Busy drinks-stall organisers
A clearly counted pack helps you estimate how many single-bag cups you can prepare and gives volunteers a straightforward way to keep track of stock.
Who is choosing the tea?
Hosts offering more than one tea style
An everyday decaf can serve as the main option, with a smaller English Breakfast or organic blend kept separately for guests who ask for it.
Organisers serving tea with milk
If you operate as a food business, allergen information is part of serving the drink, not just choosing the tea. The Food Standards Agency says retail and catering food businesses must provide allergen information for non-prepacked food and drink.
What matters when choosing a blend and pack?
Start with the number of cups you expect to serve, then decide whether a second blend is worth stocking. Check the brewing directions on the pack you buy before setting a routine for the stall.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Stock count | Check the number of bags, not just the pack weight. Allow for staff drinks or cups made with more than one bag. | I need to know how many cups I can plan for without opening another pack mid-service. Tesco Groceries lists 160-bag decaf packs from Tetley, PG Tips and Yorkshire Tea. |
| Blend style | Distinguish an everyday decaf black tea from a named breakfast blend. Twinings describes its English Breakfast decaf as a blend of Assam, Kenyan and Ceylon teas. | Most guests may want a familiar cup with optional milk; I would keep a different blend separate if there is a reason to offer more choice. |
| Brewing routine | Use the selected pack’s directions and test the timing with your cup size and intended milk portion. Tesco Groceries gives two to three minutes for Tetley Decaffeinated and three to five minutes for Tesco Decaff Original. | When several people are serving, I want a timing routine they can follow consistently. |
| Alternative choice | Check the exact blend and pack format. Clipper describes its Everyday Decaf as organically grown black tea blended with Assam; Twinings sells the cited English Breakfast decaf in 20 envelopes. | I want a smaller, distinct option alongside the main tea, rather than committing all my stock to a speciality blend. |
| Serving information | Keep the tea and milk packaging available and check how you will communicate allergens if you operate as a food business. Confirm any registration and event requirements for your activity. | Before selling tea with milk, I need to be able to answer ingredient and allergen questions clearly. The Food Standards Agency sets allergen-information requirements for retail and catering food businesses. |
What should you avoid assuming?
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Calling decaf tea caffeine-free
Decaf and caffeine-free are not interchangeable descriptions. Twinings describes its English Breakfast decaf as containing less caffeine, rather than none.
Describe the drink using the wording on its pack; do not promise zero caffeine or make a medical suitability claim.
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Adding milk without an allergen answer
Milk and other additions affect the information customers need about a prepared drink. The Food Standards Agency requires retail and catering food businesses to provide allergen information for non-prepacked food and drink.
Keep the packaging for milk and any alternatives to hand, and decide how staff will answer allergen questions before service starts.
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Using one brew time for every blend
Pack directions differ: Tesco Groceries gives two to three minutes for the cited Tetley decaf and three to five minutes for Tesco Decaff Original.
Test the tea you will serve, then write down its pack-specific timing for anyone helping at the stall.
Which brands offer relevant blends?
These brand examples illustrate different blend styles and pack formats; a brand name alone does not tell you how many cups a particular pack will make.
Yorkshire Tea
An everyday decaf black-tea option with pack sizes suited to different stock plans.
- Tesco Groceries lists a 160-bag format; Yorkshire Tea also describes its decaf as a blend crafted to retain character after decaffeination.
- Treat that flavour description as the brand’s aim, not an independent taste comparison. Check the count on the particular pack you choose.
Tetley
A decaffeinated black-tea option for a counted, everyday drinks service.
- Tesco Groceries lists a 160-bag, 500g pack and gives a two-to-three-minute brewing guide for the cited product.
- Check the directions on the purchased pack before using that timing for service.
PG Tips
A familiar decaf black-tea choice available in a counted large pack.
- Tesco Groceries identifies the cited PG Tips decaf pack as 160 bags and 464g.
- Choose by the details of the specific pack and the cup you intend to serve, rather than assuming its brewing routine matches another brand’s.
Twinings
An English Breakfast-style decaf for a separate tea choice.
- Twinings identifies Assam, Kenyan and Ceylon teas in its English Breakfast Decaffeinated blend and sells the cited format in 20 envelopes.
- Plan the number of packs against expected demand if this will be the only decaf offered.
Clipper
An option when the stated ingredients and blend are part of the choice you want to offer.
- Clipper describes Everyday Decaf as decaffeinated organically grown black tea blended with Assam.
- Check the exact product name if you want Everyday Decaf: Clipper’s bergamot-flavoured Earl Grey is a different blend.
Tesco
An own-label decaf option in a counted pack for a smaller service or backup stock.
- Tesco Groceries lists Decaff Original as 80 bags and gives a three-to-five-minute brewing instruction.
- Use the label on the pack you purchase for current ingredients and preparation directions.
Joybuy decaf tea options
These options cover counted everyday decaf packs, a separate organic blend and a Yorkshire Tea decaf pack. For the 250g Yorkshire Tea option, check the pack format and bag count before planning servings.
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Tetley 160 Decaf Tea Bags 500g
The 160-bag count makes this an option when you need to plan stock for a busier drinks table.
The matching Tetley pack listed by Tesco Groceries has a two-to-three-minute brewing guide; check the directions on the pack you purchase.
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Tetley 80 Decaffeinated Tea Bags 250g
This counted 80-bag pack may suit a smaller tea service or a second supply kept in reserve.
It is a 250g pack. Check its label for brewing directions and use the term decaffeinated rather than promising a caffeine-free drink.
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Clipper Organic Fairtrade Decaf Everyday 80 Tea Bags 277g
This 80-bag decaf option fits a separate offer for guests who ask for the stated organic and Fairtrade blend.
The pack is labelled 277g. Check its directions before setting a routine for serving it hot.
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Taylors of Harrogate Yorkshire Tea Decaf 250g
This Yorkshire Tea decaf option may suit a drinks table offering a familiar black-tea blend.
The stated pack weight is 250g. Confirm its format, bag count and brewing directions on the pack before using it to plan servings.
Questions before serving
Which decaf tea format works for a busy car boot sale?
A counted tea-bag pack is a practical starting point when several people need to prepare cups the same way. Tesco Groceries lists 160-bag decaf packs from Tetley, PG Tips and Yorkshire Tea; check the chosen pack’s brewing directions and allow enough bags for the turnout you expect.
Should I offer more than one decaf blend?
Start with an everyday decaf black tea if you want a simple service, then add a smaller separate blend if you expect guests to ask for it. Twinings’ cited English Breakfast decaf comes in 20 envelopes, while Clipper describes an Assam-led organic Everyday Decaf; each calls for its own stock and preparation plan.
How long should I brew decaf tea?
Follow the directions on the pack you serve. Tesco Groceries gives two to three minutes for the cited Tetley decaf and three to five minutes for Tesco Decaff Original, so test your chosen tea with your cups and intended milk portion before setting a stall routine.
Do I need allergen information when selling tea with milk?
Yes, if you are operating as a retail or catering food business: the Food Standards Agency says those businesses must provide allergen information for non-prepacked food and drink. Keep ingredient information for the milk and any alternatives or other additions available so staff can answer questions about the drink served.
Does an occasional hot-drink stall need food-business registration?
Confirm whether your particular activity is a food business with the relevant local authority, and check the event organiser’s requirements separately. The Food Standards Agency says new food businesses must register with their local authority at least 28 days before trading or food operations start; its registration service also accommodates businesses that open only for events.