When I first heard of the Pembrokeshire Tea Company I must admit that I though it was another ‘brand it Welsh’ operation. But no, I was wrong (again). A little investigation has revealed that they really are growing tea in Wales.
Apparently, during World War II there was a choice of either stock piling tea or growing it in Britain while the UK was under siege. Experiments then proved it was possible to grow tea, but the decision was taken to import so as not to put further strain on the agricultural industry when food was a priority.
In Pembrokeshire they have a great climate for growing tea, being located directly under the Atlantic Jet Stream we have mild humid summers and mild winters, perfect for tea growing and this is where the Pembrokeshire Tea Company comes in.
At present they’re’re in set up stage, and will be until around 2021 when their tea plantation will be matured. But until then they’ll be slowly increasing the percentage of ‘home grown’ tea in all of their range as production goes up, together with some rather special limited edition teas grown fully here in Wales.
Their initial stock of tea plants is approximately 30,000 which are being imported as cuttings from South Africa and Hawaii.
Their website at http://www.pembrokeshiretea.co.uk/ is a joy to browse and if like us you like us, can’t function properly without a decent cuppa is a must visit.
