From field to cup
We are very proud of our unique supply chain for a tea company, the core of which lies in the fact that we source our raw materials almost exclusively directly from the source and not, as is usually the case, from wholesalers. Our highly specialized laboratory and the continuous development and production of our own tea packaging machines, which we later use to produce the teas, are also a special feature. This enables us to ensure the highest quality and standards in all areas. You can taste the passion and care with which we produce every product in every cup of tea we make.
Direct procurement of raw materials
The supply chain for tea is a special one, originating in many parts of the world. For our diverse tea blends, we source around 300 raw materials from over 150 suppliers in 50 countries. For example, a mono-product such as peppermint, which contains “only” one raw material, can be a blend of 10 different harvests from 3 different countries.
We have long-standing partnerships with around 80% of our suppliers. We are talking about direct sourcing on a raw material basis. Sounds obvious? But it’s not at all. In the tea industry, most companies already purchase finished blends almost exclusively from large retailers and have no direct contact with the farmers at the source. Direct sourcing means that our own specialists are active directly on site, i.e. in the cultivation in the countries of origin of our raw materials. We are convinced that this is the only way to build trusting and long-term partnerships and to have the greatest possible transparency regarding opportunities and risks within our supply chain.
Long-term partnerships, fairness and transparency
We also scrutinize compliance with social standards at the source. If necessary, we immediately
with the supplier without delay, change our purchasing priorities or delist the supplier.
the supplier. However, we clarify this internally on the basis of a fair, ethical principle and
together with our partners. We do not publish any evaluations of our suppliers in order to
avoid non-involved third parties making judgments about something they do not know. Because behind
numbers and names are people with whom we work together to become a little better every day.
a little better every day.
In-house product development
We are particularly proud to have our own product development department. A great team of colleagues works every day to develop delicious new tea creations or adapt existing blends to the tastes of our consumers. Before a product launch, many TEEKANNE colleagues and, of course, consumers test our new recipes to ensure that your favorite tea tastes as good as you expect it to.
Our own quality assurance
Once the various raw materials from the origin have reached us, the issue of quality assurance comes into play. With a focus on top quality and safe products, we employ around 50 people in our purchasing and quality assurance departments who deal with our suppliers and raw materials on a daily basis. We have the greatest possible transparency in all these processes to ensure traceability back to the source at all times. Our new laboratory with the latest technologies was also opened in 2023 to ensure the highest level of quality control. The individual raw materials only qualify for processing once they have passed the quality tests.
In-house processing
Once the individual raw materials have been approved for production by our quality assurance
colleagues the production process of our tea creations can begin: It goes to the preparation.
We have also invested in this process step and completed a new building at the Düsseldorf site
in 2023. Here, the blends of our teas are prepared to the highest standards and prepared for
production.
Production
The time has finally come and production can begin. The prepared blends are automatically fed to the appropriate tea machine, where they are produced into finished tea packs that you can find in supermarkets or restaurants. By the way: The tea bag packaging machines in our production facility come from our subsidiary Teepack, which develops, refines and manufactures these machines here in Germany. Teepack is based in Meerbusch and has been supplying companies worldwide with tea bag packaging machines since 1948.
TEEKANNE guidelines
Compliance with social and environmental standards is a duty for us.
For us, sustainability not only means knowing where our raw materials come from, but also that compliance with social and environmental standards in the countries of origin is a high priority. Many of our raw materials come from Africa or Asia, where cultivation represents an important source of income and development opportunity for the people. However, there is always the risk that working conditions that we take for granted are not adhered to or that the environment is damaged by unsustainable cultivation. Here, too, we see our responsibility.
The TEEKANNE Code of Conduct
Together with our suppliers, we have agreed that all the raw materials we use must be grown sustainably.
Our suppliers also confirm this promise by signing our „Code of Conduct“, a code of conduct in which important environmental and labor standards are formulated. However, we do not leave them on their own when it comes to implementation. Our buyers and cultivation experts help them with cultivation practices and also with aligning their daily activities with our required sustainability. They regularly travel to the countries of origin and also maintain long-standing relationships with our suppliers.
TEEKANNE Code of Conduct (English Version)
TEEKANNE Code of Conduct (German Version)
Based on a risk assessment, we commission independent accredited organizations to carry out CSR audits (CSR = corporate social responsibility) in the countries of origin. The audits serve to verify the requirements for our suppliers defined in the Code of Conduct.
The TEEKANNE sustainability policy for purchasing tea, herbs and fruit
We have also drawn up a sustainability policy for tea, herbs and fruit, which should serve as an important guideline for our suppliers. In it, we set out our main strategic direction in the procurement of our raw materials and formulate our short, medium and long-term goals.In this way, we also help our suppliers to adapt to any changes or new requirements at an early stage.
TEEKANNE Policy for Sustainable Purchase of Tea, Herbs and Fruits (English Version)
TEEKANNE Policy for Sustainable Purchase of Tea, Herbs and Fruits (German Version)