Sourcing Map
Discover where our tea and ingredients come from
We believe transparency is an essential part of ethical sourcing. In 2018, we became the second major tea brand to publish the list of tea gardens we source from. By being transparent about who and where we source from, we can drive collaboration and tackle industry challenges.
Select a product to see where it comes from
We source our from (click on a country to find out more):
India is the second largest producer of tea in the world and we source our tea from three different regions: Assam in the North East, where the Brahmaputra river meanders through, Darjeeling in the foothills of the Himalayas and tea gardens in the hilly and humid South. Each region has its own distinct flavour, from strong and malty Assam to light and elegant Darjeeling. We buy from large plantations, with large number of workers living on the estate with their families.
Assam
GOODRICKE GROUP LTD : Amgoorie (1) ; Bargang ; Borbam (1) (2) ; Dejoo ; Harchurah ; Harmutty ; Nonaipara (1) ; Orangajuli (1)
THE JOREHAUT TEA COMPANY LTD : Langarjhan (1) (2) ; Numalighur (1)
MCLEOD RUSSEL INDIA LTD : Behali (1) ; Corramore (1) ; Dekorai (1) ; Dirial (1) (2) ; Dirok (1) ; Hunwal (1) ; Itakhooli (1) ; Keyhung ; Margherita (1) ; Mijicajan (1)
ANDREW YULE : Khowang (1) ; Tinkong (1); Hollungoorree; Rajgarh
- Tea Estates covered by Twinings programme on nutrition, protection and empowerment with UNICEF
- Tea Estates covered by Twinings Water, Sanitation and Hygiene programme
- CHAMONG: Tonganagoan
Darjeeling
CHAMONG : Chamong ; Lingia ; Marybong ; Phoobsering ; Soom ; Sree Dwarika ; Tukdah ;
GOODRICKE GROUP LTD : Badamtam ; Castleton ; Margaret's Hope (2) ; Thurbo
(2) Tea Estates covered by Twinings Water, Sanitation and Hygiene programme
South India
GLENDALE : Glenworth
HARRISONS TEA : Lockhart ; Panniar ; Wallardie ; Wentworth
KANNAN DEVAN H ILLS PLANTATIONS COMPANY: Chundavurrai ; Yellapatty
STANES AMALGAMATED : Kotada ; Wellbeck
SOUTHERN TREE FARMS: Burnside
UNITED NIGIRI TEA ESTATES Ltd : Chamraj ; Korakundah
Due to Kenya's equatorial climate, tea can be grown year-round. It is the top tea-producing country in Africa. We source our tea from the highlands of Kenya, in Nandi, Kericho and in the foothills of Mount Kenya. Harvesting is a mixture of machine and hand plucking in Kenya. The tea we buy comes from smallholders and private estates; approximately half a million people are involved in tea production in Kenya. Kenyan tea has a good, strong and balanced flavour.
EASTERN PRODUCE KENYA : Chemomi ; Kamaraya (SM) / Savani (1); Kibwari; Sitoi; Smallholders - SIRETT
JAMES FINLAY KENYA : Fin Tea (Smallholders), FINLAYS GARDEN GROUP
KENYAN TEA DEVELOPMENT AGENCY (KTDA) : Gacharage (1); Gitugi ; Itumbe (1); Kagwe ; Kaingaita ; Makomboki ; Michimikuru ;
WILLIAMSON : Changoi (1); Kaimosi (1); Kapchorua (1); Tinderet (1)
- Tea gardens and/or smallholder groups covered by Twinings Women’s health and empowerment programme Sites (plantations and/or smallholders) covered by Twinings women’s health and empowerment programme
We source our Sri Lankan tea, also known as "Ceylon tea" from both large plantations, as well as private tea factories who process smallholder leaves. The tea growing areas are in the centre and south of the country and are categorised by the elevation at which tea is grown (high, medium or low grown) as each area has their own taste characteristics. Tea is grown year-round here and almost 5% of the population work in the tea industry.
AGRAPATHANA PLANTATIONS LIMITED : Dambetenne ( Bandaraeliya SM) (1) ; Clydesdale/Balmoral; Nayabedde (1) ;
AVISSAWELLA TEA FACTORY: Sithaka
BOGAWANTALAWA TEA ESTATES : Bogawantalaw a ; Bogawana (Bridwell SM) (1) ; Campion ; Kotiyagala (1) ; Lethenty (1) ; Norwood ; Wanarajah
HIDELLANA TEA FACTORY : Hidellana
KEGALLE PLANTATIONS : Kirklees
KELANI VALLEY PLANTATION : Pedro; Kelani
LUMBINI TEA VALLEY CEYLON : Lumbini
MALWATTE VALLEY : Aislaby ; Uva Highlands (1)
MASKELIYA : Moray ; Strathspey
POTHOTUWA TEA FACTORY : Pothotuwa
STASSENS NATURAL FOODS : Idalgasshinna
TALAWAKELLE : Bearwell ; Dessford ; Great Western ; Holyrood ; Kiruwanaganga ; Somerset ; Wattegodde
(1) Tea gardens covered by Twinings project (Community Development forum and Livelihoods)
The tea we source from Argentina is grown in the highland region of the Misiones province in the northeast of Argentina. The climate is hot and humid and the land is relatively flat which allows, after decades of adapting the plantations as well as the industrial capacities, an innovative mechanized harvesting and manufacturing process. Tea is harvested during Argentina's summer months of October to May.
D ON BASILIO SRL: Don Basilio
DON EDUARDO : Don Eduardo
LAS TREINTA SA : Las Tre i nta
In Indonesia, tea is grown all year round on the islands of Java and Sumatra which benefits from rainforest, mountains and rich volcanic soil. Indonesia is the 7th largest tea producer in the world. Approximately 70% of Indonesian tea is grown on the highlands of the island of Java. Tea from Java has sweet, smooth and slightly spicy taste. We source tea from state-owned companies, private tea estates and smallholder farmers.
KBP CHAKRA : Dewata ; N.Kanaan
PTPN8 : Malabar ; Pasir Malang ; Santosa ; Sedep ; Sinumbra; Sperata
China is well known as the birthplace of tea and is the largest producer of tea in the world. We buy our tea from carefully selected tea gardens across different regions including Yunnan, Hunan, Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hubei, Anhui, Guizhou and Chaongqing. While the majority of tea in China is grown by smallholder farmers who cultivate their own tea bushes and sell the green or slightly processed leaves to surrounding factories, we buy from both estates and smallholder farmers. In China, tea is grown from March to late October.
GREEN FOUNTAIN INTERNATIONAL (1)
HUNAN TEA COMPANY (2)
HUNAN YIQINGYUAN EVERSPRING
JAMES FINLAY CHINA
SHANGHAI DBM
ZHEJIANG TEA COMPANY
- Smallholders covered by Twinings project (Maternal and Infant health with Save the Children)
- Smallholders covered by Twinings livelihoods project
India is the second largest producer of tea in the world and we source our tea from three different regions: Assam in the North East, where the Brahmaputra river meanders through, Darjeeling in the foothills of the Himalayas and tea gardens in the hilly and humid South. Each region has its own distinct flavour, from strong and malty Assam to light and elegant Darjeeling. We buy from large plantations, with large number of workers living on the estate with their families.
India is the second largest producer of tea in the world and we source our tea from three different regions: Assam in the North East, where the Brahmaputra river meanders through, Darjeeling in the foothills of the Himalayas and tea gardens in the hilly and humid South. Each region has its own distinct flavour, from strong and malty Assam to light and elegant Darjeeling. We buy from large plantations, with large number of workers living on the estate with their families.
Due to Kenya's equatorial climate, tea can be grown year-round. It is the top tea-producing country in Africa. We source our tea from the highlands of Kenya, in Nandi, Kericho and in the foothills of Mount Kenya. Harvesting is a mixture of machine and hand plucking in Kenya. The tea we buy comes from smallholders and private estates; approximately half a million people are involved in tea production in Kenya. Kenyan tea has a good, strong and balanced flavour.
We source our Sri Lankan tea, also known as "Ceylon tea" from both large plantations, as well as private tea factories who process smallholder leaves. The tea growing areas are in the centre and south of the country and are categorised by the elevation at which tea is grown (high, medium or low grown) as each area has their own taste characteristics. Tea is grown year-round here and almost 5% of the population work in the tea industry.
The tea we source from Argentina is grown in the highland region of the Misiones province in the northeast of Argentina. The climate is hot and humid and the land is relatively flat which allows, after decades of adapting the plantations as well as the industrial capacities, an innovative mechanized harvesting and manufacturing process. Tea is harvested during Argentina's summer months of October to May.
In Indonesia, tea is grown all year round on the islands of Java and Sumatra which benefits from rainforest, mountains and rich volcanic soil. Indonesia is the 7th largest tea producer in the world. Approximately 70% of Indonesian tea is grown on the highlands of the island of Java. Tea from Java has sweet, smooth and slightly spicy taste. We source tea from state-owned companies, private tea estates and smallholder farmers.
China is well known as the birthplace of tea and is the largest producer of tea in the world. We buy our tea from carefully selected tea gardens across different regions including Yunnan, Hunan, Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hubei, Anhui, Guizhou and Chaongqing. While the majority of tea in China is grown by smallholder farmers who cultivate their own tea bushes and sell the green or slightly processed leaves to surrounding factories, we buy from both estates and smallholder farmers. In China, tea is grown from March to late October.
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100% of our rooibos comes from South Africa. The rooibos plant is endemic to the mountainous Cederberg Region, 250km north of Cape Town. There, we work with local producer and farms that grow it with other crops including citruses and stone fruits. The rooibos is harvested between January and April and is then dried in the hot south African sun.
In Egypt, hibiscus is harvested between November and December and we source most of our hibiscus from here. It is grown mainly by small holder farmers, the farmers are organised into cooperative groups The plant needs sandy soil to grow, which is perfect in Egypt. Once the seed pods are harvested, workers strip off tens of millions of bright red calyces by hand and lay them out to dry in the sun for three to four days.
The wide variety of climatic and soil conditions across Egypt render it an ideal country for herb cultivation, notably peppermint. Egypt is one of the oldest peppermint growing countries in the world; farmers have been growing peppermint in Egypt for thousands of years. Once the peppermint has been picked and dried, it is sieved, with larger pieces used for peppermint oil extraction, and smaller pieces for tea infusions.
Peppermint is harvested in the summer months of July through to September in Poland. Here, it is grown on plantations. It generally grows best in moist, shaded locations.
Western Jambi province in Western Sumatra is ideal for growing the crop due it its high altitude. Indonesian Cinnamon is an evergreen shrub that rarely reaches taller than 15 metres and about normally grow 12–30 cm in diameter with aromatic bark. A tree needs to be at least 10 years old before its bark can be harvested. Bark from younger trees is used to produce cinnamon sticks, while older trees’ bark is converted into cinnamon powder.
In Bulgaria, the linden we source is wild-collected between June and July. Linden grows in Bulgaria from the Balkan mountains through to the city of Sofia, it is a popular tree here.
All of the cardamom we source comes from Guatemala, where the majority of the world's cardamom is grown (most crop is grown for export). The crop is grown in 6 different provinces, and 70% of all production grown in one of them: Alta Verapaz, in northern Guatemala. Traditionally, cardamom is grown under trees as it needs shade to grow. The main part used is the dried ripe fruit which contain aromatic seeds. Did you know, Cardamom belongs to the same botanical family as ginger, Zingiberaceae?
Growing in Croatia, in the north of the country bordering Hungary, you will find field upon field of yellow and white camomile flowers. We source our camomile from the Virovitica–Podravina County, where small-holder farmers grow the crop which is then processed, ready for to be added to your favourite blends.
Although indigenous to Europe and the Middle East, The United States also grows peppermint; some of which, we use in our infusions. Here, it is grown on plantations and harvested between June and September.
We also get some of our cinnamon from Vietnam, also known as "Saigon cinnamon", a type of cassia cinnamon, which comes from an evergreen tree indigenous to mainland Southeast Asia. Here, it is grown by smallholder farmers who harvest the crop between April and May, and also in August. Its distinct warm and spicy flavour tastes great in an infusion.
All of our vanilla comes from Madagascar and it is the world's top producer of vanilla thanks to the country's hot and humid climate and ideal soil conditions. Did you know, the vanilla plant is derived from an orchid? It is a vine-like plant, that grows around frames or up trees. It takes almost a year for vanilla to be ready, from cultivation, to harvesting and drying.
In Germany, camomile is harvested in the summer months, from May through to July. The crop is grown on farms in rural Germany. There are several species of camomile, the two most common are the German and the Roman. Roman camomile is more bitter and has a bigger flowerhead. Due to its bitterness it’s not commonly used in herbal infusions and so when people talk about camomile tea they are usually referring to the German camomile.
Camomile is grown on large farms in the desert in Egypt, where it is harvested by hand between February and April. The crop is dried manually in large, airy rooms, then left out to dry in the sun in hand-made wooden racks. It does not require large amounts of water to grow, which means it copes well in Egypt's hot climate. In Ancient Egypt, camomile was used to honour the Gods.
The lemongrass we source from Paraguay mainly comes from the San Pedro department, where 5 out of 10 employees are working in agriculture. It is grown by smallholder farmers and the growing seasons are January to May and September to December. Lemongrass likes it hot, so it grows well in full sun and well-drained soil.
Lemongrass is well suited to growing in Thailand as it is a tropical plant, and the crop we source from Thailand is grown by smallholder farmers all year round. Also known as Cymbopogon citratus, this perennial grass, in the family Poaceae is grown for its fragrant leaves and stalks which are used for its lemony flavour.
Known for its refreshing and uplifting taste, in Kazakhstan, the peppermint we source is grown on plantations. Here it is harvested in the summer months of June, July and August.
The peppermint we source from Germany grows on plantations in Bavaria. It is harvested between May and September. Peppermint plants grow between 18-36 inches tall and 24 inches wide.
In Turkey, the peppermint we source is harvested in the summer months, between July and September on large plantations. In Turkey, mint is a very common herb used in cooking.
Camomile is planted in Mexico from June to August and it is harvested December to January. Camomile tea is very popular in Mexico, where they call it manzanilla. So much so that if you order a cup of tea, your waiter will almost always ask "¿te negro, o Manzanilla?" ("Black tea or camomile?"). Did you know, camomile is a member of the daisy family?
India is both the world's largest producer of turmeric, as well as the world's largest consumer. The crop is generally harvested during January to March. On maturity, the leaves turn dry and are light brown to yellowish in colour.
In Vietnam, turmeric is widely cultivated in many regions , such as Lao Cai, Lang Son, Vinh Phuc, Hung Yen, Nghe An, and the Central Highlands, where it represents a crop of high economic significance to farmers.
Turmeric is native to tropical South Asia and needs temperatures between 20 and 30 °C. In Indonesia, turmeric is not only used for cooking but it’s a natural remedy. Kunyit asam (or the Javanese says kunir asem), an Indonesian traditional beverage as well as natural remedy (known as jamu in bahasa Indonesia) that is made from a mix of turmeric and tamarind and turned into a juice.
In Peru, turmeric is grown in the departments of: Huánuco, San Martin, Amazonas, Junín, Ayacucho and Cusco. Did you know, in its unprocessed form, turmeric is similar in shape to ginger but is coloured brightly orange.
Turmeric is plant of the Zingiberaceae family. It grows in Madagascar on the coastal “Centre Est” strip of the Big Island, especially in the Beforna region, area known for its rhizome crops from which Ginger and turmeric are a part of.
Despite being native to India and Indonesia, turmeric is cultivated throughout the tropics around the world and grows well in Nigeria. Nigeria is the fourth largest producer of turmeric with about 3% of the global annual production.
Rosehips grow in the south of Chile high in the Andes, near the South Pacific, where there are low temperatures. The rosehips are wild-harvested and picked by hand from February to April. Wild rosehips and their parent plant, the Wild Rose are native to many regions around the globe. Rosehips have a delicate, floral flavour that's slightly sweet with a berry sharpness.
South Africa grow a lot of citrus fruits and oranges account for around 60% of their citrus fruit exports and it is the largest orange exporter in the Southern Hemisphere. Citrus farming is so popular here, there is even a town called "Citrusdal" (Citrus Valley in Dutch). Citruses are grown across South Africa - where they are grown in the Western Cape, producers sometimes grow both citrus fruits and rooibos.
In Sudan and Egypt, hibiscus tea is known as "karkadé" and is drunk hot or cold. While we are more familiar with hibiscus flowers, the tea actually comes from the calyces (sepals) of the plant. Most of Sudan's hibiscus is grown several hundred kilometres to the south, in the central province of Kordofan.
We source some of our hibiscus from Zimbabwe, where it is grown by smallholder farmers and harvested between May and July. Mature plants are highly drought resistant, which means they are well adapted to growing in sunny Zimbabwe. The plant is easy to grow, and few inputs are required, making it an uncomplicated crop to cultivate.
The hibiscus we source from Burkina Faso is grown by smallholder farmers and is harvested between November and January. Here, hibiscus tea is known as "bissap". Hibiscus is part of the Malvaceae (cotton or okra) family. Thanks to Burkina Faso's sunny weather, the climate provides wonderful growing conditions for the plant.
Did you know, hibiscus tea (also known as "bissap") is the national drink of Senegal? Hibiscus sabdariffa flowers from May through October. When its petals wilt and fall, the bright-red fruit (known as a calyx), remains on the stem. This is what protects the buds before they bloom, and the part that is harvested, dried, and made into tea.
The peak production of the hibiscus plant in Nigeria is during the dry season of November to April. The dried red calyces and sepals of the hibiscus plant are known as "Zobo leaves" in Nigeria. The plant grows best in well drained soils in sunny climates.
100% of our rooibos comes from South Africa. The rooibos plant is endemic to the mountainous Cederberg Region, 250km north of Cape Town. There, we work with local producer and farms that grow it with other crops including citruses and stone fruits. The rooibos is harvested between January and April and is then dried in the hot south African sun.
In Egypt, hibiscus is harvested between November and December and we source most of our hibiscus from here. It is grown mainly by small holder farmers, the farmers are organised into cooperative groups The plant needs sandy soil to grow, which is perfect in Egypt. Once the seed pods are harvested, workers strip off tens of millions of bright red calyces by hand and lay them out to dry in the sun for three to four days.
The wide variety of climatic and soil conditions across Egypt render it an ideal country for herb cultivation, notably peppermint. Egypt is one of the oldest peppermint growing countries in the world; farmers have been growing peppermint in Egypt for thousands of years. Once the peppermint has been picked and dried, it is sieved, with larger pieces used for peppermint oil extraction, and smaller pieces for tea infusions.
Peppermint is harvested in the summer months of July through to September in Poland. Here, it is grown on plantations. It generally grows best in moist, shaded locations.
Western Jambi province in Western Sumatra is ideal for growing the crop due it its high altitude. Indonesian Cinnamon is an evergreen shrub that rarely reaches taller than 15 metres and about normally grow 12–30 cm in diameter with aromatic bark. A tree needs to be at least 10 years old before its bark can be harvested. Bark from younger trees is used to produce cinnamon sticks, while older trees’ bark is converted into cinnamon powder.
Many of the packaging components sourced by our Andover factory are bought from the UK. Some UK suppliers actually provide packaging for our tea factory in Poland. This includes the gold the foil you will find on our tea boxes, teabag paper, and the outer cardboard packaging we put tea boxes in to transport them to shops. These suppliers are based all around the UK, from Gloucestershire to Berwekshire, Scotland, and many have been supplying us for decades. They employ anywhere from 60 people up to 300.
In Bulgaria, the linden we source is wild-collected between June and July. Linden grows in Bulgaria from the Balkan mountains through to the city of Sofia, it is a popular tree here.
Twinings sources various packaging materials from China, from cardboard tea boxes and metal tins, to teabag paper and string. Most of this packaging is supplied to our plant in China, but some is exported to our factories in the UK and Poland. Typically, our Chinese packaging manufacturing suppliers employ around 150 people, but some of our suppliers are large scale operations with up to 300 employees. As with all of our key suppliers, our packaging suppliers in China understand our high ethical standards, and demonstrate this by undergoing periodic independent ethical audits.
All of the cardamom we source comes from Guatemala, where the majority of the world's cardamom is grown (most crop is grown for export). The crop is grown in 6 different provinces, and 70% of all production grown in one of them: Alta Verapaz, in northern Guatemala. Traditionally, cardamom is grown under trees as it needs shade to grow. The main part used is the dried ripe fruit which contain aromatic seeds. Did you know, Cardamom belongs to the same botanical family as ginger, Zingiberaceae?
Growing in Croatia, in the north of the country bordering Hungary, you will find field upon field of yellow and white camomile flowers. We source our camomile from the Virovitica–Podravina County, where small-holder farmers grow the crop which is then processed, ready for to be added to your favourite blends.
Made in China, Twinings Deluxe Compartment Wooden Tea Box, holds up to 144 individually wrapped teas. Crafted from fine dark wood and finished with "Twinings" and solid brass hinges and openings.
Twinings sources various packaging materials from Poland, including cardboard tea boxes, envelopes for tea bags, and the little paper labels at the end of teabag strings. Typically, our Polish suppliers’ factories have between 100-200 workers, some of whom will have been working for our suppliers for decades. Many of our suppliers are located near our production site in Swarzedz, and will be longstanding Twinings partners, to ensure consistency and high quality.
Although indigenous to Europe and the Middle East, The United States also grows peppermint; some of which, we use in our infusions. Here, it is grown on plantations and harvested between June and September.
We also get some of our cinnamon from Vietnam, also known as "Saigon cinnamon", a type of cassia cinnamon, which comes from an evergreen tree indigenous to mainland Southeast Asia. Here, it is grown by smallholder farmers who harvest the crop between April and May, and also in August. Its distinct warm and spicy flavour tastes great in an infusion.
All of our vanilla comes from Madagascar and it is the world's top producer of vanilla thanks to the country's hot and humid climate and ideal soil conditions. Did you know, the vanilla plant is derived from an orchid? It is a vine-like plant, that grows around frames or up trees. It takes almost a year for vanilla to be ready, from cultivation, to harvesting and drying.
In Germany, camomile is harvested in the summer months, from May through to July. The crop is grown on farms in rural Germany. There are several species of camomile, the two most common are the German and the Roman. Roman camomile is more bitter and has a bigger flowerhead. Due to its bitterness it’s not commonly used in herbal infusions and so when people talk about camomile tea they are usually referring to the German camomile.
Camomile is grown on large farms in the desert in Egypt, where it is harvested by hand between February and April. The crop is dried manually in large, airy rooms, then left out to dry in the sun in hand-made wooden racks. It does not require large amounts of water to grow, which means it copes well in Egypt's hot climate. In Ancient Egypt, camomile was used to honour the Gods.
Camomile is harvested in Poland from June to July. In Poland, the camomile is grown on farms in the Polish countryside. Camomile is an adaptable plant, it likes full sun and will tolerate almost any type of growing conditions. A light, sandy, somewhat-moist loam will produce optimum growth. Much like most of our herbal teas, camomile tea is naturally caffeine-free.
Most of the species of lemon grass are native to South Asia, South-east Asia and Australia, however, we also source from Northern Africa. Growing on plantations and harvested through the year, we source some of our lemongrass from Egypt. The grass grows in dense clumps and has several stiff stems and slender blade-like leaves which droop towards the tips.
The lemongrass we source from Paraguay mainly comes from the San Pedro department, where 5 out of 10 employees are working in agriculture. It is grown by smallholder farmers and the growing seasons are January to May and September to December. Lemongrass likes it hot, so it grows well in full sun and well-drained soil.
Lemongrass is well suited to growing in Thailand as it is a tropical plant, and the crop we source from Thailand is grown by smallholder farmers all year round. Also known as Cymbopogon citratus, this perennial grass, in the family Poaceae is grown for its fragrant leaves and stalks which are used for its lemony flavour.
Known for its refreshing and uplifting taste, in Kazakhstan, the peppermint we source is grown on plantations. Here it is harvested in the summer months of June, July and August.
The peppermint we source from Germany grows on plantations in Bavaria. It is harvested between May and September. Peppermint plants grow between 18-36 inches tall and 24 inches wide.
In Turkey, the peppermint we source is harvested in the summer months, between July and September on large plantations. In Turkey, mint is a very common herb used in cooking.
Camomile is planted in Mexico from June to August and it is harvested December to January. Camomile tea is very popular in Mexico, where they call it manzanilla. So much so that if you order a cup of tea, your waiter will almost always ask "¿te negro, o Manzanilla?" ("Black tea or camomile?"). Did you know, camomile is a member of the daisy family?
India is both the world's largest producer of turmeric, as well as the world's largest consumer. The crop is generally harvested during January to March. On maturity, the leaves turn dry and are light brown to yellowish in colour.
In Vietnam, turmeric is widely cultivated in many regions , such as Lao Cai, Lang Son, Vinh Phuc, Hung Yen, Nghe An, and the Central Highlands, where it represents a crop of high economic significance to farmers.
Turmeric is native to tropical South Asia and needs temperatures between 20 and 30 °C. In Indonesia, turmeric is not only used for cooking but it’s a natural remedy. Kunyit asam (or the Javanese says kunir asem), an Indonesian traditional beverage as well as natural remedy (known as jamu in bahasa Indonesia) that is made from a mix of turmeric and tamarind and turned into a juice.
In Peru, turmeric is grown in the departments of: Huánuco, San Martin, Amazonas, Junín, Ayacucho and Cusco. Did you know, in its unprocessed form, turmeric is similar in shape to ginger but is coloured brightly orange.
Turmeric is plant of the Zingiberaceae family. It grows in Madagascar on the coastal “Centre Est” strip of the Big Island, especially in the Beforna region, area known for its rhizome crops from which Ginger and turmeric are a part of.
Despite being native to India and Indonesia, turmeric is cultivated throughout the tropics around the world and grows well in Nigeria. Nigeria is the fourth largest producer of turmeric with about 3% of the global annual production.
Rosehips grow in the south of Chile high in the Andes, near the South Pacific, where there are low temperatures. The rosehips are wild-harvested and picked by hand from February to April. Wild rosehips and their parent plant, the Wild Rose are native to many regions around the globe. Rosehips have a delicate, floral flavour that's slightly sweet with a berry sharpness.
South Africa grow a lot of citrus fruits and oranges account for around 60% of their citrus fruit exports and it is the largest orange exporter in the Southern Hemisphere. Citrus farming is so popular here, there is even a town called "Citrusdal" (Citrus Valley in Dutch). Citruses are grown across South Africa - where they are grown in the Western Cape, producers sometimes grow both citrus fruits and rooibos.
In Sudan and Egypt, hibiscus tea is known as "karkadé" and is drunk hot or cold. While we are more familiar with hibiscus flowers, the tea actually comes from the calyces (sepals) of the plant. Most of Sudan's hibiscus is grown several hundred kilometres to the south, in the central province of Kordofan.
We source some of our hibiscus from Zimbabwe, where it is grown by smallholder farmers and harvested between May and July. Mature plants are highly drought resistant, which means they are well adapted to growing in sunny Zimbabwe. The plant is easy to grow, and few inputs are required, making it an uncomplicated crop to cultivate.
The hibiscus we source from Burkina Faso is grown by smallholder farmers and is harvested between November and January. Here, hibiscus tea is known as "bissap". Hibiscus is part of the Malvaceae (cotton or okra) family. Thanks to Burkina Faso's sunny weather, the climate provides wonderful growing conditions for the plant.
Did you know, hibiscus tea (also known as "bissap") is the national drink of Senegal? Hibiscus sabdariffa flowers from May through October. When its petals wilt and fall, the bright-red fruit (known as a calyx), remains on the stem. This is what protects the buds before they bloom, and the part that is harvested, dried, and made into tea.
The peak production of the hibiscus plant in Nigeria is during the dry season of November to April. The dried red calyces and sepals of the hibiscus plant are known as "Zobo leaves" in Nigeria. The plant grows best in well drained soils in sunny climates.
The lemon peel we source from Paraguay comes from trees grown by smallholders, or from lemons that are collected in the wild. The ripe fruits are handpicked between June and August, peeled and then hung on wires for a day or two to sun-dry in the traditional way. The climate in Paraguay is ideal for growing citrus crops thanks to subtropical conditions, ample rain, year-round sunshine, and very short winters.
Did you know the lemon tree is native to India? Lemons have been cultivated in India for thousands of years, now the country is one of the largest producers of lemons worldwide. Most of the Commercial production of lemons in India takes place in Andra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Gujrat, Karnataka, Rajasthan, and Bihar. Indian lemons are available all year-round.
Lemon is grown in the Egyptian districts of Nubaria and New Valley. Lemon trees grow exceptionally well here thanks to the excellent climate and fertile soils, the availability of irrigation water provided by the Nile, and all year sunshine. Egypt lemon harvesting happens when the outer skin of the fruit is yellow, the fruit is firm, and between 2 to 3 inches in size.
Lemons are traditionally grown in the Western regions of Georgia, where the area is rich with citrus plantations. 41% of Georgia's land is forested and 37% used in agriculture. The lemons we source from Georgia are wild collected and manually picked, during the months of November through to March.
Thanks to the lemon tree's hardy nature, they can still grow in hot climates and can tolerate drought, which means the lemon trees can withstand Senegal's long dry season. Lemon adds a bright and zesty flavour to your tea.
Linden tolerates low temperatures during the winter and drought during the summer, which means they can cope in Romania's climate. In Romania, the harvesting of Linden forms is part of the forest management system. Linden honey is especially popular in Romania, thanks to the busy bees who pollinate the tree.
Linden is also commonly known as Lime Flower as is native to countries east of the Adriatic Sea, including Albania. Linden is a type of deciduous tree, belonging to the mallow family which can grow over 100ft tall. The crop is wild collected from forests in Albania.
The linden we source from Georgia is wild collected between May and June. It is thought that the oldest linden tree in the world can be found in Georgia in a place called Samegrelo. It is estimated to be 1500 years old.
Linden produces flowers during the late Spring. Did you know, In the Polish language, just as in few other Slavic languages, the month July (Lipiec) is named after a linden tree (lipa) as the month when those sacred trees were blooming in Polish climate.
As well as Eastern Europe, we also source our linden from trees growing in China. "Tilia chinensis" is a species of linden tree that is endemic to China. It is distributed in Gansu, Shaanxi, Henan, Hubei, Sichuan and Yunnan. It grows in ravines and hillsides amongst shrubs and forests.
Orange trees produce the most fruit when grown in full sun, which Senegal has plenty of. Despite Senegal's poor soil and tendency to experience drought, agriculture is the cornerstone of the economy of the country, employing 3/4 of the population.
In Paraguay, the ripe fruits are handpicked by wild collection between June and August; they are peeled, then the peel is hung on wires for a day or two to sun-dry in the traditional way. Paraguay has ideal conditions for growing high-quality oranges. It is subtropical, with ample rain, year-round sunshine, and the very short winters required to make the fruit sweet.
Nigeria is one of the top two orange cultivation areas in West Africa, where the citrus can be grown throughout the year. You will find most oranges growing in Benue State, in North Central Nigeria. Did you know, Nigerian oranges are often green?
Orange season begins in March and runs up to August in Morocco. The plant likes a dry climate, so they are well suited to growing in Morocco. Morocco is the 15th largest producer of oranges in the world. Moroccan citrus areas lie between lat. 30° and 35°N where producing districts are localized because of climate, topography, and water availability.
Making up approximately 40% of the total citrus cultivation in India. Oranges grow well in both subtropical and tropical conditions and grow in almost every state in India. The main harvesting season in the north is December to February and October to March in the south.
Between April and November, oranges are wild collected in Georgia. Citrus fruits account for 7.7% of Georgia's agricultural output and the cultivation of citrus fruit is confined to the western coastal area. Oranges like moist, but well drained soil.
The Second Largest Producing country of Ginger is China. Mostly, Ginger is grown in southern China. It is grown in Shandong, Guangdong, Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangxi and Hubai provinces. Did you know, Ginger is not actually a root, it is in fact a rhizome. A rhizome is an underground stem. It's not just our tea where Ginger tastes delicious, it is often used in Chinese cooking for both sweet and savoury dishes.
Despite being native to South-East Asia, we also source Ginger from Africa. The ginger we source from Nigeria is harvested in November and December. It is grown by smallholder farmers in north-western Nigeria. Nigeria is the leading producer of ginger in Africa as well as being one of the largest producers in the world. Ginger thrives best in warm, humid climates, which means it grows well in Nigeria.
Ginger cultivation is popular in Indonesia. We source our ginger from smallholder farmers, and it is processed in Central Java. There are three types of ginger that grow in Indonesia, these include: Elephant Ginger which is not so spicy therefore widely accepted in various export destinations; Yellow or White Ginger which is more acceptable at home due to its stronger aroma and flavour; and Red Ginger which has a very strong taste.
Vietnamese ginger is grown by smallholder farmers and harvested November to December. Ginger comes from the Zingiberaceae family. It can grow 2ft - 3ft tall and produces striking spikes of pink buds and yellow flowers. It requires temperatures of about 20℃ and moist conditions to grow. A new plant takes a minimum of ten months to grow a rhizome which is then harvested in autumn.
Although originating from South-East Asia, we also source Ginger from West Africa in Burkina Faso. Here, it grows in the South West of the country. It was introduced in the country several decades ago, and is more commonly known as "Gnamankou". The crop is mostly grown by male farmers in the Sudanian agro-ecological zone. Did you know, a ginger plants grow between 2 - 3 feet tall?
We source organic Ginger from Nepal. Here, it is harvested from November through to January. It is grown by smallholder farmers and processed in the Western part of the country. Nepal ranks within the top 15 world exporters for ginger and is one of the main sources of cash income for smallholder farmers in the mid-hills of the country. Ginger is one of the most widely used food spices in the world.
In Madagascar the species is Cinnamomum Zeylanicum. Here we source a small amount of cinnamon, it grows in many areas of Madagascar, mostly within the Atsinana and Analanjirifo provinces. Harvesting takes place in February to June and September to December. The bark of Madagascan cinnamon is fragile, smooth and pale in colour. This cinnamon has a subtle and zesty taste.
Cinnamon is known as "Cinnamomum aromaticum" in Tanzania, or "Mdalasini" in Swahili. Most cinnamon producers in Tanzania are small-scale growers. Tanzania is one of the few countries (including Madagascar) worldwide that is suitable for growing "True Cinnamon" or "Ceylon Cinnamon". Due to the rising demand and new plantations in-country, Tanzania is poised to become a major growing region for this popular spice.
We also source lemongrass from Kericho, in Kenya. Here it grows well in the fertile soil. It is harvested every 6 weeks from the planting date. The harvested product is sorted and loaded in to bags, before being transported to the drying area. Here, the peppermint is dried by natural radiation from the sun.
We also source peppermint from Kericho, in Kenya. Here it grows well in the fertile soil. The peppermint is harvested using brush cutters, collected in to clean polypropylene bags and transported to the drying area. The drying mint is turned three times a day and dried until a moisture content of 8%-9% is reached.
Blackberry Leaves are wild-collected in Albania, before being chopped, dried and quickly packed to seal in their flavour. Albania is an ancient home of early crop domestication, strategically placed in the Mediterranean Basin, with a variety of ecological niches due to the convergence of Mediterranean and continental climates.
Spearmint is harvested in July and August, usually in multiple harvests with an allowance of about 3 weeks to allow the partially harvested plants to grow back up to about 3 feet. In Turkey, machines are used to harvest, after weeds and other plants that may contaminate the crop are meticulously removed manually. After a period of drying in the open sun, it is fed through a machine which separates leaves from stalks and dust, which are often used as compost. The spearmint plants are usually replanted every 5 to 6 years. Mint is usually grown in the South East of Turkey in the arid zone close to the mountain edge for marginally cooler climate.
The leaves we source from Bulgaria are wild-collected. Leaves are dark green on top and pale beneath. The dried leaf has a spicy-tart taste. Did you know, the shrubs grow native on every continent except Australia and Antarctica?
Blackberry leaf is hand-picked in the highlands of Western Georgia. Did you know, the leaves of the blackberry are best harvested before flowering as the plant is putting its energy into growing rather than in the pollen or fruits.
Dried blackberry leaves make a popular herbal tea. The plant is part of the Rosaceae family and the leaves, root and root bark and berries can all be used. Blackberry leaves are ovate, double-serrate and pinnate with 3-5 leaflets.
The fruit sector in Kazakhstan is rapidly developing. Blackberry grows on mountain slopes, riverbanks, in forest mounds of Northern Kazakhstan and in mountains from the Altai to Kungei Alatau. Four species grow in Kazakhstan.
Blackberry leaves, also know as "Rubus fruticosus" are sourced from Bosnia and Herzegovina. The life-span of blackberry shrubs is variable, but they usually live for less than ten years reaching heights of up to 3 m (10 ft). Blackberry may also be referred to as "bramble".
Egyptian Mint prefers light shade and a moist fertile soil, with moderate water requirements. It will grow in full sun, but in very warm areas some shade is preferred. This mint is a vigorous and hardy plant.
Washington, Oregon, Indiana, Idaho and Michigan are the top spearmint producing states. Spearmint is a hardy perennial, that grows best in partial shade with well-draining, rich, moist soil and a pH of 6.5 to 7.
Mint is a popular herb in Georgian cuisine. Spearmint is the lesser known cousin of peppermint, but funnily enough is sometimes referred to as the mother of all mints. This is because it is the oldest known mint in the family, from which other plants like peppermint came from.
Despite being native to Europe, we also source Spearmint from Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe's rainy season runs from October to March; and it encounters dry seasons with low temperatures from June to August.
See below a list of gardens where Twinings Sources
Rupert Byerley
Head of Botanical Procurement
“At Twinings we aim to develop long term relationships with our suppliers that are based on shared goals and on trust. By achieving this we can deliver improvements in quality and sustainability and ensure that our consumers continue to enjoy our products. Open and honest communication helps us face the challenges within the industry in a positive way and achieve solutions that drive progress.”