I have made it my mission to review as many loose leaf tea offerings as I can on the blog, so I have tried my fair share of teas from independent tea companies and suppliers in the UK. Whether you are new to the world of tea or have been sipping fine loose leaf teas for decades already, I hope you find something new and delicious to try on this list.
But first, a disclaimer. These tea shops aren’t the best in the sense that they have the most customers or the best TripAdvisor reviews. Instead, they were selected simply because I love them. It’s a completely subjective list of tea shops that I, personally, have had excellent experiences with.
So, let’s put the kettle on and dig in.
Why Choose Independent Tea Companies UK?
Independent tea companies and suppliers offer several advantages over mass-market brands:
- Quality Focus: Direct relationships with tea farmers ensure premium loose leaf tea
- Unique Selections: Access to rare and single-origin teas not found in supermarkets
- Expert Curation: Passionate tea experts handpick the best loose leaf tea UK has to offer
- Sustainable Practices: Many independent suppliers prioritize ethical sourcing and environmental responsibility
- Personal Service: Hand-written notes, expert advice, and personalised recommendations
Whether you’re seeking the best loose leaf tea UK companies can provide or looking to explore rare single-origin varieties, these independent suppliers deliver exceptional quality and service (trust me, I’ve tested them out).
Best Loose Leaf Tea Types Available
The best loose leaf tea UK suppliers offer an incredible variety of tea types to make every tastebud tingle. Understanding these different categories can help you choose the right independent tea companies to quench your first. You can find a lot of tea info on my blog, but here’s a quick breakdown of what you’ll find at indie tea companies.
Single Origin Teas are sourced from specific tea gardens or regions, offering unique flavor profiles that reflect their terroir. Companies like What-Cha and Yuyun Yunnan Tea specialize in these distinctive loose leaf teas from countries like China, India, Sri Lanka, and even more unusual locations like Australia and Wales. Yes, really.
Rare and Artisanal Teas represent the premium end of the market, often featuring traditional processing methods and limited harvests. Suppliers like Kiani Tea and Mei Leaf focus on these exceptional loose leaf varieties, including ceremonial grade matcha and aged pu-erh teas.
Regional Specialties showcase the best of specific tea-growing areas. From Assam’s robust breakfast teas to Fujian’s delicate white teas, independent tea companies in the UK often develop expertise in particular regions. I love when a tea company has a direct link to the farmers who grow their tea.
Flavored and Blended Teas combine traditional tea bases with natural ingredients like bergamot, spices, or flowers. Suppliers like Hebden Tea offer both classic blends like Earl Grey and crazy new combinations that you won’t find in mainstream stores. Yes, trying a wild new flavour is sometimes a gamble – but that’s part of the fun.
Top 10 Independent Tea Companies UK for Loose Leaf Tea
If you are looking for loose leaf, single origin tea from all around the world, these ten shops are where you should start.
1. What-Cha
- Price range: £££
- Selection: Wide and changing single origins
- Stores: Online only
What-Cha was one of the first stores I ever shopped at for fine loose leaf tea, so it is only right that they take the number 1 place on this list. The owner of the store even included a hand-written note with my order – it’s these small touches that you only get when you shop at an independent store.
My personal recommendations for shopping at What-Cha are to pick up at least one Assam tea (the Mancotta Assam is my favourite) and then browse the sale selection. What-Cha is also one of the best independent tea shops for buying tea from unusual countries. From Australia to Wales, you might be surprised by the number of locations that tea farmers operate in.
2. Hebden Tea
- Price range: ££
- Selection: Single origin, flavoured, and infusions
- Stores: York and online
I stumbled into Hebden’s York store a few years past and was staggered by the number of loose leaf teas on the shelves. I finally settled on Fu Soonga and took it home to review. Oh, how I wish I had bought more tea when I was there!
As well as having some unusual and rare single origin teas, Hebden also have a wide range of flavoured teas (like Earl Grey) as well as herbal and fruit infusions. If you live near York or are planning a visit, go to the store for the Hebden Tea experience – it looks amazing.
3. Kiani Tea
- Price range: £££
- Selection: Select single origin teas, matcha, and teaware
- Stores: Online only
My favourite single origin loose leaf tea calendar was from Kiani Tea! This small, London-based tea company sources some of the best single origin teas from China and Japan. I am particularly fond of their unusual matcha powders – as well as the traditional green tea, they also have a rose matcha, panda (charcoal) matcha, and blue (butterfly pea) matcha. I really want to try the dragon fruit matcha too!
Take a look at Kiani’s full range of teas and teaware, then follow them on Instagram. They are also one of my favourite tea Instagram accounts to keep up to date with.
4. Karma Tea Co
- Price range: £
- Selection: Single origin tea from South Asia
- Stores: Online only
Karma Tea Co. source their teas from across South Asia, giving their blends enticing names and bright labels that make me want to try them all. Alongside their single origin teas, you’ll also find blends and herbal infusions including several chai teas that I am eager to add to my Best Masala Chai list once I have tried them for myself.
Karma Tea Co. ship their teas internationally and have free UK delivery on all orders over £25 at the time of writing this article. If that’s not a reason to stock up on their tasty teas, I don’t know what is.
5. Yuyun Yunnan Tea
- Price range: ££
- Selection: Single origin tea from the Yunnan region of China
- Stores: Online and select workshops
When I reviewed the Fengqin Yunnan Black Tea from Yuyun I was so impressed with the quality and flavour! This business was created during the COVID-19 lockdown in the UK and is a woman-led, environmental-focused brand. I love their discovery boxes that allow you to explore the tea you are sipping. It’s an educational experience, as well as a delicious one.
Yuyun Yunnan Tea have hosted a few tea tasting workshops in the past, usually held in London. However, they don’t currently have a store, so you’ll need to order any tea from them online. There’s free UK delivery on orders over £15.
6. Chai Guys
- Price range: ££
- Selection: Chai blends, spices, and teaware
- Stores: Old Spitalfields Market, Covent Garden, and online
Chai Guys have two shop locations in London where you can buy a cup of delicious and authentic chai to-go. I have been desperate to try their teas for a long while now, but a day-trip to London is a little out of my price range. Thankfully, you can buy all three of Chai Guys’ blends online to make at home.
My current favourite chai is Teapro Masala Chai, but I suspect that one of these chai blends will knock it off the top spot. Kesar Chai, with saffron and rose, looks like the most intriguing and I bet it tastes amazing.
7. Rare Tea Co
- Price range: ££
- Selection: Single origin from around the world
- Stores: Online only
The Rare Tea Lady, one of my favourite people to follow on Instagram, is the founder of Rare Tea Co. This impressive company sources single origin loose leaf tea from around the world and packages it in the UK. Although the website has the polished feel of a commercial company, The Rare Tea Co actually sources their leaves directly from tea farmers. It’s legit!
Although this tea shop is only online – Not On The High Street or their official website – they also hold digital masterclasses where you can learn about tea via a livestream. Furthermore, The Rare Tea Co provides wholesale tea to impressive cafes and restaurants, including Gordon Ramsay.
8. MonTeas
- Price range: £££
- Selection: Single origin, infusions, and teaware
- Stores: Monmouth, Wales, and online
I stumbled across MonTeas on a road trip across Wales a few years back. The store was closed at the time, so all I could do was peer into the window and do my best impression of the heart eyes emoji. Thankfully, MonTeas also has an online store.
Important note: don’t judge a book by its cover.
MonTeas website may feel clunky and out of date, but it has a wonderful soul and you will find some unique loose leaf teas on these pages that aren’t available anywhere else. It is also worth noting that they ship across the UK for free over £25 and all their packaging is plastic-free.
9. Mei Leaf
- Price range: ££££
- Selection: Single origin, tisanes, and teaware
- Stores: Camden Town and online
Mei Leaf are as well-known for their interesting YouTube videos as their online teashop. Mei Leaf was established by Don in 2006 and focuses on bringing ‘true tea culture’ to tea drinkers in the UK. There is a good range of teas available on this site and they get loads of good reviews from happy customers.
That being said, I find the content they produce on Instagram and YouTube to be a bit dismissive of anyone that drinks tea from teabags or consumes flavoured tea. I understand their reasoning, and to some extent I do agree that single origin high-quality tea is the better option, but there’s still a time and place for convenient teabags.
10. Cuttea Sark
- Price range: ££
- Selection: Loose leaf tea and coffee
- Stores: Edinburgh
With a store in Edinburgh and a Facebook page, Cuttea Sark sell a range of loose leaf teas and coffees. I have reviewed one of their more unusual blends here on the blog – Buried Puerh – but haven’t actually visited the tea shop myself.
Nonetheless, the tea I received from them was super interesting and they have very favourable reviews online. If you find yourself in Edinburgh, they are worth a visit. You can find their tea shop on Victoria Street.
How to Choose the Right Tea Supplier in the UK
If you didn’t find the right match for your tea habits in my list, don’t panic. There are many independent tea companies in the UK. Here’s what to look for.
Consider Your Tea Preferences first. If you’re passionate about single origin varieties, suppliers like What-Cha and Rare Tea Co offer extensive selections from multiple countries. For chai enthusiasts, specialized companies like Chai Guys and Karma Tea Co provide authentic spice blends that rival the best loose leaf tea UK shops can offer.
Evaluate Quality and Sourcing Practices when choosing between suppliers. The best loose leaf tea UK companies maintain direct relationships with tea gardens. This matters. It ensures freshness and supports sustainable farming. Look for suppliers who provide detailed information about their sourcing practices and tea origins (you want to know the precise location, even the farm name, if possible).
Price Point and Value vary significantly across independent tea companies UK. Budget-conscious tea lovers can find excellent options at suppliers like Karma Tea Co, while those seeking premium experiences might prefer the curated selections at Kiani Tea or Mei Leaf.
Delivery Options and Minimums also matter for regular tea drinkers. Many suppliers offer free UK delivery above certain thresholds – the good ones start at £15 but others are as high as £30 – making it worthwhile to stock up on your favourite loose leaf teas.
Start Small with sample sizes or discovery boxes when trying new suppliers. This approach lets you explore different independent tea companies UK without committing to large quantities of unfamiliar teas.
Finding Your Perfect Tea Supplier
These independent tea companies UK represent some of the finest loose leaf tea sources available to British tea enthusiasts (me included). Each supplier has their strengths, from What-Cha’s global selection to specialised regional experts like Yuyun Yunnan Tea.
The world of premium tea offers endless discovery opportunities. Every time I think I’ve tried it all, something new pops up. Last week I tried sorrel tea! Start with suppliers that match your current preferences, then gradually explore others as your palate develops. With free delivery thresholds and sample options available from most of these companies, building an exceptional tea collection is actually a little too easy.
If you have any tea shop recommendations to add to this list, leave a comment below and share your favourite discoveries with my tea-loving readers!
FAQs About UK Tea Companies
Independent tea companies UK typically source the best loose leaf tea directly from tea gardens, ensuring freshness and supporting sustainable farming practices. Unlike mass-market brands, these suppliers often specialise in single origin and rare varieties that treat your tastebuds to the true character of different tea regions. You’re also supporting independent businesses that work directly with farmers worldwide, ensuring fair prices while bringing you exceptional quality. Win win!
The best loose leaf tea UK suppliers provide detailed information about their tea origins, processing methods, and sourcing practices. Look for harvest dates, specific garden locations, and comprehensive tasting notes. Customer reviews and industry recognition also indicate quality and reliability. Many top independent tea companies UK offer sample sizes or discovery boxes, perfect for putting their quality to the test before you go all-in.
While premium loose leaf tea costs more per gram than supermarket tea bags, the value is exceptional in my opinion. Many independent tea companies UK offer competitive pricing when you consider the superior flavour and the fact that quality loose leaf tea can be re-steeped multiple times – I’ve had some fantastic black teas steeped up to 8 times! Building your tea collection gradually through these suppliers is often more economical long-term and prevents you from filling up your tea-cupboard too quickly.
Suppliers like What-Cha and Rare Tea Co offer extensive selections from multiple countries, making them ideal for exploring global tea varieties. Hebden Tea provides both traditional and unusual varieties, while specialized companies like Yuyun Yunnan Tea focus on specific regions.
Start with one or two suppliers that catch your eye. Tea newcomers might begin with diverse suppliers like Hebden Tea or What-Cha’s global varieties, while experienced drinkers could explore specialized options like Kiani Tea for premium selections.
Yes! Many of them do, but the delivery costs are often higher than larger tea companies that can ship globally. If you want decent British tea with low international shipping costs, my recommendation is Whittard. They aren’t an indie store, but they are reliable.