Shibui Tea

What Shibui Tea does

Shibui Tea is a UK-based direct-to-consumer specialty tea retailer operating under Somerset Distribution UK Ltd. (registered in England, company number 05185410), with an operational base in Edinburgh (Loanhead, Midlothian) where all orders are hand-packed, and a corporate registered office in Malton, North Yorkshire. Its catalogue spans 160 products across loose-leaf teas (50g–500g kraft tubes), over 30 blends of plastic-free pyramid tea bags made from non-GMO sugarcane-derived material with ultrasound-assembled (glue-free) strings and tags, ceremonial-grade matcha, curated gift collections, teaware, matcha accessories, and complementary products (Hebridean Baker biscuits, Bare Bones Chocolate). The company holds Soil Association Organic certification for select organic-labelled teas and is a member of 1% for the Planet, donating 1% of sales to Woodland Trust, Marine Conservation Society, and John Muir Trust.

The business operates a multi-channel go-to-market: a primary Shopify storefront at shibui-tea.co.uk for individual consumers offering free UK delivery over £35 and international shipping to 40+ countries; a recurring subscription programme via Appstle (10% discount, 2/4/8/12-week delivery cadences, free shipping over £30); a separate Shopify wholesale portal at wholesale.shibui-tea.co.uk for B2B and corporate gifting; and a local Edinburgh pickup point. Pricing is unit-based with teas priced from £5.95 to £13.95 (loose leaf), £5.95–£6.45 (tea bags), collections up to £45, and accessories up to £34.50. Marketing relies on email capture with a 10% first-order incentive, content/blog, SEO, organic social, and Judge.me-driven social proof (6,260+ reviews averaging 4.20/5, plus Diamond Verified, Platinum Transparent, Top 1%, and Top 5% Trending badges). The company has no disclosed external funding, no M&A activity, and no AI/ML capabilities embedded in the stack — it is a bootstrapped, founder/family-run independent retailer.

Name

Shibui Tea

Legal name

Somerset Distribution UK Ltd.

Website

https://shibui-tea.co.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Shibui Tea is a UK-based direct-to-consumer specialty tea retailer, trading under Somerset Distribution UK Ltd., selling loose-leaf teas, plastic-free pyramid tea bags, matcha, and curated gift sets via its own Shopify storefront, subscription programme, and B2B wholesale portal to individual consumers, gift buyers, and corporate clients across 40+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Tea Retail

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920), Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (31192), Other Specialty Food Retailers (44529)

akta.pro primary industry

Tea (Leaf, Bagged, Instant, Concentrates) (CRADAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI), Tea Blending & Flavoring (AFAFADAG)

Keywords

• Specialty tea retail
• Loose leaf tea
• Plastic-free packaging
• Tea subscription service
• Matcha products

Headquarters

HQ city

Loanhead

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct E-commerce Sales: One-time purchase of teas, gift sets, teaware, and accessories through their Shopify e-commerce storefront. Products include loose leaf teas, pyramid tea bags, matcha, tea collections, biscuits, and chocolate. Orders hand-packed in Edinburgh.
2. Subscription Model: Recurring subscription purchases via Appstle offering 10% discount on regular deliveries. Customers can choose delivery frequency of 2, 4, 8, or 12 weeks. Free shipping on subscription orders over £30 with Royal Mail.
3. Wholesale / B2B: B2B wholesale channel through a separate wholesale portal (wholesale.shibui-tea.co.uk) for retailers and corporate customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Shibui Tea is a direct-to-consumer specialty tea retailer selling award-winning loose-leaf teas (50g–500g kraft tubes), plastic-free compostable pyramid tea bags made from non-GMO sugarcane, ceremonial-grade matcha, curated gift collections, teaware, matcha accessories, complementary biscuits and chocolate, and a tea subscription service. Products are hand-packed in Edinburgh, sold primarily through a Shopify storefront with separate wholesale and corporate gifting channels.

Product overview

Shibui Tea is a direct-to-consumer tea retailer operating a Shopify e-commerce platform with a dual-format core product line: loose-leaf tea in kraft tubes (50g–500g) and compostable pyramid tea bags (derived from non-GMO sugarcane, ultrasound-assembled) spanning over 30 blends across black, green, white, oolong, pu-erh, rooibos, herbal, fruit, and matcha categories. The offering extends into curated tea collections (pre-picked gift sets of 6 mini-tubes) and choose-your-own gift bundles combining teas with Hebridean Baker biscuits and Bare Bones chocolate. Adjacent product lines include teaware (glass jars, teapots, filters, Kinto travel tumblers, Shibui stainless steel tumbler), matcha accessories (chasen whisks, chashaku scoops), branded merchandise (tote bags), and greetings cards. A subscription service powered by Appstle provides recurring deliveries at a 10% discount. The company also operates a corporate gifting channel via a separate wholesale portal. All packaging is plastic-free and recyclable or compostable.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Loose Leaf Tea Whole-leaf teas sold in kraft tubes (50g–500g) across black, green, white, oolong, pu-erh, rooibos, herbal, and fruit categories, including single-origin and flavoured blends such as Earl Grey, English Breakfast, Sencha, Dragonwell Lung Ching, and Jasmine Pearls. Targeted at individual tea drinkers and gift purchasers.
• Pyramid Tea Bags (Plastic-Free) Over 30 tea blends in pyramid-shaped tea bags made from compostable, non-GMO sugarcane-derived material with string and tag assembled by ultrasound (no glue). Available in black, green, white, oolong, herbal, and fruit varieties.
• Matcha Japanese green tea powder in ceremonial-grade varieties including Classic Organic Matcha and Premium Organic Matcha, available as standalone powder, in gift collections, and as an ingredient in blended teas.

Quantifiable outcome

• Based on 6,260 reviews with an average rating of 4.20 out of 5
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Woodland TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerShibui Tea, as a member of 1% for the Planet, donates 1% of annual sales to environmental causes. The Woodland Trust is one of three chosen beneficiaries, focused on protecting forests in the UK.
• Marine Conservation SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs part of 1% for the Planet membership, Shibui Tea donates 1% of annual sales. The Marine Conservation Society is one of three chosen beneficiaries, focused on protecting UK oceans.
• John Muir TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs part of 1% for the Planet membership, Shibui Tea donates 1% of annual sales. The John Muir Trust is one of three chosen beneficiaries, focused on protecting wild places in the UK.
• Hebridean BakerminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorShibui Tea stocks Hebridean Baker biscuits (Heather Honey Shortbread, Lemon & Ginger Oaties, Chocolate Oaties, Whisky Shortbread) as complementary products. Biscuits available from £3.95 per pack.
• Bare Bones ChocolateminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorShibui Tea stocks Bare Bones Chocolate bars (£7.50) as complementary products. Tea and chocolate gift collections are offered as combined offerings.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Adagio Teas: US-based DTC specialty tea retailer selling loose-leaf and bagged teas across a wide catalogue with a strong subscription / 'tea of the month' program. Closely comparable to Shibui on SKU breadth, sustainability messaging, and direct e-commerce model.
• Republic of Tea: US-based specialty tea company selling loose-leaf, bagged, and herbal teas via DTC and subscription, with a strong sustainability and 'Citizenship' ethos. Comparable on sustainability-led branding, broad-leaf SKU range, and subscription DTC.
• Tea Forte: US premium tea brand selling pyramid tea bags, loose-leaf, and decorative gift sets DTC and wholesale/hospitality. Comparable on pyramid tea bag format, premium gifting, and hospitality channel focus.
• Teapigs: UK-based premium specialty tea brand selling whole-leaf teas and 'tea temples' (pyramid bags) via DTC e-commerce and major UK retailers. Highly comparable to Shibui on pyramid tea bag format, UK orientation, and premium positioning.
• Bird & Blend Tea Co. UK DTC specialty tea brand (formerly Teapigs co-founded) with subscription, signature flavoured blends, and physical retail stores. Comparable on DTC subscription model, flavoured blend focus, and UK customer base.
• Mariage Frères: French heritage premium tea brand selling loose-leaf teas, tea bags, and gift collections DTC and through physical salons de thé. Comparable on premium loose-leaf and gift-collection positioning with global specialty tea assortment.
• JING Tea: UK-based premium specialty tea brand selling loose-leaf, tea bags, and teaware to consumers, hotels, and restaurants. Comparable on premium UK positioning, hospitality/corporate channel presence, and direct e-commerce.
• Harney & Sons: US-based premium tea brand selling loose-leaf, sachets, and gift collections DTC and wholesale. Comparable on premium positioning, gift sets, and blend catalogue breadth.

Broad incumbents

• Whittard of Chelsea: Established UK heritage tea retailer with broad assortment (loose-leaf, bagged, hot chocolate, teaware) sold via DTC and own physical stores. Comparable UK tea category footprint but at much larger scale and wider assortment.
• Twinings: Mass-market UK tea incumbent owned by ABF, selling bagged and loose-leaf teas across grocery, foodservice, and DTC. Anchors the competitive set for category pricing and shelf presence Shibui competes against.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ShibuiTea
• Facebookfacebook.com/shibui.teas
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shibui-tea

Compliance1 record

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 Shibui Tea