Travel south of the Cotswolds to the fringes of the West Country, and just a few miles from Stonehenge you’ll find what is, arguably, its diametric opposite. Birchall Tea’s new solar powered factory is modern, not ancient; commercial as opposed to spiritual; constructed from glass and steel and housing heat pumps and solar panels, rather than mysticism and megalithic stones. We caught up with Birchall’s Managing Director, Daniel Graham, to find out more about the company’s drive to sustainability, and the future of our nation’s favourite cuppa…
How did you come to settle on Wiltshire as a location for the business?
We’d love to tell you that the reason we chose Wiltshire was because it gets more sunlight for our solar panels… But the reality is that, as the business expanded, we wanted to move out of London while still remaining within easy reach. We also wanted a location that was easily accessible to many of our customers across the South of England.
Once we found the right site, we built everything from scratch. As a result, the factory is not only modern and efficient, but also purpose-built with food safety and environmental performance in mind.
What has been the impact in the local area?
Birchall Tea is an independent, family-run business, so we enjoy working closely with the many local independent outlets that share our values and want to enhance the tea experience they offer their customers. Many people in the local area are surprised to discover that the UK’s most awarded tea for taste is made just down the road from them. Many cafés and hotels are increasingly looking for local produce throughout their supply chains.
When it comes to sustainable tea production, is this largely a question of offsetting?
Offsetting is a good place to start, however we decided to fundamentally change how we do business to cut our overall emissions, which started with renewable energy. Sustainability has been central to Birchall Tea from day one. In 2018, we built the UK's first fully solar-powered tea factory, generating more renewable energy than we consume and returning surplus electricity to the National Grid. That investment enabled us to become carbon neutral, but we view it as the beginning rather than the end of our sustainability journey.
Our ambition is simple: to prove that the world's best-tasting tea can also be produced responsibly – all of our tea bags are made using fully plant-based materials, too. Today, we are progressing our B Corp certification under the new standards and developing a clear roadmap to Net Zero. We believe the future belongs to businesses that create value not only for consumers, but also for communities and the environment. Our goal is to leave the tea industry – and the planet – in a better place than we found it.
We might think of tea as coming from Asia but yours is from East Africa. Does region affect flavour profile? And if so, how?
All of our black teas are sourced exclusively from East Africa, a region defined by exceptional growing conditions: volcanic soil, high altitude, abundant rainfall, and consistent sunshine. These natural advantages produce teas with remarkable depth of flavour and character.
What is important to understand is that, even within a region like East Africa, there is extraordinary diversity of flavour. Tea is not a one-note product: it is shaped by geography, climate, and craftsmanship. Our flagship breakfast tea, Birchall Great Rift, is officially the UK's most awarded tea for taste, having won 15 consecutive Great Taste Awards—an achievement never before accomplished in any category. In 2024, it also received a Gold Award at the Leafies, outperforming teas that retail for hundreds of pounds.
Do you work in any way with the by-product/waste?
Yes, we aim to make use of as much of the tea by-product as possible. Any remaining organic material is compostable, and we continue to look for ways to further reduce waste and improve circularity across our operations.
Birchall is a five-generation family business. How has the company evolved through the years; what changes has each new generation brought about?
My family has been in the tea industry for over 150 years. My great-great-grandfather, Captain Birchall Graham, was involved in the early cultivation of tea in Darjeeling, India, in 1872. A founding member of the Darjeeling Tea Association, he lived in India for many years and is buried in Darjeeling, where his gravestone remains in the Tea Estate Cemetery.
My father pioneered the shift in tea quality coming out of East Africa, which is now producing some of the best-tasting teas in the world. Fifteen years ago, we set up Birchall Tea, and my long-term ambition is to make it a truly global British brand, recognised around the world.
Tea remains Britain’s national drink, and many continue to look to the UK for leadership in tea. We want Birchall to become one of the great modern British success stories—a brand that showcases the very best of British expertise to tea lovers everywhere.
How trend-driven is our hot drink consumption and what might be next?
Coffee has done an excellent job over the past 10–20 years of premiumising its category and creating greater value and appreciation for consumers. That evolution has been a real source of inspiration for us, because we believe tea has exactly the same potential.
One of the most important challenges facing the tea industry is reconnecting with younger consumers. At Birchall, we want to lead that and help define the emerging craft tea category. Tea is one of the most natural beverages available; lightly caffeinated, hydrating, and rooted in centuries of tradition.
We want to inspire a new wave of tea drinkers by telling the story of tea from crop to cup, and also by highlighting the health benefits. We are going to The Big Feastival this year, so look out for our Birchall Van, serving our ice-cold Serengeti Iced Tea: the perfect refreshment on a hot day.
Finally, which comes first – the tea or the milk?
The beauty of tea is that it comes down to personal preference. People will, of course, have their own way of making the perfect cup—so who is to tell them otherwise? I personally put the milk in afterwards because I like to see the tea liquor colour after a two to three minute brew, and then add the milk. But even in the office, everyone does it differently.
