History of Lipton Tea
If there's one name synonymous with tea, it's Lipton. As the top brand of tea in the world in 2009, it's a company with a long history devoted to just a single product. Consequently, their distinct yellow label is recognized the world over and they also fund research into tea growing and the benefits of drinking it. This global beverage empire started humbly enough, however, and has over a century of history behind it. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Scottish Roots
Lipton teas were created by Sir Thomas Lipton, who was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1850. In 1890, he journeyed to Ceylon, a country noted for tea leaves. After experimenting with different tea crops, he finally developed a blend that he brought to market back in Scotland. Eventually, his grocery business expanded into Britain, and by the end of the 19th century Lipton was one of the most popular teas in the U.K.
A Slogan and A Label
Under the slogan of "from the tea gardens to the tea pot" Lipton made it a point to sell quality teas. The best tea was simply known as "Quality No. 1" and sold in a yellow package with a red shield. This would go on to become the label associated with Lipton, and is still used in packaging Lipton teas in 2009. Lipton began to expand, even to the United States, which was less receptive (having been a nation of coffee drinkers since that incident in Boston Harbor).
Aided by the Empire
Lipton himself was knighted by Queen Victoria, and it was only fitting as he made full use of the reaches of the British Empire. Aside from Ceylon, the Empire included other places of notable interest in the tea world, including India and China. Moreover, as tea was the drink of the British Empire, the company had a built in global network of tea drinkers that it could tap into to create global sales.
Home Grown
Lipton's initial forays in Ceylon helped established one of the primary assets of the company that bears his name. From a humble five acres owned by the Scotsman in Ceylon, the company now operates tea plantations in the African nations of Kenya and Tanzania. In addition they have experts who scout tea crops in over 35 countries worldwide to form their blend.
Mergers and Acquistions
The tea business split from the grocery business and in a process that spanned from 1938 to 1972, was acquired by Unilever. Lipton has also partnered with Pepsi to market ready-to-drink teas around the world. They also run the Lipton Institute of Tea, which is dedicated to the study of tea and it's benefits. Although only the black tea gets the full yellow label, they also market green tea, iced tea, milk tea and herbal varieties.
Tags: British Empire, grocery business, History Lipton, Lipton teas, with Lipton, yellow label