Barry's Tea aims to widen market

Barry's Tea is attempting to spread its "Golden Moments" further afield from Ireland.

Barry's Tea is attempting to spread its "Golden Moments" further afield from Ireland.

The Irish continue to drink more cups of tea per capita than any other nation.

The Cork-based company is represented for the first time at the giant Anuga Food and Drinks Fair, where it is seeking markets abroad.

The Irish, according to Mr Greg Butler, finance and marketing director of the company, continue to have the highest tea consumption per-capita in the world, drinking five to six cups of tea a day.

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"Behind us come the British and the Australians, but as of now we are at the top of the league of tea drinkers, and it looks as if we will stay that way," he said.

Barry's, with one-third of the Irish tea market, has built up substantial markets in the United States, Britain and France, in fact anywhere Irish people live.

"We know we are limited to the diaspora, but there is nothing wrong with that. We are looking to extend our base in this our centenary year," he said.

Mr Butler said that apart from being heavy tea drinkers, the Irish will only drink the best tea available and they buy up the best of the international crop.

"We've come a long way in 30 years from one tea shop in Cork to now controlling a large slice of the Irish market and giving employment to 70 people," he said.

Exhibiting at the food and drinks fair, he said, may deliver more European markets to Barry's Tea in Germany, the Netherlands or other European countries where Irish people live and drink tea.