National Tea Day: We visited The Tea Bees in Staffordshire which specialises in loose leaf blend

More than 100 million mugs are drunk every day, according to the UK Tea and Infusions Association.

Today is National Tea Day, an annual celebration of the much-loved beverage which is enjoyed around the globe.

Someone who knows her rooibos from her Earl Grey is passionate tea drinker Yasmine Morson-Mills. Her business The Tea Bees, based at High Ash Farm in Abbots Bromley, near Rugeley, specialises in loose and single-leaf teas.

It began in 2020 but Yasmine’s love of tea started at an early age thanks to her grandmother Mary. “During the first lockdown I was sat at home because I was off work and I knew I wanted to start my own business.

“My mom and I were coming up with a few ideas of what I could do. I’m very passionate about single leaf tea – it’s been in my family for generations.

“I got my love of tea from my grandmother. She always made tea in a teapot and when I was little I used to have tea parties with it.

“She passed away after battling cancer for eight years in March 2020. I knew I wanted to honour her love of tea.

“I was also interested in the natural benefits of teas because I used to pick up some boxes of tea and be absolutely horrified by the list of ingredients.

“Many tea brands use additives to enhance the flavour and to make them last longer,” explains the 22-year-old, who lives in Tixall, Stafford.

Yasmine, who started the business online, works with suppliers who are part of the Ethical Tea Partnership that sources tea from specialised tea masters with more than 30 years of experience.

She creates her own blends and now offers 26 different options such as Mint Chocolate Truffle rooibos, Japanese Cherry Blossom green tea and Wild Rose Garden black tea.

“All of the teas are ethically sourced. I work with a family-run firm who deal with my importing and exporting and they use a vacuum sealing packaging process so the tea remains as fresh as the day as it is picked,” explains Yasmine, who is also studying for a degree in cyber security at Staffordshire University.

It was very important that all of her packaging was recyclable and biodegradable and her products are also certified vegan by Vegan Friendly UK. When developing new blends, she will consider not just the flavour of the tea but also the health benefits it can offer.

Her Japanese Cherry Blossom blend, which uses Japan Sencha pan-fried green tea leaves blended with beautiful rose petals, was created for her mother.

“My mom hates green tea because she finds it bitter but I wanted her to enjoy the health benefits because it’s full of antioxidants.

“The Sencha leaves are naturally sweet and the rose petals work well with the natural cherry flavour. It tastes like a cherry Bakewell,” says Yasmine.

“When I’m trying to come up with a new blend there is always a lot of taste-testing so I get to drink a lot of tea, which is great.

“Once we have a blend, we will then name it and it’s unique to me,” she adds.

Her G & Tea blend is another firm favourite and contains green and white tea and herbs and botanicals, including juniper berries, cucumber slices, lemon pieces and cardamom.

“It’s really refreshing and really good iced, it tastes a bit like a mocktail,” says Yasmine.

Her advice for anyone wanting to branch out into loose tea is to choose something that’s fairly similar to their current favourite.

“If you like breakfast tea, then go for a black tea to start with. Stick to what you know but introduce subtle flavours.

“I have a Butterscotch Delight black tea which has caramel and vanilla undertones. It’s a little bit different but still a black tea,” says Yasmine.

For more information, visit or follow facebook.com/theteabeesuk.