Who needs which format?

Teams serving one tea regularly

A pre-filled 250 g or 500 g caddy may mean fewer refills when lunch demand for one blend is predictable. Check how quickly the opened tea will be used and how it will be stored between services.

Canteens offering several teas

Separate, smaller refillable caddies can help organise rotating blends in limited cupboard space. Whittard of Chelsea describes its approximately 100 g Blue Caddy as stackable; its capacity varies with the tea.

Managers overseeing food information

When tea is decanted, staff need a dependable way to identify the current blend and access its ingredient and allergen information. Food Standards Scotland says food businesses must provide allergen information for prepacked and non-prepacked food and drink in Scotland.

What should a canteen check?

Start with demand for each blend, then check the storage container and the information staff will need at service.

Priority What to check Your needs
Pack size Compare use of each blend with its pack size and the likely refill frequency. Whittard of Chelsea states that its refillable Blue Caddy holds approximately 100 g, depending on tea type; Fortnum & Mason lists a 250 g Afternoon Blend caddy, and Twinings lists a 500 g English Breakfast caddy. I want enough tea for lunch service without keeping a large amount of a slow-moving blend open.
Storage Check the lid rather than assuming a decorative tin is airtight. Whittard of Chelsea advises storing opened loose tea in an airtight container in a cool, dry place away from strong light and odours. Between refills, the tea needs a suitable place in the canteen’s dry storage.
Tea identification Keep each decanted container linked to its exact tea and current ingredient information. Check how staff will access allergen information and keep different blends identified during service. If several teas are offered, I need staff to know which blend is in each caddy and where to find its details.
Preparation Keep the selected tea’s dose and brewing instructions available. Fortnum & Mason gives a 2 g rounded-teaspoon measure and a 3–5 minute brew for its Afternoon Blend; do not apply that measure to every tea. A short lunch service needs instructions that match the tea being served, even when staff change.

Common buying mistakes

  • Choosing the largest caddy before estimating demand

    A 500 g caddy may reduce refilling, but it leaves more of one tea open if lunch demand varies or the menu changes.

    Estimate cups served per lunch period and use the selected tea’s dose guidance to compare formats. Consider smaller separate containers for blends used less often.

  • Assuming a decorative tin is airtight

    A caddy’s appearance does not establish how its lid closes. Whittard of Chelsea advises airtight storage for its loose tea after opening.

    Check the closure and the tea maker’s storage instructions before relying on a tin as the canteen’s opened-tea container.

  • Losing track of a tea after decanting

    The original packet may carry information that is not visible on a refillable jar. In Scotland, Food Standards Scotland says food businesses must provide allergen information for prepacked and non-prepacked food and drink.

    Identify each caddy by its exact tea and keep a current product record or original pack accessible to staff. Check that the information still matches the tea after every refill.

  • Using one brewing instruction for every blend

    Fortnum & Mason specifies a 2 g measure and a 3–5 minute brew for its Afternoon Blend, while Ringtons gives a teaspoon-per-cup guide for its loose tea. Those instructions are product-specific.

    Keep the selected tea’s preparation directions with its container or in the canteen’s service instructions.

Relevant tea and caddy brands

Whittard of Chelsea

Offers an empty refillable caddy for canteens considering separate storage for rotating teas.

  • Whittard states that its Blue Caddy is stackable and holds approximately 100 g, depending on tea type.
  • The approximate capacity is not a fixed number of servings; check the selected tea’s dose and how the caddy closes.

Twinings

Lists pre-filled loose-tea caddies, including a 500 g English Breakfast caddy.

  • The listed 500 g format gives a pack size to compare with demand for one blend.
  • Check the closure and how tea-specific information will remain available during canteen service.

Fortnum & Mason

Lists a pre-filled 250 g Afternoon Blend loose-leaf caddy.

  • Fortnum & Mason provides a 2 g rounded-teaspoon measure and a 3–5 minute brewing guide for that blend.
  • The measure belongs to that tea; check demand before choosing a 250 g pack for a canteen.

Bettys

Offers pre-filled loose-leaf caddies, including a Tea Room Blend caddy.

  • A pre-filled caddy can be considered where presentation is part of the tea service.
  • Check the selected caddy’s size and closure against the canteen’s storage needs.

Yorkshire Tea

Lists loose Yorkshire Tea and Yorkshire Gold for canteens choosing a tea to store separately.

  • The loose-tea options can be assessed alongside a separately selected storage container.
  • Choose and check the container independently; the tea range does not establish its capacity or closure.

Ringtons

Ringtons for Business describes loose-leaf breakfast tea for teapot service.

  • Ringtons gives a teaspoon-per-cup brewing guide and recommends airtight storage away from sunlight.
  • Select and assess a storage caddy separately for the amount of tea the canteen will use.

A loose-leaf tea option on Joybuy

This 80 g loose-leaf tea is an option when assessing a smaller pack for canteen service. Check its supplied container before treating it as the storage caddy.

Tea Story Rose Black Tea, 80 g loose leaf

Tea Story Rose Black Tea, 80 g loose leaf

The 80 g pack offers a smaller quantity to compare with expected lunch-time use. Confirm the supplied container and how it closes before using it for opened-tea storage, and keep the exact blend’s information accessible if the tea is decanted.

View on Joybuy

Questions about canteen tea storage

What size loose-leaf tea caddy should a canteen choose?

Choose a size against expected lunch-time use of each blend, rather than the total tea served. Whittard of Chelsea describes an approximately 100 g refillable caddy whose capacity varies by tea type; Fortnum & Mason lists a 250 g Afternoon Blend caddy, and Twinings lists a 500 g English Breakfast caddy. Use the selected tea’s own dose guidance when estimating refills.

Should opened loose tea be stored in an airtight container?

Whittard of Chelsea advises an airtight container for its tea after opening, kept cool and dry away from strong light and odours; Ringtons also recommends airtight storage away from sunlight. Check a caddy’s lid rather than assuming a decorative tin closes airtight.

Can a canteen decant tea into a refillable jar?

A refillable jar can work if staff can identify the exact tea in it and access its current ingredient and allergen information. Keep the original pack or a controlled product record linked to the jar, and update that link when its contents change. Food Standards Scotland says food businesses in Scotland must provide allergen information for prepacked and non-prepacked food and drink.

Does a workplace canteen need allergen information for tea?

A canteen in Scotland must provide applicable allergen information when serving food or drink, according to Food Standards Scotland. Check the actual tea being served, particularly when switching between blends, and confirm the requirements that apply to the canteen’s location and service.

How should tea storage fit into a canteen’s food-safety process?

Include tea storage and refilling in the canteen’s food-safety procedures, with clear identification of each blend and access to its current information. GOV.UK says food businesses must put procedures based on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point principles in place; Food Standards Scotland provides its CookSafe guide for catering businesses in Scotland.