Our History
Our story begins with a man called Charles Taylor. Back in 1886, he began his business, C. E. Taylor and Sons, supplying the Yorkshire region with exceptional tea and coffee. He understood that making a proper cup of tea or coffee meant thinking about every aspect of the process, including the water.
A few years later Charles opened a number of ‘Kiosk’ tea and coffee shops. These were busy, bustling cafes which included tasting rooms where local guest‐house owners could come to taste and choose blends suited to their local water.
Building a family business
In 1962 Taylors was bought by Bettys, another of Yorkshire’s well-loved businesses. This partnership proved to be a roaring success and in 1977 we launched the Yorkshire Tea brand, which is now perhaps our most famous offering.
Being a responsible brand
Investing in a sustainable future is something we’ve being doing for a long time. Nearly 30 years ago we began our Trees for Life programme to plant and protect trees around the world, and we’ve been building our ambition and impact ever since. Over the years we’ve worked on hundreds of projects both at home and overseas in our supply chains, from planting millions of trees to improving drinking water across East Africa.
Today we’re still stretching our ambition. Our carbon neutral certification is the starting point for our Net Zero approach; we’re sorting out our packaging by removing single-use, oil-based plastics; and we’re increasing the value of our investment with our farmers every single year. We’re excited for what the future holds.
Family values
We’re a family business with a strong set of values — best defined by an approach that we call “The 6 Ps”.
These principles inform every decision we make and guide the day-to-day operations of our business. They also underpin all of the work we do to protect our supply chain and support the people that produce our tea and coffee.
Prosperity
We’ve always been a family business, and we’re committed to retaining our independence, which is why everything we do is based on enduring economic principles. We also recognise the importance of a stable supply chain, which is why we work hard to support the financial interests of the communities we buy from.
People
We know our business depends on people, which is why we’re committed to a stakeholder model that rewards everyone that contributes to our business. This includes our family owners, the people who work for us, the communities we buy from and the individuals that buy our tea and coffee. Without you, we couldn’t do what we love, and that’s why we’ll always work hard to give something back.
Product
We think our products are brilliant. We’ve built our reputation on their universal appeal, and we’ll always work hard to maintain exacting standards. We also believe in top-notch customer service, and we’ll always do our level best to exceed expectations.
Process
We’re committed to operational excellence. We’ve been in business since 1886, and we’ve always valued efficiency and precision. We also work hard to ensure that bureaucracy never gets in the way of common-sense and clarity.
Planet
We buy from communities that are threatened by climate change, deforestation and soil erosion. We also know that the long-term health of our business relies on sustainable practices which is why we’re always working to protect the planet. We plant trees, encourage responsible agriculture and invest in eco-friendly initiatives all over the world.
Passion
We love what we do. We’re deeply committed to creating an enduring legacy and we think our drive and commitment to excellence is one of our greatest assets.