First certified tea
It's the first step in a process which will see all Lipton Yellow Label and PG Tips tea bags in western Europe fully certified by 2010, and all Lipton tea bags globally by 2015.
"The launch of this tea celebrates the Rainforest Alliance's recent certification of the Unilever-owned Kericho estate in Kenya," says Michiel Leijnse, Global Brand Development Manager for Lipton. "The estate met all the tough standards required for certification, including good conditions for employees, environmentally-friendly agricultural processes, and wildlife protection."
But the launch was also driven by a strong business rationale. Many Foodsolutions customers in Europe have been clamouring for a sustainable tea as corporate responsibility becomes increasingly important to their business.
Of course, it's increasingly important for consumers too. As Michiel explains: "The next step is to extend the certification process to Lipton Yellow Label and PG Tips. That will be a bigger challenge, as these are blended teas sourced from various third party-owned estates - all needing to be certified.
"But with the launch of Lipton Kericho Estate tea, we've made our commitment very clear."
Susan Gregory, Business Development Director, Foodsolutions Tea Europe, strongly agrees that the launch represents a milestone for Unilever: "This is a significant step forward in the tea industry, and we're delighted to be at the forefront. Although there is still a long way to go before all our tea is certified, the launch of Lipton Kericho Estate tea is a momentous start."
