Ingredients supplier Henley Bridge has secured sole UK exclusivity to supply a number of high-profile brands in the hot drinks category.

The Sussex-based company pegs it as its “first big move” into premium hot beverages with offerings that support people and the environment.

“Today’s consumers are extremely aware of ethical and sustainability issues and seek out brands which meet these claims,” Sarah Eastman, business development manager at Henley Bridge, tells FoodIngredientsFirst.

Among the brands, Henley Bridge will supply Dilmah Tea. 

The premium Sri Lankan tea producer brings a vast array of products to the UK market, along with a host of sustainability and ethical credentials. Dilmah is the first big name in the hot beverages category to join the Henley Bridge stable.

“Dilmah Tea not only tastes sensational but consumers can also drink it in the knowledge that the company is working hard to support a wide range of initiatives in Sri Lanka,” explains Eastman.

The brand’s initiatives provide support to healthcare, education and scholarships. They also support community-based projects, solar energy, hydroelectricity and elephant conservation via the MJF Charitable Foundation and Dilmah Conservation.

Picking premium 
According to Eastman, the move into hot beverages was “a natural next step.” 

Henley Bridge’s customer base includes high-end hotels, restaurants, tearooms, dessert parlors and artisanal bakeries, all of whom seek only the finest ingredients, she adds.  

“We’re confident that these exclusive ranges will help elevate our customers’ offerings to the next level.”

“We view our hot beverage ranges not just as drinks, but as ingredients, and we can demonstrate how products within the hot beverages category can be used within menu development too,” affirms Eastman. 

The Dilmah Elixir of Ceylon Tea range, for example, provides ingredients for making iced tea, cocktails and mocktails.

Winning with words
Dilmah is the only international tea brand owned by tea growers, notes Henley Bridge. It is handpicked, processed and packed at the Dilmah Tea Gardens in Ceylon.

The single-origin tea range includes traditional specialty, gourmet and premium teas, herbal infusions, pure Ceylon green teas, flavored teas, spiced chais and organic tea. 

Henley Bridge says that Dilmah tea is the first of various high-profile hot drinks brands the company will supply. 

“We have secured a premium coffee brand, along with a number of hot chocolate suppliers. These will be revealed in the next few weeks,” Eastman concludes.

Ethical hot drinks take off
This ingredients industry is stepping up its game to meet the demand for ethical and sustainable hot drinks.

Earlier this month, Massimo Zanetti Beverage Group unveiled the “first blockchain coffee coming from Honduras.” 

The “farm-to-cup” traceable beverage offers consumers a scannable QR code on packs of Segafredo Storia to discover what kind of coffee it is, wher it has been grown and by whom. 

Nescafé has also shown its activity in this space, by committing to 100 percent responsibly sourced coffee by 2025