Say hello to Lou and Sofia, co-founders of SPILL - the tea brand on a mission to 'spill the tea' on a broken global industry.
We've all been there: standing in the supermarket aisle, reaching for a box of bags for a couple of quid. It's convenient, it's 'British', but as Lou and Sofia realised, it's dull and ethically murky. That's because most 'everyday' tea is a blend of hundreds of cheap leaves, processed to the point where the flavour (and the farmer's pay) - is stripped away.
Lou is a tea heavy weight by trade. A former buyer at Tetley who went on to co-found Teapigs and spark the UK's first tea renaissance. And Sofia ran it by her side with a focus on brand.
But there was unfinished business. Whilst a lot had changed in speciality tea, not a lot had changed in the tea we drink everyday. They've launched SPILL to upgrade the humble cuppa - championing taste, fair pay and transparency. Grown in volcanic soil and sourced from smallholder farmers who are paid 50% above the Fairtrade minimum, SPILL is a 'challenger' that is serious about tea, yet playful about everything else.
In this episode, we delve into why 'tea is too cheap,' the agony of choosing a name, and why the most radical thing you can do for your morning brew is to stop blending and start 'spilling.'
So pop on the kettle, pull out the biscuit tin and have a brew.
