Delhaize Belgium has announced that it has launched locally grown tea offered by the brand LocalTea.
The tea, grown and picked in Belgium and exclusive to Dehaize, will help the retailer reduce CO2 emissions.
The range offers six SKUs – green tea with ginger, green tea black tea with red fruits, black tea relax, black tea chaï and green tea chamomile.
Priced at €3.99 a pack, LocalTea is currently available at all Delhaize stores in Belgium.
According to Delhaize, the tea is grown as per natural cultivation methods.
It uses up to 99% less water and energy compared with tea from the other side of the world.
Belgian Tea Plantation
Delhaize sources the tea from a Belgian tea plantation owned by Dionne Oomen and Johan Jansen.
During a trip to China, Jansen started learning all about tea.
He added, “I was already a plant breeder and tea lover, but I didn't know much about it yet. I learned to make tea there and saw with my own eyes how tea is grown there.
“As soon as I got home, I wanted to share my experiences with the people here, with respect for the environment.”
The carbon footprint of tea was a concern for Jansen as it has an impact on the planet.
He started thinking of ways to grow more eco-friendly tea and it took him eight years to grow a tea plant that was suitable for the Belgian weather.
Oomen is responsible for preparing the tea – an art she learned from a tea sommelier, Delhaize added.
In October, Delhaize Belgium reported a 15% increase in the sales of vegetarian products in the past two years, which was the 'strongest growth ever' for the category in its stores.
