| Name | Twinings |
|---|
| Currentowner | Associated British Foods |
|---|
| Origin | United Kingdom |
|---|
| Introduced | 1706 |
|---|
| Markets | Tea |
|---|
| Website | http://www.twinings.com/ |
|---|
Twinings () is a marketer of
tea based in
Andover,
Hampshire,
England.
History
,
London]]
The founder of Twinings, Thomas Twining, opened the first known
tea room, at 216
Strand, London, in 1706, still operating today. The firm's logo, created in 1787, is one of the world's oldest in continuous use. Holder of a
Royal Warrant, Twinings has been owned by
Associated British Foods since 1964. Twinings sells a variety of regional and flavoured teas such as
Lapsang Souchong,
Lady Grey and
Darjeeling, as well as
infusions, coffee, and hot chocolate. It is generally accepted that the company was the first to blend
Earl Grey in Britain during the
premiership of
Charles, 2nd Earl Grey, although this is disputed by rival tea merchants
Jacksons of Piccadilly, which is owned by Twinings.
Twinings Today
During 2005, Twinings introduced its first generic, non-speciality tea, under the brand 'Everyday Tea'. In 2006 they started producing a tinned chocolate drink, and in 2007 they also launched a selection of tinned coffees onto the market.
The company is a founding member of the Ethical Tea Partnership, a group of tea-packing companies that work for a fair trade policy and monitor the ethical conditions on tea estates.
Twinings owns Nambarrie, a tea company based in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in trade for 140 years. In April 2008 Twinings announced their decision to close the Nambarrie plant. Twinings said it needed to consolidate its UK manufacturing operations in the face of increasing global competition, and is moving production to China and Poland in late 2011.
Criticism
Despite being a member of the Ethical Tea Partnership, Twinings is linked to a number of ethical and environmental issues. The criticism includes the worst
ECRA rating for environmental reporting,
palm oil use, lobbying for unfair EU sugar rules and for owning subsidiaries in
tax havens. In the
Ethical Consumer magazine on a scale of 0 to 20 where 0–4 is ranked as Very Poor, Twinings receives a score of 2.(As of October 2009. Requires login)
Notable members of the Twining family
Elizabeth Twining (1805–1889), botanical illustrator.
Edward Twining, Baron Twining (1899–1967), British colonial governor.
References
http://www.ethicalconsumer.org/FreeBuyersGuides/fooddrink/tea.aspx
External links
Site to support Twinings workers affected by job losses
Official British website
Official Canadian website
Official American website
Criticisms of perceived changes to Twinings' Earl Grey blend (American version)
Interview with Stephen Twining (September 2006) The Citizen, South Africa
Category:1706 establishments
Category:Andover, Hampshire
Category:British brands
Category:Tea brands
Category:Companies based in Hampshire
Category:British Royal Warrant holders
