TWG Tea

{{Confuse|Twinings}}{{Short description|Singaporean tea brand and teahouse chain}} {{pp-pc1}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}} {{Infobox company | name = TWG Tea | logo = TWG Tea logo.jpg | caption = | trading_name =  | native_name =  | native_name_lang =  | romanized = | former type = | type = Private | traded_as = | industry = Tea | genre =  | fate = | predecessor = | successor = | foundation = {{Start date and age|2008|}} | founders = Taha Bouqdib (current CEO) Maranda Barnes Bouqdib (Director) Manoj M Murjani (former CEO) Rith Aum-Stievenard (COO) | key_people = {{Plainlist| * Taha Bouqdib (CEO)<ref>{{cite news | title = TWG Tea co-founder loses tussle over domain name and false statements | newspaper = The Straits Times | date = 3 May 2019 | url = https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/twg-tea-co-founder-loses-tussle-over-domain-name-and-false-statements | access-date = 6 October 2019 | archive-date = 6 October 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191006003637/https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/twg-tea-co-founder-loses-tussle-over-domain-name-and-false-statements | url-status = live }}</ref> * Maranda Barnes Bou Qdib (Director) *Rith Aum-Stievenard (COO) <ref>{{cite web |last1 = Athif |first1=Mariyam Athiza |title=A brief conversation with Rith Aum-stievenard, Co-founder and COO of TWG Tea |url=https://hoteliermaldives.com/brief-conversation-rith-aum-stievenard-co-founder-coo-twg-tea/ |website=Hotelier Maldives |date=21 September 2016 |access-date=17 November 2022}}</ref>}}

| defunct =  | location_city = | location_country = Singapore | locations =  | area_served = | products = | production = Tea Pastries Desserts | services = | revenue = | operating_income = | net_income = | aum = | assets = | equity = | num_employees = | owners = Osim International, Paris Investments | divisions = | subsid = | homepage = {{URL|http://twgtea.com/}} | footnotes = | bodystyle = }}

'''TWG Tea''' is a Singaporean luxury teahouse chain and a namesake brand of artisanal tea. The brand was established in 2008 as a subsidiary of the Singaporean lifestyle company, The Wellbeing Group - from which the acronym, TWG, was derived.<ref>{{cite web |last1=V |first1=Harini |title=5 tips for building a successful business from the founder of global brand TWG Tea |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/05/asia-prince-of-tea-leadership.html |website=CNBC |access-date=30 November 2022 |date=5 October 2018}}</ref> In 2014, Osim International, itself a subsidiary of the V3 Group, acquired a majority stake in TWG Tea. The company sells over 1,000 blends of tea in its more than 70 boutiques and salons in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and North America. It also distributes its tea to international retailers.

TWG Tea has expanded rapidly in the 2000s, with salons and boutiques in many countries like UAE, UK, USA, China and more.<ref>{{Cite web |date=20 January 2019 |title=TWG Tea - The Asian Brand That Made Tea Drinking A Luxury |url=https://martinroll.com/resources/articles/branding/twg-tea-the-asian-brand-that-made-tea-drinking-a-luxury/ |access-date=12 January 2023 |website=Martin Roll |language=en-US}}</ref>

==History== TWG Tea was established in 2008 as a subsidiary of a Singaporean company, The Wellness Group.<ref>{{cite web |title=TWG Tea the best tea since 2008 |url=http://www.luxe-magazine.com/en/article/8525-twg_tea_the_best_of_tea_since_2008.html |website=Luxe Magazine}}</ref><ref name="Straits16">{{cite news |last=Baker |first=Jalelah Abu |title=The Wellness Group loses appeal against Osim over TWG Tea |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/the-wellness-group-loses-appeal-against-osim-over-twg-tea |publisher= |newspaper=The Straits Times |work= |date=1 November 2016 |access-date=17 November 2022 }}</ref> Its founder, Manoj M. Murjani (a Hong Konger of Indian descent), conceptualised the luxury teahouse chain together with French-Moroccan tea sommelier, Taha Bouqdib.<ref name="PeakLessons">{{cite news |last=Pikyin |first=Leong |title=TWG's Taha Bouqdib: Lessons from his Father |url=https://thepeakmagazine.com.sg/interviews/the-tea-in-gentility-twg-taha-bouqdib/ |publisher= |newspaper= |work=The Peak |date=1 October 2013 |access-date=17 November 2022 }}</ref> Bouqdib's wife, Maranda Barnes Bouqdib, was also one of the founding partners.<ref name="West">{{cite news |last=Millimaci |first=Grace |title=Tea salon a sensory invitation |url=https://thewest.com.au/lifestyle/food/tea-salon-a-sensory-invitation-ng-ya-151590 |publisher= |newspaper=The West Australian |work= |date=13 September 2011 |access-date=17 November 2022 }}</ref>

The company opened its first tea outlet in Raffles Place's Republic Plaza in Singapore in 2008 followed by a larger location in the ION Orchard mall.<ref name="CNN09">{{cite news |last= |first= |title=TWG Tea Salon: Taking over Singapore one cup at a time |url=http://travel.cnn.com/singapore/none/twg-tea-salon-000401/ |publisher=CNN |newspaper= |work= |date=1 December 2009 |access-date=9 December 2022 }}</ref> By 2009, TWG Tea products were sold at the Dean & Deluca grocery store in New York and were offered on Singapore Airlines' flights.<ref name="CNBC09">{{cite news |last=Kolesnikov-Jessop |first=Sonia |title=Gourmet Tea Business Growing Rapidly in U.S. and Around the World |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2009/09/18/gourmet-tea-business-growing-rapidly-in-us-and-around-the-world.html |publisher=CNBC |newspaper= |work= |date=18 September 2009 |access-date=9 December 2022}}</ref> In 2010, the brand opened its first overseas store in Jiyūgaoka, Tokyo.<ref name="FoodDrink">{{cite news |last=Yasuda |first=Masaaki |title=Luxury Tea salon "TWG" from Singapore became global brand only in 4 years |url=http://www.foodrink.asia/news/2012/10/post-962.php |publisher= |newspaper= |work=FoodDrink News |date=5 October 2012 |access-date=9 December 2022 }}</ref>

In April 2011, Osim International acquired a 35% equity stake in TWG Tea.<ref name="AOne2011">{{cite news |last=Wei Kong |first=Wong |title=OSIM tea venture: some questions |url=https://www.asiaone.com/print/News/Latest%2BNews/Business/Story/A1Story20110419-274454.html |publisher= |newspaper= |work=AsiaOne |date=21 April 2011 |access-date=30 November 2022 }}</ref> Later that year, the company expanded into Hong Kong with a store at the IFC Mall. This ultimately led to a lawsuit alleging trademark infringement from the Tsit Wing Group, which had been doing business in Hong Kong since 1932 using the acronym "TWG". In 2014, courts ruled in favor of the Tsit Wing Group,<ref name="SCMP14">{{cite news |last=Chu |first=Julie |title=TWG tea shop may have to change its name after court decision in trademark case |url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1654913/twg-tea-shop-may-have-change-its-name-after-court-decision-trademark |publisher= |newspaper=South China Morning Post |work= |date=4 December 2014 |access-date=30 November 2022 }}</ref> prompting TWG Tea to change the name of its Hong Kong business to "Tea WG".<ref name="BTTaha">{{cite news |last=Yusof |first=Helmi |title=Weekend Interview: Taha Bouqdib |url=https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/lifestyle/weekend-interview/taha-bouqdib |publisher= |newspaper=The Business Times |work= |date=16 November 2018 |access-date=20 November 2022 }}</ref>

In 2014, TWG Tea opened a training facility at its headquarters in Singapore to train its staff to become tea sommeliers.<ref name="TWG Tea: The Art of the Blend ">{{cite web |url=http://www.billionaire.com/taste/wine-drink/535/twg-tea-the-art-of-the-blend |title=TWG Tea: The Art of the Blend |access-date=12 September 2014 |publisher=Billionaire |archive-date=9 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150209010932/http://www.billionaire.com/taste/wine-drink/535/twg-tea-the-art-of-the-blend |url-status=live }}</ref> In the same year, following a legal dispute between Murjani and Bouqdib over TWG's ownership, Murjani and The Wellness Group exited the brand, and the brand passed into the ownership of The Wellbeing Group, a second parent company established by Bouqdib with acronymic similarities.<ref>{{cite web |title=5 High Court of the Republic of Singapore |url=https://www.supremecourt.gov.sg/docs/default-source/module-document/judgement/s-799-of-2017-(gd)(v10)(final)-pdf.pdf |access-date=6 October 2019 |archive-date=6 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191006003727/https://www.supremecourt.gov.sg/docs/default-source/module-document/judgement/s-799-of-2017-(gd)(v10)(final)-pdf.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2016, TWG Tea opened its first location in North America in Vancouver, Canada.<ref name="Straight">{{cite news |last=Kwan |first=Tammy |title=TWG Tea: Singaporean-based tea company set to open first North American location in Vancouver |url=https://www.straight.com/food/809756/twg-tea-singaporean-based-tea-company-set-open-first-north-american-location-vancouver |publisher= |newspaper= |work=Straight |date=18 October 2016 |access-date=9 December 2022 }}</ref> In 2017, the company officially launched the TWG Tea Institute in Singapore, which offers training to all TWG Tea employees on brewing techniques and information on all tea blends offered by the company.<ref name="Tatler18">{{cite news |last=Xinyi |first=Hong |title=TWG Tea's Taha Bouqdib And Maranda Barnes Talk Tea And Global Ambitions |url=https://sg.asiatatler.com/society/a-moveable-feast |publisher= |newspaper= |work=Asia Tatler |date=14 November 2018 |access-date=9 December 2022 }}</ref>

By 2019, it had 70 outlets in 19 cities worldwide,<ref name="Forbes">{{cite news |last=Ambler |first=Pamela |title=The Billionaire Who Welcomed The Barbarians At His Gate: To Improve His Company, Ron Sim Knew KKR Was His Best Hope |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/pamelaambler/2019/09/02/the-billionaire-who-welcomed-the-barbarians-to-save-his-company-ron-sim-knew-kkr-was-his-best-hope |publisher= |newspaper= |work=Forbes |date=2 September 2019 |access-date=12 December 2022 }}</ref> with distribution of its tea products in over 40 countries.<ref name="SGSME">{{cite news |last=Lai |first=Leila |title=10 years on, TWG sips on global ambitions |url=https://www.sgsme.sg/news/10-years-twg-sips-global-ambitions |publisher= |newspaper= |work=SGSME |date=5 November 2018 |access-date=12 December 2022}}</ref>

==Products== [[File:TWG Tea shop in Singapore.jpg|thumb|right|300px|TWG Tea shop, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore]] TWG Tea sells over 1,000 tea varieties, sourcing from 47 tea-producing locales throughout the world.<ref>{{cite web |title=A successful brew: Home-grown luxury tea brand's tried-and-true formula for creating an impactful online presence |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/business/a-successful-brew-home-grown-luxury-tea-brands-tried-and-true-formula-for-creating-an-impactful-online-presence |website=The Straits Times |date=23 December 2021}}</ref> The company's tea products are distributed in 42 countries in retailers like Harrods in London,<ref name="Tatler18"/> Dean & Deluca in New York City,<ref name="CNBC09"/> El Corte Inglés in Spain and Portugal, and Feinkost Käfer in Germany (among others).<ref name="VanCity">{{cite news |last= |first= |title=TWG Tea Festive Set Menu December 10 to January 3 |url=https://myvancity.ca/2019/12/02/twg-tea-festive-set-menu-december-10-to-january-3/ |publisher= |newspaper= |work=MyVanCity |date=2 December 2019 |access-date=12 December 2022 }}</ref> The company's logo features the year 1837, which is a reference to the foundation of the Singapore Chamber of Commerce.<ref name="Tatler18"/>

Teas are classified by colour (black, blue, green, yellow, white, red) and have names like "Singapore Breakfast Tea", "Silver Moon Tea", and "1837 Black Tea".<ref name="Inq13">{{cite news |last=Olivares-Co |first=Maja |title=Elevating the common cup of tea |url=https://lifestyle.inquirer.net/103433/elevating-the-common-cup-of-tea |publisher= |newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer |work= |date=15 May 2013 |access-date=12 December 2022 }}</ref> Rare and luxury tea varieties include the Imperial Gyokuro and the Gold Yin Zhen, which features flakes of 24-karat gold.<ref name="NYTSing">{{cite news |last=Goh |first=Joie |title=The Husband & Wife Duo That Built TWG Tea |url=https://www.tsingapore.com/article/taha-bouqdib-maranda-barnes-husband-wife-duo-built-twg-tea-interview |publisher= |newspaper= |work=The New York Times Style Magazine: Singapore |date=31 October 2018 |access-date=12 December 2022 }}</ref> TWG Tea also sells upscale tea accessories including teacups and teapots.<ref name="Inq13"/>

==Locations== Its tea is also sold in TWG Tea-branded tea salons and boutiques in cities worldwide.<ref name="Tatler18"/> The salons also sell tea-infused food such as salads, quiches, soups, pastries, and desserts.<ref name="Reuters08">{{cite news |last=Fahmy |first=Miral |title=Singapore salon infuses tea with new level of luxury |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tea-salon/singapore-salon-infuses-tea-with-new-level-of-luxury-idUSSP29193120080827 |publisher=Reuters |newspaper= |work= |date=27 November 2008 |access-date=12 December 2022 }}</ref> There are locations in Singapore, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates,<ref name="Malay">{{cite news |last=Mah |first=Kenny |title=How fine teas purveyor TWG Tea expanded across the globe |url=https://www.malaymail.com/news/eat-drink/2018/05/20/how-fine-teas-purveyor-twg-tea-expanded-across-the-globe/1632856 |publisher= |newspaper=Malay Mail |work= |date=20 May 2018 |access-date=12 December 2022 }}</ref> Thailand,<ref name="BP2013">{{cite news |last=Chinmaneevong |first=Chadamas |title=Something's brewing |url= https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/361096/something-brewing |publisher= |newspaper=Bangkok Post |work= |date=23 July 2013 |access-date=12 December 2022 }}</ref> Taiwan, Canada,<ref name="Straight"/> South Korea, China, and other nations.<ref name="BT14">{{cite news |last=Khoo |first=Lynette |title=Osim unveils ambitious expansion plans for TWG Tea |url=https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/osim-unveils-ambitious-expansion-plans-for-twg-tea |publisher= |newspaper=The Business Times |work= |date=31 October 2014 |access-date=12 December 2022 }}</ref> In Hong Kong, the brand is known as "Tea WG".<ref name="BTTaha"/>

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

==External links== * {{Official website|http://www.twgtea.com/}}

Category:Food and drink companies of Singapore Category:Food and drink companies established in 2007 Category:Restaurants established in 2007 Category:Luxury brands Category:Singaporean brands Category:Tea brands