NEW PROVIDENCE, N.J., Nov. 13, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The first anniversary is paper, the 50th is gold, and as they reach their 175th anniversary, Tetley USA, the quintessential British tea brand, is declaring it the "tea" anniversary. To celebrate, the brand will donate supplies of its tea to 175 food banks throughout the country through Feeding America, the nation's leading domestic hunger-relief charity.
More than 10,000 boxes of Tetley® tea will be delivered throughout the month of November to food banks from coast to coast - just in time for onset of cold weather. This will provide more than 500,000 cups of tea for those in need this winter. Tetley, the tea consumed by the most British households, has a rich history of providing high-quality tea to the US, and the US has made quite a contribution of its own to Tetley's legacy. The invention of the tea bag actually came about thanks to a New York tea merchant who packaged samples of tea in small silken bags. When consumers mistakenly put the entire bags in their cups, they found that it brewed an excellent cup of tea. Tetley saw the potential and brought the tea bag to market in 1939. The rest is history as the tea bag has become the most popular method for brewing tea in the United States.
"Tetley has been fortunate to have such a long and rich history and we're proud to give something back to folks who are experiencing hard times," said Marc Birnbaum, Marketing Executive at Tetley USA. "We are hopeful that our donation will help bring some comfort and warmth to families across the country."
The 175th anniversary celebration extends into December as well with the "Brake for Tetley" contest. Consumers are invited to submit a 175-word entry describing how they take a break with Tetley. The grand prize in this contest is a MINI Countryman S car, which shares Tetley's modern English appeal to the US market. In honor of the "tea" anniversary, 175 runners-up will receive specialty limited-edition Tetley tea mugs.
The "Brake for Tetley" contest runs from November 1 through December 16. Entrants may submit their entries online through the Tetley USA Facebook page. The contest is open to US residents 18 and older.
For information and to enter the "Brake for Tetley" contest, and for brand history, visit Facebook.com/TetleyUSA or follow Tetley Tea on Twitter at @TetleyUSA. For more information about Tetley Tea, please visit http://www.tetleyusa.com/.
Press: For more information, contact Ali Greco at The S3 Agency, 973.257.5533 or AGreco@TheS3Agency.com.
About Tetley
Tetley has been known as an industry leader in creating a variety of delicious teas since it began producing tea over 170 years ago. Tetley is now part of Tata Global Beverages, which also includes award-winning Eight O'Clock Coffee and Good Earth Tea.Tetley has a long-standing relationship with the Ethical Tea Partnership an organization that drives change and helps create a thriving global tea sector that is socially just and environmentally sustainable. All Tetley branded tea, including flavored and decaffeinated varieties, will also be part of the Rainforest Alliance certification program, which is scheduled for completion by 2016.
To learn more about Tetley Tea, visit www.TetleyUSA.com, become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TetleyUSA and/or follow @TetleyUSA on Twitter.
About Feeding America
Feeding America provides low-income individuals and families with the fuel to survive and even thrive. As the nation's leading domestic hunger-relief charity, our network members supply food to more than 37 million Americans each year, including 14 million children and 3 million seniors. Serving the entire United States, more than 200 member food banks support 61,000 agencies that address hunger in all of its forms. For more information on how you can fight hunger in your community and across the country, visit http://www.feedingamerica.org. Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/FeedingAmerica or follow our news on Twitter at twitter.com/FeedingAmerica.
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The following pictures are available for download:
| [Image] | Tetley British Blend |
| [Image] | Tetley 175Year History Timeline |