Tetley tees off with Rainforest Alliance

Tetley will be rolling out its first Rainforest Alliance-certified rooibos tea next month.

The company, which has pledged to source all its teas from Rainforest Alliance-certified farms by 2016, said the first batches of certified rooibos were in production in its UK factory and would be on shelf by the end of October.

"Launching rooibos made with tea from Rainforest Alliance-certified farms marks a major milestone on our journey to becoming more sustainable," said Percy Siganporia, deputy CEO of Tetley owner Tata Global Beverages. "Supporting farms to become certified benefits our business, the tea estates and the tea pickers we work with."

Tetley has developed a Facebook initiative, Farmers First Hand, allowing consumers to communicate directly with tea-producing communities.