Working together
We are the world’s largest tea buyer – purchasing about 4% of all the tea leaves grown each year – as well as a key player in the herbals market.
We source from almost one million farmers in 30 countries around the world, so we have a major role to play in raising the bar and promoting best practices. By working together and deploying joint programs, we increase our ability to deliver positive impact.
Sustainable sourcing
Sourcing natural ingredients is highly complex, depending on unpredictable harvests and specific local growing contexts while demand is influenced by constantly evolving consumer tastes, and the supply chain itself is split between smallholder farmers and large estates. To navigate this complexity and achieve the best value for consumers, we are developing an emerging approach that is based on extensive engagement with producers.
The goal is to generate more value – in the fullest sense of the word – for suppliers by elevating quality in conjunction with workers’ rights, climate change mitigation, and nature protection. Together, we will build a sourcing ecosystem that meets today’s demands and paves the way for a thriving and resilient industry long into the future.
Traced to the farm
There can be no responsibility without traceability and quality control. Our supply chain is complex and fragmented as we purchase teas that comes from around one million famers around the world, much of it at auction. Yet we are able to trace each batch. In full transparency, we publish an annual list of all our tea suppliers although our exact sourcing origins vary from week to week.
Agricultural development
Training and skills development
Education supports improvements in quality and productivity, as well as personal economic progress. Skilled workers are better able to adopt sustainable practices such as regenerative agriculture, integrated pest management, and organic farming. They are also more resilient and adaptable to changes in market trends or environmental pressures. Knowledge transfer often extends beyond individuals, benefiting entire communities and fostering collective development.
As an indication of our ambition, we have invested in creating the Lipton Tea Innovation & Technology Academy, a new global centre of expertise in tea quality and responsible practices which opened in 2024.
