Suki Tea
Suki Tea Makers is a Belfast- and Lisburn-based specialty loose-leaf tea producer and distributor serving over 2,000 B2B trade customers (cafes, restaurants, hotels, retailers) and DTC consumers globally with B Corp-certified, Fairtrade, plastic-free teas, matcha and teaware.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersLisburn, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Suki Tea does
Suki Tea Makers is a Belfast- and Lisburn-based specialty loose-leaf tea producer and distributor founded in 2005 by Annie Irwin and Oscar Woolley. The company sources and blends teas globally — including a Japanese ceremonial matcha line from Kagoshima — and operates a fully plastic-free, 100% renewable-energy Tea Factory in Lisburn (solar covering 17% of electricity use). Its product surface spans loose leaf black, green, white, oolong, herbal and fruit infusions, biodegradable pyramid tea bags, matcha, teaware/accessories, gift sets, and digital gift cards.
The business runs a hybrid go-to-market combining a Shopify DTC e-commerce site with global shipping (UK free delivery over £30, Ireland over €35) and a B2B trade/wholesale channel serving over 2,000 cafes, restaurants, hotels, spas and retailers — anchored by long-standing partnerships with Matthew Algie, Esquires Coffee, and National Trust for Scotland. Recurring revenue comes from a tea subscription with a 10% discount on 1-, 2- and 3-month cycles; trade customers benefit from no minimum order quantity, sample packs, POS displays and menu-holder support. The founder-led team (~10-11 people) holds multiple industry credentials (ESTA Accredited Tea Certifiers, Living Wage employer, SEDEX member, ETI Base Code adherent).
Suki Tea differentiates on certification density — Northern Ireland's first B Corp tea company (2024), Fairtrade buyer with over $300,000 in premium paid to farmers, and over 65 Great Taste Award gold stars — backed by a charitable sub-brand, Tea Kids ('One Cup of Porridge' in Rwanda, 100,000+ cups donated). In its 20th anniversary year the company rebranded to 'SUKI Tea Makers' and refreshed packaging to remove glue-backed labels, eliminating one tonne per year of label waste heading to landfill.
Suki Tea firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Suki Tea
- Legal name
- Suki Tea Makers
- Website
- https://suki-tea.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Suki Tea Makers is a Belfast- and Lisburn-based specialty loose-leaf tea producer and distributor serving over 2,000 B2B trade customers (cafes, restaurants, hotels, retailers) and DTC consumers globally with B Corp-certified, Fairtrade, plastic-free teas, matcha and teaware.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Suki Tea industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Tea
- NAICS
- Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (31192)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080), Food And Kindred Products (2000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Tea Blending & Flavoring (AFAFADAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Tea (Leaf, Bagged, Instant, Concentrates) (CRADAHAE)
Keywords
Where Suki Tea is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lisburn
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Suki Tea business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Retail Tea Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of loose leaf teas, herbal infusions, fruit blends through e-commerce website. Products available in loose leaf and biodegradable pyramid bag formats.
- Subscription Model: Subscribe and Save with 10% discount on regular deliveries. Options for 1, 2, or 3 month subscription cycles.
- Wholesale/Trade: B2B sales to cafes, restaurants, hotels, spas, and retailers. No minimum order quantity. Trade accounts available with proforma payment or credit accounts.
- Teaware and Accessories: Sale of teapots, infusers, matcha accessories, tea trays, storage containers, and branded merchandise
- Gift Cards: Digital gift cards available in £10, £20, £50, £100 denominations with 2-year expiry and no hidden processing fees
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Loose leaf teas starting from £2.95 |
| Subscription | Monthly | Organic Matcha Green Tea - £36.00 (100g), £48.00 (200g) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Teaware accessories ranging from £4.50 to £69.00 |
| Subscription | One time/ perpetual license | Gift cards from £10 to £100 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Selection boxes from £9.75 |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Suki Tea product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Suki Tea blends, sources, packages, and distributes loose leaf teas, pyramid tea bags, Japanese matcha, herbal and fruit infusions, and complementary teaware/accessories. Products are sold via direct-to-consumer e-commerce (Shopify) with global shipping and a subscription program, plus a B2B wholesale/trade channel serving cafes, restaurants, hotels, spas, and retailers across more than 20 countries. Production and packaging are carried out at their solar-powered Eco Factory in Lisburn, Northern Ireland, using 100% plastic-free, biodegradable, and compostable packaging.
Product overview
Suki Tea is a Belfast-based loose leaf tea company offering a comprehensive tea portfolio spanning multiple categories: loose leaf teas (black, green, white, oolong), herbal infusions, fruit infusions, and specialty Japanese matcha. Their product line includes biodegradable pyramid bag teas for convenience and an extensive teaware collection featuring ceramic Stump Teapots, matcha preparation tools (whisks, bowls, spoons), bamboo trays, and storage solutions. The company also offers gift options through customizable Build Your Own gift sets, pre-curated Selection Boxes, and digital gift cards. A subscription service with 10% discount enables recurring deliveries. All packaging is 100% plastic-free and compostable.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Tea Kids: Charitable initiative focused on providing fortified nourishment to children in tea-growing communities through the 'One Cup of Porridge' program based in Rwanda.
- Suki Matcha
Companies that use Suki Tea
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Suki Tea technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Suki Tea partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Matthew AlgiecoreOne of UK and Ireland's largest coffee and equipment suppliers. After meeting at Dublin trade show in 2006, invited Suki to pitch at Glasgow HQ. Their expertise and customer base provided platform for rapid growth and distribution to over 2,000 customers.
- European Speciality Tea Association (ESTA)coreOscar and Annie are Accredited Tea Certifiers (ATCs) and ESTA members and trainers. Active in advancing the tea industry through association work.
- National Trust for ScotlandcoreMemorable trip with National Trust Scotland to Japan with Isitan, Yumeori and Three Tiers suppliers. Supply specialty teas to their locations.
- Java Coffee CompanyminorCoffee roaster partnered to bring SUKI to more cafés and retailers in Ireland.
- Taf CoffeeminorWelsh specialty coffee roaster partnering to expand Suki Tea distribution.
- Bell Lane Coffee LtdminorCoffee roaster partner for specialty tea distribution.
- Bailies Coffee RoastersminorNorthern Irish coffee roaster partner for specialty tea distribution.
- DGBminorTea supplier partner mentioned in network connections.
- Beer52.comminorB Corp collaboration partner for 2024 collaborations.
- The Exploding Bakery Limitedminor2024 collaboration partner.
- White's Oatsminor2024 collaboration partner for crafting special blends.
- Responsible Plastic Management (RPM) Program CICminorReducing plastic waste by 300kg annually through RPM initiative. Part of Environmental Leadership Team.
- Esquires CoffeecoreMajor retailer chain served by Suki Tea for wholesale supply.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Suki Tea competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Teapigs: UK-based premium tea brand founded in 2006 specializing in whole-leaf teas and biodegradable 'tea temples' (pyramid bags). Direct competitor to Suki in the UK premium tea segment, serving cafes, retail, and DTC with similar product formats and B-Corp-style sustainability positioning.
- Clipper Tea: UK ethical/Fairtrade-focused tea brand (owned by Whole Earth/Associated British Foods) with strong supermarket and foodservice presence. Closely parallels Suki in the Fairtrade, ethical-sourcing value proposition and broad tea range, though operating at much larger scale.
- Whittard of Chelsea: Heritage UK specialty tea brand with strong gifting, loose-leaf, and tea accessories assortment plus a DTC store footprint. Highly comparable to Suki in premium positioning, gift-set and accessory attach, and breadth of tea plus teaware.
- Bird & Blend Tea Co. UK-based specialty tea brand (formerly Tealife) known for innovative flavored blends, subscription, and a small tea-bar retail chain. Comparable to Suki in DTC-plus-trade model, flavored-blend innovation, and cafe-style brand experience.
- T2 Tea: Australian-founded specialty tea brand with strong DTC, retail store, and loose-leaf plus accessories model. Comparable in premium positioning, experimental blends, gifting focus, and international ambition to what Suki aspires to with 'SUKI Tea Makers'.
- Republic of Tea: US specialty tea brand focused on premium teas, herbs, and sustainability credentials including Fairtrade and B Corp-style mission. Comparable in CPG tea, sustainability positioning, B2B foodservice, and subscription/DTC model.
- Heath & Heather: UK herbal and specialty tea brand established since 1969 with deep grocery and foodservice distribution. Comparable in herbal/specialty range, UK retail and hospitality penetration, and ingredient-led positioning relevant to Suki's herbal and fruit infusion lines.
- Harney & Sons Fine Teas: US-based premium tea company offering loose-leaf and bagged teas plus strong DTC and hospitality channel. Comparable in premium loose-leaf assortment, hospitality/wholesale focus, and gifting/teaware attach business model.
Broad incumbents
- Twinings: Iconic UK heritage tea brand (owned by Associated British Foods) with the broadest UK grocery, foodservice, and global distribution footprint. Sets the price-versus-quality benchmark against which Suki must position in UK trade channels.
- Yorkshire Tea (Bettys & Taylors): Major UK tea brand owned by Bettys & Taylors with deep UK grocery penetration and growing hospitality channel. A key incumbent competing for the same cafe, hotel, and retail buyer relationships that Suki targets.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Suki Tea social profiles
Digital presenceSuki Tea compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance9 records
Suki Tea financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Suki Tea leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Suki Tea funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Suki 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 Suki Tea
What does Suki Tea do?
Suki Tea blends, sources, packages, and distributes loose leaf teas, pyramid tea bags, Japanese matcha, herbal and fruit infusions, and complementary teaware/accessories. Products are sold via direct-to-consumer e-commerce (Shopify) with global shipping and a subscription program, plus a B2B wholesale/trade channel serving cafes, restaurants, hotels, spas, and retailers across more than 20 countries. Production and packaging are carried out at their solar-powered Eco Factory in Lisburn, Northern Ireland, using 100% plastic-free, biodegradable, and compostable packaging.
Is Suki Tea a public or private company?
Suki Tea is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Suki Tea founded?
Suki Tea was founded in 2005. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Suki Tea based?
Suki Tea is headquartered in Lisburn, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Suki Tea make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Retail Tea Sales are the primary driver. The others are subscription Model, wholesale/Trade, teaware and Accessories and gift Cards.
Who are Suki Tea's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Teapigs, Clipper Tea, Whittard of Chelsea, Bird & Blend Tea Co., T2 Tea, Republic of Tea, Heath & Heather and Harney & Sons Fine Teas. Broad incumbents are Twinings and Yorkshire Tea (Bettys & Taylors).
Does Suki Tea have an API?
No public API is recorded for Suki Tea.
What industry is Suki Tea in?
Suki Tea's product category is Specialty Tea. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAFADAG, Tea Blending & Flavoring, with a secondary code of CRADAHAE, Tea (Leaf, Bagged, Instant, Concentrates). Its NAICS code is 31192 and its SIC code is 2080.