OUR STORY

It revives and relaxes, energises and empathises.  It has three letters, but sounds like one.  TEA! We love it! And we're really excited to share this passion with you.  
Where it all started...
The story began in 1996 when founders Cliff and Paulina Collier met while working together in Paulina’s family cafe. Cliff and Paulina didn’t see eye to eye at first; in fact, they clashed a lot as Paulina hadn’t met a cheeky chappy like him before. However, they eventually became friends, and shortly after, a romance blossomed, and Cliff and Paulina have worked together ever since.
They ventured out, opening their own cafe in Woolloomooloo, Sydney: and after  selling this cafe, Cliff and Paulina made a "tree-change" to the charming town of Berry,  as it reminded Cliff of the English countryside with its rolling green hills.  

Inspired by the ritual of tea and the charm of British tea shops...
For Paulina, the ritual of tea is something she discovered after meeting Cliff and his family, who have the kettle going all day long and drink cup after cup of tea. She fell in love with the ritual and all things English.
Tea Rituals - Paulina's Quote

During a visit back to visit Cliff’s family in the UK in 2008, the pair fell in love with the little tea shops in the English countryside towns they visited and decided that they would love to open their own iteration in Berry, bringing to the township the calming and slow ritual of tea. 

“I feel like a cup of tea brings comfort to the drinker and has a beautiful sense of warmth and hospitality about it.  I love when people pop around and the first thing you ask them you ask is “Would you like a cup of tea?”” - Paulina

The Berry Tea Shop celebrates their love of all things tea and the very British tradition of sitting down to a good cuppa (preferably with a nice bit of cake!).

 


And so it begins..

The Berry Tea Shop opened its doors in June 2010, and now have their retail store and online store which sells over 48 varieties of tea which are thoughtfully hand- blended and packed in small batches in Berry, NSW, so that every tin of tea is as fresh as possible.

The Berry Tea Shop sources its ingredients from Australia and around the world to create their own blends, something that they are very proud of. When they started the business they were surprised how many suppliers were selling teas with artificial or “nature-identical” ingredients, which is something they wanted to stay away from. They saw their collection being more traditional, with natural and organic ingredients, so their customers can enjoy the health benefits from their daily cuppa. 

They also stock a curated collection of beautiful teawares from around the world, including Emma Bridgewater, Cristina Re Designs, Kinto, Robert Gordon and many more. In addition to their teawares, you will find a range of accessories, gifts, dessert cookbooks, and more!

The Berry Tea Shop cafe experience...
Along with their retail offering, The Berry Tea Shop’s Berry store also offers a boutique cafe experience, complete with the full range of Berry Tea Shop teas on offer and a delicious selection of homemade cakes, biscuits and scones to enjoy with your cuppa, all which have been lovingly made by Cliff using recipes he has developed over the years.
Cake - Paulina's Quote
This cafe experience was really important for Cliff and Paulina as it brings their product offering to life and they both love seeing people sitting and enjoying the ritual of tea. It also gives their customers a chance to enjoy many different blends of tea, ones they might not have necessarily purchased a canister of and sometimes they surprise themselves they then decide to take home with them. 

“It’s so nice to see friends catching up over tea; Grandmas and their little grandchildren sharing some tea and cake together; or little ones coming in after school for tea and a cup cake. It makes us so happy and has given us a wonderful connection to the local community.” - Paulina
 
Cafe


Cliff and Paulina’s favourite daily tea...

“My absolute favourite is Madame Grey, our version of Lady Grey – a lovely refreshing, citrusy blend - which I enjoy in the afternoon. I also love our Deluxe South Breakfast Tea in the morning, it really hits the spot! At night, I enjoy a cup of Digestive with a square of dark chocolate (the perfect combo). When I’m in the shop, I love to have something different – an Oolong or Jasmine Green.” - Paulina

“I love a Deluxe South Coast Breakfast with the missus in the morning. I’m trying to reduce my caffeine consumption at the moment so I’m not drinking as much black tea. I’m really enjoying Turmeric Tonic right now.” - Cliff 


Our Story Collage