A new ethical tea range from Nepal is hoping to stir up the hot drinks market next year.

Top Tea aims to attract a mainstream audience and supermarket listings with a range that includes a product targeted at the ‘builders’ tea’ market.

The teas are made with leaves picked in the Himalayan foothills of Nepal and are produced by farmers working in a co-operative. They will roll out to wholesalers in the first week of January.

The ultimate goal was to take the tea into the major supermarkets - and in particular Waitrose, given its strong ethical stance - a spokesman for the brand told The Grocer.

Top Tea is hoping to tap into the market for traditional builders’ tea with its Breakfast Tea targeting men. It would be priced at £1.42 for 100g of tea bags - PG Tips Pyramid tea bags are currently selling for £1.35 for 125g [BrandView.co.uk].

The brand also has an organic Green Tea (rsp: £2.41/100g), geared towards health- conscious women aged between 20 and 40. Traditional Black Tea (rsp: £2.20/100g) is the third tea in the line-up, and is pitched as an afternoon cuppa for over-50s and retirees.

Top Tea is considering other blends for the UK, but is focusing on these three initially.

The teas - which are described as being sourced from tea gardens that “thrive in clean and unpolluted mountain air” - were officially launched at an event attended this week by business secretary Vince Cable and Nepalese ambassador Dr Suresh C Chalise.

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