Taylors Tea

Taylors of Harrogate, together with the Ethical Tea Partnership, have developed a project with the aim of improving the income and livelihoods of marginalised smallholder farmers in Burundi through improving the quality of the tea they produce and linking them into a more sustainable certified supply chain with access to premium UK markets. Furthermore it aims to protect the long-term viability of the Burundian tea industry by introducing more sustainable production methods that will also help protect the environment.

To achieve these goals, the project has four primary objectives. Firstly, the project will deliver training and provide further support on quality improvements and sustainable agricultural practices to smallholder farmers in Burundi. In particular, two Office du Thé du Burundi (OTB) factories (Rwegura and Ijenda) and the 25,000 smallholder farmers that supply them will be supported to achieve Rainforest Alliance standards and certification. Secondly, in collaboration with Tea Buyers from Taylors of Harrogate, these two factories will undergo a development program overseen by tea quality consultants in order to raise the overall quality and consistency of their product. A further objective is to explore the possibility of introducing quality incentives, as well as a more transparent pricing structure for the smallholders, both of which may help farmers to improve their income. The final objective is concerned with the sharing of best practice within Burundi and the marketing of the project to UK consumers and potential global tea buyers.

The project seeks to increase the volume of tea sourced from Burundi both by Taylors of Harrogate and the wider UK market, and to inform different stakeholders and the public about the project. By using the ETP network, potential buyers will be made aware of the progress throughout the project.