What Should I Look for in a Hospitality Tea Supplier?

When hospitality businesses compare tea suppliers, the first question is usually about the tea itself.

That matters. But it is only part of the decision.

A supplier also needs to deliver reliably, offer appropriate formats, support staff and make commercial sense for the property.

The following checklist covers the areas worth comparing.

1. Tea that suits hospitality

The best tea in a tasting room is not always the best tea for a busy hotel.

Look for teas that perform consistently in the equipment and portion sizes you use. Breakfast tea needs enough body for a pot. Green tea needs to be straightforward enough for staff to prepare correctly. Bedroom tea needs to be simple for guests to use.

2. A sensible range

More choice is not automatically better.

A supplier should be able to help you build a balanced range rather than simply encourage you to list everything they sell.

For many hotels, six to eight teas across general service is plenty, with a smaller bedroom selection and a broader range only where the occasion warrants it.

3. The right formats

Ask whether the supplier can support the places where you serve tea.

·       individually wrapped tea bags for bedrooms

·       foodservice bags for breakfast or events

·       loose leaf for afternoon tea or premium service

·       suitable pack sizes for your volume

Using one format everywhere is rarely necessary.

4. Transparent pricing

You should be able to understand the real cost per serving.

Ask for pack size, number of portions, tea weight per portion and recommended brewing volume. This makes it much easier to compare suppliers fairly.

5. Reliable availability

Hospitality businesses need continuity.

A supplier should be able to explain normal lead times, stock availability and what happens if a product is temporarily unavailable.

Changing a guest-facing tea every few weeks because of supply problems creates unnecessary work.

6. Practical delivery terms

Check minimum orders, carriage charges, delivery days and case quantities.

A low unit price may be less attractive if you need to hold six months of stock to access it.

7. Staff support

The supplier should understand that the product is only useful if staff can serve it properly.

Simple brewing instructions, tasting sessions, menu notes and back-of-house reference material can be more valuable than a long presentation about tea production.

8. Hospitality understanding

Hotels have different requirements from retail shops.

Breakfast volumes, bedroom replenishment, conference service, afternoon tea and staff turnover all affect how tea should be supplied.

A supplier with hospitality experience should recognise these issues immediately.

9. Sustainability information you can actually use

If sustainability matters to your business, ask specific questions.

·       Are the tea bags plastic free?

·       What are wrappers made from?

·       How should packaging be disposed of?

·       What sourcing information can the supplier provide?

Clear answers are more useful than vague environmental claims.

10. Responsiveness

Tea is not normally a complicated product, and dealing with the supplier should not be complicated either.

When you have a question, sample request or urgent order, can you reach someone who understands your account?

Use a scorecard rather than relying on one tasting

A simple way to compare suppliers is to score each one against the same criteria:

·       quality

·       cost per serving

·       range

·       formats

·       delivery

·       support

·       sustainability

·       reliability

·       ease of working together

That keeps the decision focused on the whole service rather than one particularly impressive sample.

What Shibui Tea focuses on

We supply hospitality businesses with loose leaf tea, plastic free tea bags and individually wrapped tea bags, alongside practical support for menus and staff.

Our aim is to make tea easy to buy, easy to understand and easy to serve consistently.