Clipper Teas Limited

What Clipper Teas Limited does

Clipper Teas Limited is a UK-based producer of organic and Fairtrade tea, coffee, and hot chocolate products, founded in 1984 in Dorset and operating from a manufacturing facility in Beaminster that produces over 1 billion teabags annually across more than 150 SKUs. The company sells through all major UK supermarket chains (Tesco, Sainsbury's, Waitrose, ASDA, Morrisons, Ocado), its own e-commerce shop, online marketplaces, and a food service channel served by appointed UK distributors (Kingdom Coffee, Bidfood, Brakes, Bunzl, CPD Direct). Its core technical differentiators are the world's first plant-based, biodegradable, unbleached, non-GM PLA tea bags (launched 2018), a CO2-based organic decaffeination process, and decades of master tea blending expertise sourced from estates in Africa, India, and Sri Lanka.

Clipper holds pioneering positions in ethical sourcing as the UK's first Fairtrade tea company (1994) and the world's largest Fairtrade tea brand (since 2019), supporting over 114,000 producers and delivering more than £4 million in Fairtrade premiums over 25 years. The company carries multiple certifications (Fairtrade, Soil Association Organic, EU Organic, B Corp, Non-GMO, Carbon Neutral) and has won over 60 Great Taste Awards across 20 years. Distribution extends to 50+ countries with localized websites in nine markets, and the brand runs ecosystem-level initiatives including the National Trust Save the Bees campaign and Glastonbury Festival supply partnership.

Clipper generates revenue through straightforward unit sales of physical consumer packaged goods (tea, coffee, hot chocolate, gift boxes) at retail and food service price points, with no subscription, SaaS, or recurring contractual layer. Since 2012 it has operated as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ecotone (formerly Wessanen), a European organic food group, which funds the business internally rather than via venture capital or public equity. The strategic focus is on premium ethical positioning, certification-led differentiation, and incremental geographic and category expansion rather than rapid scaling.

Name

Clipper Teas Limited

Legal name

Clipper Teas

Website

https://clipper-teas.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Clipper Teas Limited is a UK-based producer of organic and Fairtrade tea, coffee, and hot chocolate, founded in 1984, selling 150+ products in 50+ countries and serving retail consumers, food service operators, and international distributors from its Beaminster, Dorset factory.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Tea and Hot Beverages

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (31192)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000)

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), Instant Tea, Tea Extracts & Concentrates Manufacturing (AFAFADAH)

Keywords

• Organic tea products
• Fairtrade tea brand
• Herbal infusions
• Specialty coffee
• Ethical beverages

Headquarters

HQ city

Beaminster

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tea Products: Core revenue from selling tea products across multiple categories including black tea, green tea, white tea, and herbal/fruit infusions. Products sold in various pack sizes through retail and food service channels.
2. Coffee Products: Fairtrade organic coffee including instant, roast & ground varieties. All coffees use organic, Fairtrade coffee beans from suppliers they know and trust.
3. Hot Chocolate Products: Hot chocolate products made with Fairtrade cocoa and sugar. Both instant and drinking chocolate varieties available.
4. Gift Products: Gift box selections featuring variety packs of organic teas and herbal infusions. Premium positioning for gifting occasions.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Clipper Teas Limited produces and sells an organic and Fairtrade range of over 150 hot beverage products, including black tea, green tea, white tea, herbal infusions, instant and roast & ground coffee, hot chocolate, and tea gift packs. All products are blended and packed at the company's Beaminster, Dorset factory and distributed through UK supermarkets, online retail, food service wholesalers, and a network of international distributors reaching more than 50 countries.

Product overview

Clipper Teas Limited is a UK-based tea company offering a diversified portfolio of hot beverages and related products. The product portfolio spans multiple categories including Black Tea (Organic Everyday, Classic Everyday, Organic Decaf, Organic English Breakfast, Organic Earl Grey, Organic Decaf Earl Grey), Green Tea (Organic Fairtrade Pure Green, Green Tea & Lemon, Organic Decaf Green), White Tea, Infusions/Rooibos (including Peppermint, Nettle, Liquorice, Fennel, Chamomile, Dandelion, Sleep Easy, Lemon & Ginger, Ginger & Turmeric, Sleep Time), Coffee (Instant and Roast & Ground varieties including Latin American, House Blend, Rich Roast, Italian Style, Papua New Guinea), Hot Chocolate (Drinking Chocolate and Instant Hot Chocolate), and Tea Gifts. All products are characterized by organic and Fairtrade certifications, with the company pioneering plant-based biodegradable tea bags. The company operates primarily in the UK with distribution to over 50 countries worldwide, blending all products in their Beaminster, Dorset factory.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Organic Black Tea Range Organic and Fairtrade black teas including everyday blends, English Breakfast, Earl Grey, and CO2 decaffeinated variants in 40- and 80-bag pack sizes, blended in Beaminster and sold across UK supermarkets and international retail.
• Organic Green Tea Range Organic and Fairtrade green teas including Pure Green, Green Tea & Lemon, and Decaf Green variants for everyday refreshment, sold in 40- and 80-bag pack sizes.
• Organic White Tea

Quantifiable outcome

• Over £4 million in Fairtrade premiums delivered to producer communities over 25 years
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Glastonbury FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Official Tea Supplier to Glastonbury Festival with limited edition Glastonbury tea packs. Includes prize draw for festival tickets and donations to local nature charities (Food Forest Project, Nature Buzz, Shepton Mallet Community Woodland) totaling 15p per pack sold.
• National TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Save the Bees campaign partnership supporting National Trust's Making Meadows appeal. Donation of 10p per pack from 500,000 Clipper Tea packs (£50,000 total) to restore and protect wildflower meadows and wildlife habitats. Addresses bee conservation and biodiversity loss from non-organic farming.
• Food Forest ProjectminorOthersLocal nature charity creating sustainable growing spaces providing fresh organic food and community hubs. One of three Dorset/Somerset area nature projects receiving donations from Glastonbury pack sales.
• Nature BuzzminorOthersNatural beekeepers practicing considerate approach to bees to minimize disruption and stress. Partnership through Glastonbury Festival donations supporting biodiversity initiatives.
• Shepton Mallet Community WoodlandminorOthersCommunity woodland caring for 7.5ha space promoting environmental sustainability and community engagement. One of three local nature projects receiving donations from Glastonbury pack sales.
• Fairtrade FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner25+ year partnership since 1994. Clipper was UK's first Fairtrade tea company and helped write Fairtrade Standards. World's largest buyer of Fairtrade tea supporting 114,000+ producers. Delivered over £4m in Fairtrade premiums.
• Kingdom CoffeecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK national distributor based in Reading, Berkshire. Part of Clipper's distribution network for food service channel providing next-day delivery for catering and hospitality businesses.
• BidfoodcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK national distributor serving catering, hospitality, and foodservice establishments. Part of Clipper's appointed distribution network providing flexible and efficient delivery.
• BrakescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK national distributor for food service channel. Part of Clipper's trusted distribution partners serving hotels, restaurants, cafes, and corporate catering.
• BunzlcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK national distributor for catering and hospitality sector. Part of Clipper's distribution network providing efficient and reliable supply for food service customers.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Teapigs: UK premium whole-leaf tea brand selling tea temples and loose-leaf teas through grocery, food service and own e-commerce. Emerging player in premium/ethical tea with similar positioning to Clipper's higher-end infusions.
• Healthia Tea / Traditional Medicinals: US-based organic herbal tea brand. Emerging player in organic wellness teas with similar Fairtrade/organic positioning and distribution in health-focused retail channels.

Regional players

• Waitrose Duchy Organic (organic grocery brand): UK premium organic grocery brand stocked primarily in Waitrose. Regional UK player in organic teas and groceries, competing on the same premium-organic shelf positioning as Clipper.

Direct peers

• Tetley: Major UK bagged tea brand (Tata Consumer Products). Direct competitor in mass-market and food service teabags across UK retail and out-of-home channels.
• PG Tips (Unilever): One of the UK's largest mass-market tea brands, owned by Unilever. Direct competitor in mainstream UK grocery teabags with overlapping food service presence; a key share rival for Clipper on supermarket shelves.
• Yorkshire Tea (Bettys & Taylors): UK heritage tea brand owned by Bettys & Taylors, distributed through major supermarkets and food service. Direct competitor in UK bagged tea with comparable premium-positioned grocery presence.
• Pukka Herbs: UK organic herbal tea and infusion brand (acquired by Unilever in 2017). Direct competitor in organic herbal infusions with similar ethical/positioning and overlapping UK grocery and food service distribution.
• Twinings: Long-established UK tea brand (owned by AB Foods) selling black, green, herbal and specialty teas through grocery, food service and global retail. Most direct comparable to Clipper on category, UK retail distribution, and food service channel.

Others

• Cupper Teas (Ecotone sister brand): Other organic/Fairtrade tea brand within the Ecotone group. Sister brand to Clipper under the same parent, sold in complementary European markets (e.g., cupper-teas.de) rather than overlapping UK distribution.

Broad incumbents

• Twinings (ABF) - hot beverage parent context: Associated British Foods (ABF) is a large diversified food group whose grocery brands span tea, sugar, and other grocery categories. Relevant as a broad incumbent spanning the same retail aisles where Clipper competes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ClipperTeas
• Instagraminstagram.com/clipper_teas
• Xx.com/clipperteas
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/clipper-tea

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Clipper Teas Limited