Suki Tea grown in Ireland
Suki Tea grown in Ireland
IRELAND
Oscar Woolley and Anne Irwin, founders of Belfast tea company Suki Tea, decided that they wanted to understand everything about the tea industry and so, since it was impossible for them to spend a lot of time amongst the tea plants of India, Sri Lanka, Africa, and China they decided to bring their own plants to Ireland.
Cuttings were brought in from Luponde Tea Estate in the south of Tanzania and are currently being nurtured by the agricultural team at Greenmount College. “They are keeping the plants under a poly tunnel until they are strong enough to go into the ground. We need this expert advice to give us the best shot at success. I hadn’t seen the plants since they we’re re-potted in May and they have shot up to about 15 inches. We have a way to go before we can call ourselves farmers but hope, by this process, to get there soon,” explained Oscar.
Eventually, when the young plants are strong enough, they will be planted out into an unused, fertile two acre plot on a hillside in Portaferry on the Ards Peninsular, where the frost-free microclimate, good drainage and sunny, south-facing slope will suit the plants well. Suki Tea was founded 11 years ago when Woolley and Irwin started selling their teas at a local farmers’ market in Belfast. Since then the company has become a leading foodservice loose leaf tea supplier and now exports to 10 countries, including Japan.