Green Lady tea

A London start-up has launched a sparkling tea drink.

Green Lady, launched at the Speciality & Fine Food in London this week, is a blend of green tea from Darjeeling, carbonated water, carob fruit, herbal and botanical ingredients. It is initially available in one flavour - Inner Beauty, containing nutmeg and rose oil - but further varieties are planned with ingredients such as hibiscus, violet and lavender.

The brand was founded by law graduate Francis Oyewole, who was inspired by the description of Darjeeling as the ‘Champagne of teas’ - and set out to create a premium non-alcoholic alternative to sparkling wine. The product comes in a 250ml green screw-cap glass bottle (rsp: £1.89). Green Lady has secured listings with distributors Alicata and Aqua Amore, and Oyewole is now in discussions with Ocado. 

“Tea culture in the UK has been a bit bland for a while, but in other parts of the world tea culture seems to be constantly evolving,” said Oyewole. “We are restyling tea by adding a sparkle to a quintessentially British beverage. 

“Whether you drink tea or not, Green Lady is a beverage that you can appreciate for its flavoursome and refreshing qualities. As a brand we strive to cater to the desires of the in-vogue adult and this is evident in the taste profile, packaging and message of bringing ‘calm to the chaos’.”

Sparkling tea is already a fixture in the soft drinks category in other countries, with products such as Lipton Sparkling Ice Tea in the US, which is owned by a joint venture of PepsiCo and Unilever.