesale presence. Closely comparable in premium positioning, organic/herbal sourcing, and UK/international reach.
- Whittard of Chelsea: UK heritage tea retailer with own stores, DTC e-commerce, and a broad loose-leaf and teaware catalogue. Comparable in retail presence, category scope, and a similar balance of consumer and trade customers.
- Teapigs: UK-based premium tea brand selling loose leaf and tea bags via DTC and wholesale to cafés, hotels, and restaurants. Direct competitor in the UK mid-to-premium segment with overlapping hospitality and subscription channels.
- T2 Tea: Australian-founded global specialty tea retailer with DTC e-commerce, subscriptions, teaware, and a wholesale/trade model. Operates across similar premium loose-leaf categories and customer segments — direct head-to-head competitor in the UK, EU, and Australia.
- Harney & Sons: US-based premium loose-leaf tea brand founded 1983, selling direct-to-consumer via own website and through wholesale hospitality channels. Closely comparable in product range, quality positioning, and B2B/hotel supply business.
- Mariage Frères: French heritage luxury tea brand with own boutiques, DTC sales, and bespoke blending for hospitality. Direct peer in the premium loose-leaf segment with comparable emphasis on single-estate sourcing and chef/restaurant partnerships.
- Tea Forte: US premium tea brand with own e-commerce, luxury tea accessories, and a strong hospitality/gifting channel. Comparable in premium gifting, teaware cross-sell, and partnership with luxury hotels and restaurants.
- Republic of Tea: US specialty tea brand with strong DTC/subscription model and a wide range of premium leaf, herbal, and functional teas. Comparable in direct-to-consumer curation, subscription mechanics, and ethical sourcing narrative.
Broad incumbents
- Twinings: Iconic UK tea brand owned by Associated British Foods, with massive scale, DTC, and globally dominant retail distribution. Major incumbent defining the category; not a niche specialist but essential benchmark for share, pricing, and brand reach.
- Fortnum & Mason: British heritage luxury retailer with a sizeable tea category spanning own-brand loose-leaf blends, tea ware, and gifting. A broader incumbent with overlapping luxury tea credentials and hospitality/bespoke service, but not a tea specialist.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Rare Tea social profiles
Digital presenceRare Tea financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Rare Tea leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Rare Tea funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Rare Tea M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Rare Tea
What does Rare Tea do?
Rare Tea Company sources premium loose leaf teas directly from independent tea gardens worldwide and sells them to individual consumers through its DTC e-commerce storefront and to hospitality businesses through its Wholesale & Trade division. The portfolio covers Black, White, Green, Matcha, Oolong, Pu'er, Yellow, Cold Infusion, and herbal teas alongside teaware, subscription boxes at multiple rarity tiers, and ancillary products. Bespoke blending, consultancy, retail partnerships, and corporate gifting experiences are offered to trade customers including restaurants, hotels, bars, and bakeries.
Is Rare Tea a public or private company?
Rare Tea is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Rare Tea founded?
Rare Tea was founded in 2005. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Rare Tea based?
Rare Tea is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Rare Tea make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Direct E-commerce Sales are the primary driver. The others are tea Subscriptions, wholesale & Trade and gift Cards.
Who are Rare Tea's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Pukka Herbs, Whittard of Chelsea, Teapigs, T2 Tea, Harney & Sons, Mariage Frères, Tea Forte and Republic of Tea. Broad incumbents are Twinings and Fortnum & Mason.
Does Rare Tea have an API?
No public API is recorded for Rare Tea.
What industry is Rare Tea in?
Rare Tea's product category is Specialty Loose Leaf Tea. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADAHAE, Tea (Leaf, Bagged, Instant, Concentrates), with a secondary code of AFAFADAG, Tea Blending & Flavoring. Its NAICS code is 311920 and its SIC code is 2080.