Clipper Teas facts for kids
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| Industry | Fairtrade Tea |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1984 |
| Founder | Lorraine and Mike Brehme |
| Headquarters | Beaminster, Dorset, United Kingdom |
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Area served
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International |
| Products | Tea, organic tea, hot chocolate, coffee |
| Owner | Royal Wessanen |
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Number of employees
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90 (2012) |
Clipper is a British company that makes tea. It started in 1984 in a place called Beaminster, Dorset, in the UK. It was one of the first companies in the UK to get the Fairtrade Mark in 1994. This means their products are made fairly. In 2012, a company called Royal Wessanen (now known as Ecotone) bought Clipper.
Contents
The Story of Clipper Tea
How Clipper Began
Clipper Tea was started in 1984 by a couple named Lorraine and Mike Brehme. They had worked with tea before. They wanted to create a company that would make tea in a fair way. They were worried about children being forced to work in the tea industry.
They started Clipper Tea right in their kitchen in Dorset. They bought two large boxes of Assam tea for £50. Then, they sold this tea to local health food shops. Their main idea was to always make pure and natural products. They promised that their teas would never have any artificial ingredients.
Growing the Business
Later, in 2007, the founders sold the company. It was bought by a group called Fleming Family & Partners. This group was supported by one of Britain's richest families.
In 2008, a creative agency helped Clipper. They designed new packaging for the tea. They also created a new slogan: "Natural, fair & delicious."
In 2012, Clipper was sold again. This time, it was bought by Royal Wessanen. This company is now a large international business called Ecotone. It is based in France. After this sale, Clipper's exports grew a lot. The factory in Beaminster also got bigger.
By 2022, Clipper was one of the biggest tea brands in the UK. Its tea was sold in over 50 countries around the world. Clipper makes 95 different kinds of tea. They produce up to two million tea bags every day.
In some countries like Germany and Spain, the brand is called Cupper Tea. This is because another tea brand had already registered the name "Clipper" there.
Clipper's Fair Practices
Why Fairtrade Matters
Clipper was started to be a better choice than other tea companies. It strongly supports Fairtrade and organic tea. Fairtrade means that farmers and workers get a fair price for their products. It also means they work in good conditions.
Clipper was involved with the Fairtrade Foundation from the very beginning. They helped to create the rules for Fairtrade.
Clipper buys all its tea from farms where workers are treated well. This means there is no unfair treatment of people who work there.
In 1994, Clipper was one of the first three companies in the UK to get the Fairtrade mark. After this, Clipper made a magazine called The Teapot Times. This magazine shared the history of tea production. It also showed how buying Fairtrade products helps communities worldwide. Clipper also became official advisors to the Fairtrade Foundation for tea.
