Bird & Blend Tea Co. opens first store in Guildford

Independent tea company Bird & Blend Tea Co., arrives in Guildford with a tea-licious bang.

Opening on 22nd November, Guildford is the 24th retail store in its portfolio, following recent openings in Cambridge and another in London’s Covent Garden, and its launch on to the UK high street 11 years ago in 2013.

Creating at least 6 new jobs that will be an integral part of the imaginative and magical customer journey offered in store, Bird & Blend Tea Co. create a fun, interactive in-store experience, mixing award winning, tea-based drinks. Flavours as inventive as Birthday Cake and Strawberry Lemonade to Chocolate Digestives, alongside firm favourites Builders Breakfast Brew, Earl Grey Crème and many more will be available alongside a brand new limited edition flavour, created exclusively for Guildford, called ‘Surrey Hills,’ a green tea with packed with English berries to reflect the town’s beautiful countryside surroundings.

A new Store Manager and Trainee Manager head up the team, supported by 4 tea mixologist roles.

Retail stores are the heart of Bird & Blend Tea Co., alongside its successful ecommerce business, and in addition to mixing tea, the Guildford team will also host live free Matcha tea demos, offer a tea matching service, showcase new and innovative flavour combinations, run mixology masterclasses, events and so much more. The Guildford team are passionate about spreading happiness one cup of tea at a time…the new roles really are TEA-riffic.

With its arrival in Guildford, the team at the new store has nominated a local charity and has chosen Guildford Institute as its charity of the quarter, raising money and awareness to support the charity’s mission to provide an educational, cultural and social community hub in the heart of Guildford offering a special place for people of all backgrounds to meet, learn and explore. In store fundraising activities will raise funds and 50% of the in store profits of store blend, Surrey Hills, will be donated.

Bird & Blend Tea Co. was founded by Krisi Smith and Mike Turner, who met at university. Beginning their story packing tea in their bedroom and attending markets, building Bird & Blend Tea Co. from scratch. Bird & Blend is pleased to feature in the Sunday Times Best Places To Work 2024 list. Now with a wonderfully diverse team, multiple retail stores & a thriving international online store, the brand is leading the way in tea innovation in the UK; creating a range of over 100 exciting tea flavours by blending ingredients including herbs, flowers, fruits, caramel, chocolate... & even cake sprinkles.

Mike Turner, Co-Founder & Managing Director of Bird & Blend Tea Co. said, “Customer experience is at the heart of everything we do. Alongside the fast growth of the digital side of our business, we’re proudly continuing to invest in local high streets too. We see our stores as not just retail spaces, but as community hubs where customers can come to make connections with one another and our team, and enjoy interacting with our teas. For us, there will always be a place for magical in-person experiences and we’re delighted to be arriving in Guildford.”

Opening on 22nd November, the store will showcase its range of teas, and the largest Matcha tea range that can be found in the UK, via its bespoke Tea Wall display, alongside the wide range of tea tools and utensils and its takeaway tea bar. The store will even run its own award-winning Mixology Workshops, where guests can learn all about tea and even blend their own to take home!

At the opening party, on 5th December, guests will be treated to Bird & Blend’s signature Spiced Rum Chai or Strawberry Lemonade Drop on Arrival. The first 50 customers will also receive an exclusive Guildford goody bag and lots of free tea. There will be plenty of seasonal samples for guests to taste, alongside the Guildford store blend, Surrey Hill.

The Bird & Blend Guildford store is at 5 Market Street, Guildford, GU1 4LB.