Every cup should be an invitation to savour life’s simple pleasures. For us, it begins with three commitments: quality, ethical sourcing and customer satisfaction.
We source fine leaves from Kenya, India and Sri Lanka. Each tea is a testament to the rich heritage of its origin and crafted to honour the Mazawattee legacy of delicious tea.
Whether you seek a morning boost, an afternoon pause, a celebratory treat or a moment of quiet reflection, Mazawattee promises consistency in every sip.
Mazawattee is the stuff of legend, a tale steeped in adventure, innovation and passion for tea. Its roots reach back to the 1850s, when John Boon Densham, a Plymouth chemist, began the business as a humble endeavour to share the restorative wonders of tea. His son John Lane Densham took the business forward and the name Mazawattee was registered as a trade mark in 1887. In the Victorian era, the motto, 'The Cup That Cheers, But Does Not Inebriate' enchanted the nation, turning tea drinking into both a tradition and a delight.
From our iconic headquarters on Tower Hill where vaults brimmed with treasure chests of tea, Mazawattee soared to become a symbol of excellence. By 1898, we were the largest tea company in the world, pioneering bold advertising campaigns that turned record-breaking tea duties into badges of pride. Our signs adorned railway platforms and buses, and our offerings expanded beyond tea to chocolates, spices and cakes, each product a testament to our spirit of innovation.
Even our name tells a story, a combination of the Hindi word 'Maza' meaning pleasure and the Sinhalese word 'Wattee' meaning garden, a nod to the lush tea estates and the joy in every cup.
In our early days, zebra-drawn carts made their way through London's streets, serving as a reminder of the delight a cup of tea can bring.
That spirit lives on today as we continue to select and develop our teas with care, bringing you what generations have come to know as The Cup That Cheers.
The Second World War hit Mazawattee hard. The Tower Hill building and the New Cross factory were largely destroyed. Yet, echoes of Mazawattee endure. Visitors to the Tower of London can stand on Tower Hill Terrace where our warehouses once stood or descend into the historic vaults that safeguarded our tea chests.
For decades, Mazawattee lingered in memory, symbolised by our beloved advertisement of a grandmother and granddaughter sharing a moment over tea. Today, we’re pouring a new generation that soul-warming magic.
Why revive a legend? Because great tea is timeless. Mazawattee Tea is now under the care of a new generation of guardians, carrying its distinctive heritage forward with delicious tea made for today. The Cup That Cheers lives on.
