A. C. Perchs Thehandel

What A. C. Perchs Thehandel does

A.C. Perchs Thehandel is a privately held, family-owned tea retailer and importer founded in Copenhagen in 1835 by Niels Brock Perch and operated since 1894 by the fourth generation of the Hincheldey family. The company operates six physical retail locations in Copenhagen, Aarhus, Odense, Copenhagen Airport, Stockholm, and Oslo, three of which (Copenhagen, Aarhus, Odense) also host in-store tearooms offering traditional tea service and light food. The flagship store at Kronprinsensgade 5 in Copenhagen retains its largely unchanged 19th-century interior and functions as both retail point-of-sale and heritage destination.

The product portfolio centers on over 200 loose-leaf tea varieties sourced through direct import relationships from plantations in China, Japan, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Taiwan, and South Africa, with categories spanning green, black, white, oolong, herbal, organic, flavored, First Flush Darjeeling, matcha, rooibos, chai, and iced tea. Complementary lines include biodegradable tea bags in boxes of 10-48, decorative lacquer gift boxes, metal storage tins, and tea accessories such as teapots, filters, and food pairings. The Bhakanje Tea Estate project represents vertical integration into cultivation, and membership in the Ethical Tea Partnership provides supply-chain sustainability certification.

The business generates revenue through three primary streams: direct retail tea and accessory sales across physical stores and multilingual e-commerce storefronts (Danish, English, Swedish, German) with subscription purchasing on selected SKUs; tearoom hospitality services in three Danish cities; and a B2B corporate accounts program (Firmaaftale) for business tea supply and corporate gifting. Pricing is in Danish Kroner and Euros, with loose teas at 38-295 DKK per 100g, tea bags at 63-135 DKK per box, and storage tins at 55-500 DKK. The marketing mix combines owned digital properties, multilingual websites, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, email newsletter, the Tea Timer mobile app, and in-store events.

Name

A. C. Perchs Thehandel

Legal name

A.C. Perchs Thehandel

Website

https://perchs.dk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1835

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

A.C. Perchs Thehandel is Scandinavia's oldest tea shop (founded 1835), operating six retail stores and three tearooms across Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, plus multilingual e-commerce. It sells over 200 loose-leaf and bagged tea varieties, accessories, and corporate gifting solutions to individual consumers and B2B accounts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Københoved

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Retail Tea Sales: Direct sales of premium loose teas, tea bags, and accessories through physical retail locations and e-commerce platform. Products include green, black, white, oolong, herbal teas, rooibos, chai, matcha, and ice tea. The company offers subscription purchasing options for recurring customers.
2. Tearoom Services: In-store tea room experiences offering tea service and food menu items in Copenhagen, Aarhus, and Odense locations, with online reservation capabilities.
3. Corporate Accounts: B2B corporate account services (Firmaaftale) for business customers seeking tea supplies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

A. C. Perchs Thehandel is a specialty tea retailer and tearoom operator that imports and sells more than 200 varieties of loose teas, tea bags, matcha, flavored blends, and seasonal iced teas from global plantations, complemented by tea accessories, tins, lacquer gift boxes, and organic or First Flush Darjeeling selections. The company operates six Scandinavian retail stores and in-store Tearooms in Copenhagen, Aarhus, and Odense where customers can purchase products and consume traditional tea service with light fare. Online ordering is supported through multilingual e-commerce platforms serving Denmark and international markets, plus subscription purchasing for many SKUs and a corporate accounts (Firmaaftale) program for business customers.

Product overview

A.C. Perchs Thehandel is Scandinavia's oldest tea shop (established 1835) offering a comprehensive tea retail portfolio centered on loose teas and tea bags. The core product line includes over 200 varieties of loose tea across categories: green, black (sort), white (hvid), oolong, herbal (urtete), organic, flavored/aroma, and signature blends (Perchs blanding). Specialty offerings include premium First Flush Darjeeling, Japanese matcha and accessories, rooibos, chai, and seasonal ice teas. Complementary product lines encompass biodegradable tea bags (10-48 count boxes), decorative lacquer boxes, and metal tea storage tins in various sizes. The accessory range covers brewing equipment (filters, teapots, cups), food pairings (jam, honey, cookies, chocolate), and travel items (thermos, bags). The company operates physical tearoom locations in Copenhagen, Aarhus, Odense, CPH Airport, Stockholm, and Oslo, while also offering a Tea Timer app and extensive online e-commerce. Tea is sourced from plantations across China, Japan, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Taiwan, South Africa, and other regions with direct import relationships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Loose Tea (Løsvægt) A comprehensive selection of loose teas including green, black, white, oolong, herbal, organic, flavored, and specialty blends sourced from tea plantations worldwide, sold loose by weight (e.g., per 100g) for individual consumers and connoisseurs.
• Tea Bags (Tebreve/Teposer) Pre-packaged tea bags made from corn starch, fully biodegradable and compostable, and packaged plastic-free, available in boxes of 10, 18, 25, and 48 tea bags for everyday tea drinkers.
• Matcha Tea & Accessories Japanese matcha tea powder in organic and top grades, accompanied by whisks (chasen), holders, bowls, measuring spoons, and complete matcha sets for traditional preparation.
• First Flush Darjeeling Tea Premium first spring harvest Darjeeling teas from India, valued for light and elegant flavor profiles, marketed as the champagne of teas for connoisseurs and special-occasion gifting.
• Rooibos Tea Caffeine-free herbal tea from South Africa, offered in red (fermented) and green (unfermented) varieties with natural sweetness for consumers seeking non-caffeinated options.
• Chai Tea Spiced tea originating from India, made with black tea and spices including cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger, formatted for traditional preparation with milk and sugar.
• Organic Tea (Økologisk Te) Certified organic teas meeting both Perchs quality standards and organic certification requirements, sourced from plantations in China, Japan, India, Sri Lanka, and other regions.
• Ice Tea (Iste) Ready-to-brew tea blends formulated for cold or iced tea preparation, including the signature blend of green and white tea with dried fruits, marketed as a seasonal summer line.
• Flavored Tea (Aroma Te) Aromatic teas created by infusing tea leaves with natural flower or fruit oils, using white, green, oolong, or black tea bases for flavored everyday drinking.
• Lacquer Boxes (Lakæsker) Decorative lacquer boxes containing 16 or 32 tea bags, offered in multiple colors, positioned as ready-to-gift tea presentations.
• Tea Tins (Tedåser) Metal tea storage containers in classic square (100g, 200g), round (125g, 200g), and large (400g, 1kg) sizes, available in multiple colors including metallic finishes, for storage and gifting.
• Tea Accessories Brewing accessories including tea filters, teapots, tea cups and mugs, jam and honey, cookies and chocolate, thermos bottles, shopper bags, and trays, sold alongside tea purchases.
• Tea Timer App Mobile application that assists users with tea brewing timing to achieve optimal extraction, supporting tea preparation at home.
• Tearoom Services Traditional tea room experiences offered in Copenhagen, Aarhus, Odense, and Stockholm, with reservation booking for tea service and light fare, combining hospitality with retail sales.
• Corporate Accounts Program (Firmaaftale) B2B corporate account program (Firmaaftale) for business customers seeking recurring tea supplies, office tea programs, and corporate gifting solutions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4.6 star rating on Google based on 1325 customer reviews

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Ethical Tea Partnership (ETP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA.C. Perchs is a member of the Ethical Tea Partnership, a global organization dedicated to improving the sustainability of the tea industry. ETP ensures that tea comes from sustainable plantations and promotes ethical farming practices throughout the supply chain.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Whittard of Chelsea: UK heritage tea retailer (founded 1886) operating physical stores plus international e-commerce, selling loose teas, tea bags, gifts, and accessories. Closely mirrors Perchs' multi-format specialty tea retail model.
• Kusmi Tea: Premium tea brand with heritage (founded 1867 in Russia, now French-owned) operating retail boutiques, tea bars, and global e-commerce across loose teas, tea bags, and accessories. Directly comparable premium-positioned European tea retailer.
• Mariage Frères: French premium tea house founded in 1854 with a comparable model: heritage-driven retail stores, tearooms/restaurants, broad single-origin assortment, and global e-commerce. Closest direct analog to A.C. Perchs' heritage specialty tea retailer format.
• Tea Forte: US premium tea brand offering loose teas, premium tea bags, and gift packaging across D2C, hospitality, and retail channels. Comparable premium assortment, gifting focus, and global e-commerce reach.
• Bettys and Taylors of Harrogate: UK heritage tea room and tea/coffee retailer founded in 1919, operating tearooms paired with retail. Closely parallels Perchs' tearoom-plus-retail concept and North-European heritage positioning.
• TeaGschwendner: Germany's largest specialty tea retailer with own-store network and broad assortment of loose teas and accessories. Comparable specialty tea retail concept serving a German-speaking European market adjacent to Perchs' footprint.
• T2 Tea: Australian specialty tea retailer (Unilever-owned) with flagship retail stores, broad loose tea and tea bag assortment, and international e-commerce. Comparable premium positioning and experiential retail store format.
• Harney & Sons: US-based premium tea company (founded 1983) selling loose teas, tea bags, and tea accessories through owned retail, wholesale, and direct-to-consumer e-commerce. Comparable specialty tea assortment and multi-channel D2C strategy.

Broad incumbents

• Twinings: Mass-market heritage tea brand (founded 1706) with broad tea bag and loose tea distribution through grocery and owned retail. Significantly larger and more mass-market than Perchs but overlapping in premium loose tea and gifting categories.
• Fortnum & Mason: UK luxury heritage retailer with extensive own-brand tea range, hampers, and food gifts sold through flagship stores and global e-commerce. Comparable heritage luxury gifting and tea positioning, though Perchs is tea-specialist while Fortnum is broader luxury retailer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/acperchs
• LinkedIndk.linkedin.com/company/a-c-perch's-thehandel
• Instagraminstagram.com/acperchs

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 A. C. Perchs Thehandel