Lipton has invested extensively in a world-class tea-based beverage R&D program that is unrivalled in its breadth, scope and innovation within the tea industry.

Sir Thomas J. Lipton pioneered many practices in tea manufacturing and the company has continued this tradition of quality and innovation.

More than 100 years of innovation has enabled Lipton to bring more tea enjoyment to more people in the world than any other tea company. Sir Thomas would be proud. But he wouldn't let us stop here. In that spirit of tireless inventiveness, research and discovery, Lipton is helping to shed more light on the exciting health benefits of brewed black and green tea, including the goodness of tea flavonoids.

We know it because we grow it

What makes Lipton's expertise so unique is that the company not only buys tea on the open market, but also has had its own plantations since 1890 when Sir Thomas Lipton bought his first tea estates in Ceylon.

Lipton only uses the top leaves of the tea plant. These are the youngest, most tender and most flavourful leaves that produce the best, highest-quality cup of tea. But how do you get the best leaves? At Lipton, we grow our own. We have our own tea estates in Kenya and Tanzania. We also conduct extensive research programs at our estates to improve growing and harvesting practices so you enjoy a dependably delicious cup. With our own estates, we’re able to sustain Sir Thomas Lipton’s mission of constantly seeking new and improved ways of delivering the best tea experience.

We also source teas from as many as 35 countries to ensure a consistent taste and an uninterrupted supply. These teas have to be the best of the best to satisfy our tea experts.

The art of blending

Everyone has their favourite tea, appreciated for its unique taste and aroma. The secret of consistent high quality lies in tea blending.

Blending tea gives it subtle tones and flavours. In fact, in one Lipton tea bag, there may be as many as 30 different types of teas. Blending tea is an art-form. No two teas are ever the same, even if they're from the same estate. Tea plucked and manufactured on a wet day, for example, is different from that produced on a dry day. As a result, it is not unusual for a tea garden to produce teas of different qualities throughout the course of a single season.

Like wine, the quality of tea varies enormously according to country of origin, weather conditions, altitudes and the structure and quality of the soil.

At Lipton, we have a team of fully trained Tea Tasters skilled in the art and science of tea. It is the role of the Tea Taster to make sure teas are blended perfectly to meet our standards of quality.

Lipton Quality Black is blended in specialised tasting rooms in seven tea blending regional hubs scattered all over the world - by a small group of professional Tea Tasters, who collectively have over 150 years of tasting and blending experience.