Yorkshire Tea
A British tea brand produced by Taylors of Harrogate and known for robust black-tea blends, strong regional identity, and prominent popular-culture advertising.
Last updated August 21, 2026
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Overview
Yorkshire Tea is a British tea brand produced by Taylors of Harrogate, part of the privately owned Bettys & Taylors Group. Although the group’s commercial roots extend to 1886, when Charles Edward Taylor and his brother established CE Taylor & Co., the Yorkshire Tea brand itself was introduced in 1977. It was originally developed as a regional blend intended for Yorkshire consumers, whose drinking water varies considerably in hardness. Early versions were adapted for different parts of Yorkshire; as distribution expanded nationally, the brand consolidated around a principal blend while retaining a hard-water variant for consumers in areas where mineral-rich water affects the taste of brewed tea. The brand’s core proposition is accessible, dependable black tea with a full-bodied taste. Its blends use tea sourced from producing regions including India, Sri Lanka, and Kenya. Yorkshire Tea’s best-known product is its standard black tea in the orange pack, commonly sold in bags as well as loose-leaf formats. The portfolio has expanded to include Yorkshire Gold, Yorkshire Decaf, Yorkshire Hardwater, Breakfast Brew, Bedtime Brew, Biscuit Brew, Caramelised Biscuit Brew, and other limited or specialist variants. The range demonstrates an effort to preserve the brand’s traditional black-tea identity while adding decaffeinated, flavoured, evening, and occasion-based products. The brand sits within a wider business that combines Taylors of Harrogate tea and coffee operations with Bettys tea rooms, confectionery, and cookery activities. Bettys acquired the Taylor business in 1962, creating the corporate group that later became known as Bettys & Taylors Group. The group remains family owned and is one of the United Kingdom’s remaining independent tea and coffee merchants. Yorkshire Tea benefits from the group’s sourcing, blending, and hospitality heritage while operating as a mass-market packaged-goods brand. Yorkshire Tea has built a distinctive identity around regional pride, plain-speaking humour, and cultural familiarity. Its 2007 “Try It, You’ll See” television campaign used the voice of Bill Nighy, while a later campaign beginning in 2017 featured Yorkshire-associated public figures and comic situations. The brand has also used sponsorships and partnerships in sport and television, including England cricket and the Yorkshire-based series Heartbeat. Its packaging and advertising frequently reinforce the idea that the tea is strong, straightforward, and suited to everyday British routines. Sales growth turned Yorkshire Tea into one of Britain’s leading traditional black-tea brands. It was reported as the third-best-selling British tea brand in 2015, moved ahead of Tetley in the traditional black-tea segment by 2017, and was reported as the United Kingdom’s best-selling tea brand in 2019, with 28 percent of the traditional black-tea market according to the cited reference material. The brand competes with PG Tips, Tetley, Twinings, and Typhoo, while differentiating itself through regional heritage, blend quality, and a highly recognizable advertising voice. It remains active in the United Kingdom and is also sold internationally.
History
The commercial history behind Yorkshire Tea begins with Charles Edward Taylor and his brother, who founded CE Taylor & Co. in 1886. The business later became known as Taylor’s and developed tea kiosks in Harrogate and Ilkley. In 1962, the local tea-room company Bettys acquired the Taylor business. The combination eventually formed Bettys & Taylors Group, with the tea and coffee operations trading under Taylors of Harrogate and the hospitality and confectionery activities continuing under Bettys branding. Yorkshire Tea was launched in 1977 as a blend intended to reflect the tastes of Yorkshire consumers. Its early development paid particular attention to local water conditions: different areas could require different blends because hard and soft water influence the flavour and balance of brewed tea. As the brand became a national product, the company moved toward one standard blend, packaged in the familiar orange design, while retaining Yorkshire Hardwater in a green package for consumers in mineral-rich water areas. The brand’s growth was supported by its association with everyday Yorkshire identity and by the distribution strength of the Bettys & Taylors organization. A frequently noted retail example occurred after Morrisons acquired Safeway in 2004, when observers commented on the prominent amount of shelf space devoted to Yorkshire Tea in at least one former Safeway store. The brand also received a Royal Warrant from the Prince of Wales in 2009. Yorkshire Tea expanded its portfolio beyond its core blend during the 2010s and 2020s. Breakfast Brew, Breaktime Brew, and decaffeinated Bedtime Brew were introduced in 2016. Biscuit Brew followed in 2018, Toast and Jam Brew in 2020, and Caramelised Biscuit Brew in 2024; Toast and Jam Brew was also reported as discontinued in 2024. In 2025, the company trialled Yorkshire Tea Iced, using a Yorkshire Gold base with lemon or peach-and-raspberry flavours. Marketing has been central to the brand’s development. The “Try It, You’ll See” campaign appeared in 2007 with narration by Bill Nighy. From 2017, advertising used recognizable Yorkshire-linked figures and comic scenarios, including Michael Parkinson, the Kaiser Chiefs, and Sean Bean. Yorkshire Tea has also appeared in or been mentioned by popular television culture, including Homeland and Friends, and has attracted public endorsements from several entertainers. The brand has used sponsorship to strengthen its national profile. It sponsored ITV1’s Yorkshire-based Heartbeat from 1998 to 2001, entered an agreement with the England and Wales Cricket Board in 2013 to support the England cricket team through October 2015, and supported the 2014 Grand Départ of the Tour de France in Yorkshire with a limited pack labelled “Yorkshire Thé.” By 2015, Yorkshire Tea was reported as Britain’s third-best-selling tea brand; by 2017 it had overtaken Tetley in the traditional black-tea segment, and in 2019 it was reported as the United Kingdom’s leading tea brand. It continues to operate as a principal brand of Taylors of Harrogate within the privately owned Bettys & Taylors Group.
- 2025
Yorkshire Tea Iced trial begins
[1]The brand tests canned-style iced tea concepts based on Yorkshire Gold with lemon and peach-and-raspberry flavours.
- 2024
Caramelised Biscuit Brew launches
[1]A new caramelised-biscuit flavoured tea is introduced, while Toast and Jam Brew is reported as discontinued.
- 2020
Toast and Jam Brew launches
[1]Yorkshire Tea adds Toast and Jam Brew to its flavoured range.
- 2019
Yorkshire Tea becomes the leading UK tea brand
[1]Yorkshire Tea is reported as the United Kingdom’s best-selling tea brand, holding 28 percent of the traditional black-tea market in the cited account.
- 2018
Biscuit Brew launches
[1]The brand introduces Biscuit Brew, a malty flavoured tea.
- 2017
Yorkshire Tea moves ahead of Tetley
[1]The brand is reported as the second-best-selling tea brand in Britain and ahead of Tetley in the traditional black-tea segment.
- 2017
Celebrity-led advertising campaign begins
[1]A campaign featuring Yorkshire-associated personalities and locally themed comic situations begins.
- 2016
New everyday and evening blends
[1]Breakfast Brew, Breaktime Brew, and decaffeinated Bedtime Brew are added to the range.
- 2015
Yorkshire Tea reaches third place in British tea sales
[1]The brand is reported as Britain’s third-best-selling tea brand.
- 2014
Tour de France Yorkshire edition
[1]As an official supporter of the Yorkshire Grand Départ, the brand produces a limited sample pack using the name “Yorkshire Thé.”
Products and positioning
Mainstream-to-premium everyday tea positioned around full flavour, dependable quality, Yorkshire heritage, and approachable British humour.
Black tea · 1977
Yorkshire Tea
The core Yorkshire Tea blend is a full-flavoured black tea sold primarily in tea bags and also in loose-leaf formats. It is the brand’s signature product and is associated with the familiar orange pack, everyday British tea drinking, and the company’s emphasis on balancing teas from multiple growing regions.
Premium black tea
Yorkshire Gold
Yorkshire Gold is the brand’s more premium black-tea offering. It is used as a flagship product within the portfolio and has received visibility through popular culture, including a mention as a favourite tea of a character in the television series Homeland.
Decaffeinated black tea
Yorkshire Decaf
Yorkshire Decaf provides the brand’s traditional tea profile in a decaffeinated format. It extends the core proposition to consumers seeking a full-bodied everyday tea without the normal caffeine content.
Black tea
Yorkshire Hardwater
Yorkshire Hardwater is formulated for areas where mineral-rich water can influence the taste of tea. The variant preserves the brand’s regional connection to differences in British water quality and is reported as being available in the United Kingdom.
Black tea · 2016
Breakfast Brew
Breakfast Brew is an everyday black-tea blend introduced as part of the brand’s expansion into occasion-based products. It is designed for morning consumption while remaining within Yorkshire Tea’s familiar robust flavour territory.
Speciality tea · 2016
Bedtime Brew
Bedtime Brew is an evening-oriented product. The range was introduced alongside a decaffeinated version, extending Yorkshire Tea into later-day consumption occasions and giving consumers an alternative to the standard caffeinated blend.
Flavoured tea · 2018
Biscuit Brew
Biscuit Brew is a malty flavoured tea introduced in 2018. It uses the brand’s tea format to evoke a familiar biscuit-like taste and represents Yorkshire Tea’s move into more experimental flavour profiles while retaining a tea-based product identity.
Flavoured tea · 2020
Toast and Jam Brew
Toast and Jam Brew was a breakfast-inspired flavoured tea added to the range in 2020. It was subsequently reported as discontinued in 2024.
Flavoured tea · 2024
Caramelised Biscuit Brew
Caramelised Biscuit Brew is a flavoured tea introduced in 2024. It builds on the earlier Biscuit Brew concept with a sweeter caramelised-biscuit taste profile.
Iced tea · 2025
Yorkshire Tea Iced
Yorkshire Tea Iced was trialled in 2025 as a response to interest in iced tea. The trial used a Yorkshire Gold base and offered lemon or peach-and-raspberry flavour options.
Marketing campaigns
- 2017Yorkshire celebrity advertising campaign
United Kingdom
Advertising used prominent Yorkshire-associated figures, including Michael Parkinson, the Kaiser Chiefs, and Sean Bean, in humorous situations adapted to their public identities.
Outcome. Reinforced the brand’s regional personality and popular-culture visibility.
- 2014Yorkshire Grand Départ support
United Kingdom
As an official supporter of the 2014 Tour de France Grand Départ in Yorkshire, the brand produced a limited sample pack branded “Yorkshire Thé.”
Outcome. Used a major regional sporting event to promote Yorkshire identity and tourism.
- 2013England cricket support
United Kingdom
Yorkshire Tea entered a sponsorship agreement with the England and Wales Cricket Board to support the England cricket team through October 2015.
Outcome. Expanded the brand’s association with mainstream national sport.
- 2007Try It, You’ll See
United Kingdom
A television campaign built around the line “Try It, You’ll See,” with narration by actor Bill Nighy.
Outcome. Helped establish a recognizable national advertising voice for the brand.
- 1998Heartbeat sponsorship
United Kingdom
Yorkshire Tea sponsored ITV1’s Yorkshire-based drama series Heartbeat from 1998 to 2001.
Outcome. Connected the brand with a nationally broadcast programme strongly associated with Yorkshire.
Brand decisions
2025
Trial entry into iced teaProduct launchBackground
The company identified growing consumer interest in iced tea.
Action taken
Trialled Yorkshire Tea Iced using a Yorkshire Gold base with lemon and peach-and-raspberry flavour options.
Aftermath
The product remained described as a trial launch in the cited material.
2024
Add Caramelised Biscuit BrewProduct launchBackground
The brand continued developing flavoured tea products.
Action taken
Introduced Caramelised Biscuit Brew while Toast and Jam Brew was reported as discontinued.
Aftermath
The flavoured portfolio was refreshed with a new product and one discontinued variant.
2018
Enter flavoured tea with Biscuit BrewProduct launchBackground
The brand explored products that could deliver a more distinctive sensory profile than conventional black tea.
Action taken
Launched the malty flavoured Biscuit Brew.
Aftermath
The launch established a platform for later flavour-led products.
2016
Expand into occasion-based blendsProduct launchBackground
The established core black-tea range was extended to cover breakfast, breaktime, and evening consumption.
Action taken
Added Breakfast Brew, Breaktime Brew, and decaffeinated Bedtime Brew.
Aftermath
The portfolio broadened beyond the standard everyday blend.
1977
Launch a dedicated Yorkshire blendProduct launchBackground
The company sought to create a tea associated with Yorkshire consumers and local drinking preferences.
Action taken
Introduced Yorkshire Tea as a regional black-tea blend.
Aftermath
The product later developed into a national brand while retaining its regional name and identity.
Sources2 sources
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