The Story of Tetley

Tetley History

Tetley Tea maintains a tradition of quality begun over 160 years ago in England. At the beginning of the 19th century, brothers Joseph and Edward Tetley began to "peddle" salt from the back of a pack horse on the Yorkshire Moors. In time, they added tea to their supplies. The resulting proceeds led the brothers to found "Joseph Tetley & Co." in 1837. Seeking greater fortune, the brothers moved the company to London-then the center of the world's tea trade-nineteen years later. They eventually parted, and Joseph unveiled the newly named "Joseph Tetley & Co., Wholesale Tea Dealers."

In 1871, Tetley took his son Joseph "Junior" into partnership. Business flourished and the company extended its services to include blending and packing. By 1888, the company was ready to take its next major step-an agreement with American agents to distribute Tetley's teas throughout the United States. Joseph Jr. became Chairman upon his father's death in 1889, and in 1913 stablished Tetley plants in New York City. In 1953 a plant in Savannah, Georgia opened and in 1958 another plant in Williamsport, Pennsylvania as the New York facility was phased out.

For Tetley, Innovation's in the Bag

Though sales of tea in tea bags only accounted for 5% of Tetley's sales by the 1930s, the company accurately pegged them as the future of tea commerce. War interrupted immediate production plans, but the foundation was laid for the launch of the Tetley Tea Bag in Britain, which formally took place in 1953. Just one year later, the Stock Exchange Gazette reported, "Joseph Tetley & Co. carries on the business of tea blenders and merchants. It is particularly well known for the introduction of tea packed in small bags for immediate use in the pot."

The tea bag remained the mainstay behind Tetley's marketing efforts, and substantial time and effort went into its perfection. Tetley continued to innovate with the introduction of the round tea bag to the U.S. in 1992 that, literally, changed the shape of the market. Tetley further revolutionized the industry with the unveiling of the first drawstring tea bag in 1997. Designed to squeeze every possible drop of flavor into every cup, Tetley drawstring tea bags have become a favorite with lovers of hot tea.