Below are questions we're often asked. We will continue to add to this page over time and will always provide transparent and honest answers. 

FAQs

How did you get into tea?

I’ve always loved a cuppa. I got into tea professionally about 15 years ago. At the time I was working for EDF Energy, and they were going through a merger, which meant I had to reapply for my job. Because everything was up in the air, I had a look around to see what else was out there. I secured an interview with the Ethical Tea Partnership (ETP) for the Communications Manager position. I was offered the role, and as they say the rest is history.

I spent 8 happy years there focusing on the sustainability of the tea sector. During that time, I came up with the idea of launching a tea brand. That was the official start of the TEA23 journey.

Where does the name TEA23 come from?

Originally, we were called Brighton Tea Company (I was living in Brighton at the time), which was neither original nor inspiring, so we went for a name change.

Around that time, I was developing my range of teas and infusions. We got the name TEA23 from the number of attempts it took to get our English Breakfast Tea absolutely spot on. If I’m honest, I don’t know the exact number, but it was somewhere between 20 and 25 attempts.

I’m also fascinated by the number 23 (I see it here, there and everywhere; always have done) so that also was part of it. Plus, I’m a sucker for good alliteration, and Tea Twenty Three rolls off the tongue nicely.

Are you a tea taster?

No, I’m not. I did tea tasting at Tetley’s as part of my induction for ETP, but I’m not professionally trained. But I love cooking and think I have a good palette, which is useful when dreaming up and developing new blend ideas.

Do you blend your own teas?

The quick answer is ‘no’.

When I started, I was living in a small one-bedroom flat and didn’t have a business premises so storing and blending teas wasn't feasible. Plus, I didn’t have the technical know-how or the supply partners to make it happen.

Instead, I work with an amazing blending house and a fantastic tea importer who have decades and decades of experience.

I think it works brilliantly as they have so much expertise and know how. Plus, running a small company on your own is extremely hard so you do need to outsource things – there simply isn’t enough time in the day to do it all by yourself. At that time a business partner would have been great. 

Can we visit your shop in Eastbourne?

Technically it’s not a shop (we pack tea and fulfil orders from both of our units), but yes please come and visit and buy lots of tea from :)

Please check our opening hours before visiting. And if you can’t make it to our shop, then you will find us at lots of different markets and events across Kent and Sussex. Or you can always order online.

Do you charge for post and packaging?

Currently we use a Royal Mail 24 hr tracked service. FREE delivery starts at £30. Orders under £30 are charged at £5. Check out our UK Shipping pages for up-to-date information.

Do you deliver to Europe and Worldwide?

We currently post to Great Britain and Northern Ireland. For more information visit our UK Shipping page.

For international orders we offer tailored service. To qualify for overseas postage, you need to spend a minimum of £100 on tea (either loose leaf tea and / or tea bags) and pay a £10 administration fee. You will need to cover the cost of international postage (which will be calculated at the time of your order). If you would like to book a bespoke international order, please email our team (info@tea23.co.uk) with your requirements.