Camellia for Foliage, Flowers, Fruit & Tea

to read after purchase. The company website is hosted in Sri Lanka, also perhaps beyond the scope of some consumer watchdogs!

Dilmah is going where other tea companies may hesitate to tread or are restricted from exploring. There is great interest from the rest of the tea fraternity in Dilmah's activities and a little admiration is professed. However regulatory bodies and industry figures frown on some competitive claims, such as "freshness", that might imply that other teas were not fresh.

I have given more information about Dilmah than any of the other companies in this section of the Report because I consider they have the vision and potential to drive a new UK tea industry forward. They have the most innovative approach in the whole UK tea industry.

e) Finlays. Part of the Swire group. It is a global tea logistics company.

f) Fortnum & Mason were established in 1706, a year before Twinings. Twinings now buy tea for Fortnum & Mason.

g) Harrods is a small volume but high profile tea retailer. Some house blends are created.

h) Independents such as Mumbos (temporarily ceased trading due to physical collapse of premises) are taking a contemporary approach to tea service and have undertaken extensive market research before opening a shop on King Street in Manchester. The founder, Michael Green, moved from Pret-a-Manger and is determined the market is right for his bold venture. Whittards are investing in the USA in a tea- form of the coffee lounges. Unilever's Cha is also testing a similar modern format in selected UK cities.

i) Traditional Tea Rooms abound and each year the UK Tea Council awards are given to those that lead in overall service, quality and other key attributes. Current holders of the UK Tea Council award may be found on www.teahealth.co.uk. An example of a classic traditional tea room is Betty's in Yorkshire.

j) Premier Brands (formed in 1986) has acquired Melroses, Ridgways, Typhoo, Kardomah, Glengettie and the London Herb and Spice Tea companies.

k) Tata Tea (GB) Ltd was formed in March 2000 and incorporated as the special purpose vehicle for purchase of the shares of The Tetley Group Limited. The total share capital is £70,000,000 of which £60m was subscribed to by TTL and the balance by Tata Tea Inc. The company has assumed the burden of debt to the extent of £211,00,000 for the balance portion of the total cost of the Tetley acquisition, which insulates TTL from any downside thereof.

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