Community & Business
16 June, 2021
50 years of Australian grown tea
STARTING from a small tea bush outside of a doctor’s practice and growing to the rolling tea fields in Malanda, Nerada Tea has grown substantially in its 50-year history, an anniversary they celebrate this year.
STARTING from a small tea bush outside of a doctor’s practice and growing to the rolling tea fields in Malanda, Nerada Tea has grown substantially in its 50-year history, an anniversary they celebrate this year.
It has been 50 years since Nerada Tea witnessed the tea growing friendly climate on the Tablelands and more specifically, Malanda.
The production was initially split between the Tablelands estate and the Innisfail estate before a factory was built on the Malanda estate in 1991, the production was officially relocated.
Now housing three million tea bushes, Nerada Tea supplies eight percent of the tea produced nationally, no small feat for a business that has managed to keep its production, staff and values locally focused.
“It’s no small feat and that puts it back into the bigger playing category, it certainly is the biggest estate in Australia,” Tony Poyner Manager and Director of Nerada Tea Estates said.
“Nerada Tea has a homely vibe and it gives it that down to earth character that it really does have, not just portray.
“Nerada’s core value is to restore and renew.”
As part of their 50-year anniversary Nerada Tea has done some special rebranding which can already be seen on the shelves of major supermarkets such as Coles and Woolworths.
They have also decided to release some special limited edition anniversary tea flavors including one with a unique chocolate hint.
“I personally think that they (Nerada Tea) have done an exceptional job in staying current and not stagnating,” Mr Poyner said.
“It is a very hard job to have a 50-year history and not be proactive and forward thinking.
“Any company that has survived that long in the mainstream obviously must be doing something right.”
