International Women's Day
Today Whittard joins the world in celebrating International Women's Day. This year we want to shine a light on three women responsible for sourcing the finest tea, coffee and hot chocolate Whittard has to offer. Our Senior Tea and Coffee Buyer, Angela; our Senior Buyer of Hot Chocolate Confectionary and Equipment, Heather and our Product Specialist Katy. With a combined experience of 44 years, these fascinating experts have some incredible insights and stories to share.
Angela
Angela is the Whittard Senior Buyer for Tea and Coffee with over 20 years of experience in the industry. Angela shares with us a wealth of knowledge about the exciting world of tea and coffee.
Fun Fact: Angela has hand crafted tea blends for the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Angela
Angela is the Whittard Senior Buyer for Tea and Coffee with over 20 years of experience in the industry. Angela shares with us a wealth of knowledge about the exciting world of tea and coffee.
Fun Fact: Angela has hand crafted tea blends for the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Tell us about your current role at Whittard and what a typical day looks like…
I'm the Senior Buyer for Tea and Coffee at Whittard. One of the most interesting aspects of the job is developing new products through market research; considering other industries, what's selling well across different sectors, and flavour trends, as well as working with suppliers to source new flavours or product types. On top of this, we must put ourselves in the shoes of customers who buy the products we create. We need to understand what the trends are so we can create something they'll adore.
What do you like best about working for Whittard?
It's a great place to work with knowledgeable and friendly people who are passionate about our products.
Tell us what your favourite Whittard product is and why?
Our Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee is fantastic – it's really uplifting with crisp, light flavour notes, perfect for spring!
What do you like best about working for Whittard?
It's a great place to work with knowledgeable and friendly people who are passionate about our products.
Tell us what your favourite Whittard product is and why?
Our Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee is fantastic – it's really uplifting with crisp, light flavour notes, perfect for spring!
What is a fun fact about your favourite product?
Ethiopian Yirgacheffe is a blond roast, meaning it's been roasted very gently – the colour of the beans is much lighter, and the light roast means that the natural flavour profile of the coffee comes through.
What would you say makes Whittard products unique?
Selling the finest teas, coffee and hot chocolate for the past 137 years… there's not many brands that can boast of such a diverse and lengthy heritage.
What are your top tips on how to make the perfect cup of your favourite product?
Correct brewing is key…you can kill the flavour profile of the finest quality beans or leaves if your brewing technique isn't right. For tea and coffee, it's about three things…quantity, time and temperature.
Heather
Heather is the Whittard Senior Buyer of Hot Chocolate, Confectionary and Equipment; with over ten years of experience in her specialism, Heather explains how to create the perfect hot chocolate and gives us an insight into her exciting role.
Fun Fact: Heather has raised over £7,000 for charity by Climbing Kilimanjaro and Running the London Marathon in aid of the NSPCC.
Heather
Heather is the Whittard Senior Buyer of Hot Chocolate, Confectionary and Equipment; with over ten years of experience in her specialism, Heather explains how to create the perfect hot chocolate and gives us an insight into her exciting role.
Fun Fact: Heather has raised over £7,000 for charity by Climbing Kilimanjaro and Running the London Marathon in aid of the NSPCC.
Tell us about your current role at Whittard and what a typical day looks like…
My role at Whittard is varied; I look after a few different categories, and within buying, we look at product ranges quite far in advance. We are currently working on products which will launch in 2024 from spring through to Christmas.
Although the most fun part of my week is enjoying delicious product tastings.
What do you like best about working for Whittard?
There are so many things…I work with great people, everyone is passionate about what they do. We all have a love for the brand, Whittard has a long-standing history, and there is still a family feel to this day.
Tell us what your favourite Whittard product is and why?
It changes, but currently, the Cookies & Cream Hot Chocolate, it's gorgeously rich with a slight hint of biscuit flavour.
What do you like best about working for Whittard?
There are so many things…I work with great people, everyone is passionate about what they do. We all have a love for the brand, Whittard has a long-standing history, and there is still a family feel to this day.
Tell us what your favourite Whittard product is and why?
It changes, but currently, the Cookies & Cream Hot Chocolate, it's gorgeously rich with a slight hint of biscuit flavour.
What is a fun fact about your favourite product?
It is made using black cocoa powder, which gives a really chocolatey flavour without the bitterness you might get from a high percentage dark chocolate. It's also great for baking to get a dark rich colour and flavour into your cakes.
What would you say makes Whittard products unique?
Our customers have a lot of choice, particularly in the hot chocolate category as we have so many exciting and unique flavours that you don't see anywhere else.
What are your top tips on how to make the perfect cup of your favourite product?
Using the right amount of hot chocolate is essential; 20g is our recommended amount. The best way to make a mug of hot chocolate is to do this on the hob in a saucepan or using a milk frother, if you have one. Heat 200ml of milk or milk substitute, then pour a little of the heated milk into your mug with the powder to create a paste, reducing any lumps. Slowly add the milk or milk substitute and stir until it has all been used up. Add cream and marshmallows to top it off for a bit of indulgence!
Katy
Katy has worked in the tea trade for 12 years and has previously volunteered with the European Speciality Tea Association, helping to educate and support the understanding of the complexity of tea. Katy is the Product Specialist at Whittard and unveils some fascinating tea facts that are sure to amaze.
Fun Fact: Katy has done a fair bit of sailing in her lifetime, mainly on the Thames and the English Channel, but she has ventured as far as France, Belgium and The Netherlands.
Katy
Katy has worked in the tea trade for 12 years and has previously volunteered with the European Speciality Tea Association, helping to educate and support the understanding of the complexity of tea. Katy is the Product Specialist at Whittard and unveils some fascinating tea facts that are sure to amaze.
Fun Fact: Katy has done a fair bit of sailing in her lifetime, mainly on the Thames and the English Channel, but she has ventured as far as France, Belgium and The Netherlands.
Tell us about your current role at Whittard and what a typical day looks like…
Working now for nine years at Whittard has taken me around the world, and my passion only grows as the years pass. I hold the title of Product Specialist, covering the training of our products for all departments. I have such a varied role that I could be designing new training workshops or travelling with the international team supporting our international partners.
What do you like best about working for Whittard?
Working with nearly every department within the company has given me a great understanding and overview of how our company works and how I can support them. It has allowed me to develop great relationships with many people, making the company feel like one big family.
Tell us what your favourite Whittard product is and why?
I find it hard to talk about just one! But I would say a tea that makes me sit back, relax and feel extra special is the beautiful handmade Jasmine Dragon Pearls, a speciality of Fujian Province in China. Just knowing about the effort, it takes to grow, scent, and the extraordinary skill it takes to hand roll blows my mind.
What do you like best about working for Whittard?
Working with nearly every department within the company has given me a great understanding and overview of how our company works and how I can support them. It has allowed me to develop great relationships with many people, making the company feel like one big family.
Tell us what your favourite Whittard product is and why?
I find it hard to talk about just one! But I would say a tea that makes me sit back, relax and feel extra special is the beautiful handmade Jasmine Dragon Pearls, a speciality of Fujian Province in China. Just knowing about the effort, it takes to grow, scent, and the extraordinary skill it takes to hand roll blows my mind.
What is a fun fact about your favourite product?
This tea is not 'flavoured' it's scented. After the tea has been harvested, the leaves will be laid out in special rooms, with up to 100,000 jasmine flowers laid on top and mixed in with the tea leaves. The tea slowly infuses overnight with the natural oils and scent of the jasmine flowers. Every morning the flowers are removed by hand, and the same process starts again at night. The process can be repeated for up to 6 nights, meaning over 600,000 flowers are used in the production of our Jasmine Dragon Pearls.
What would you say makes Whittard products unique?
Having luxurious and high-quality products from around the world, combined with the passion and knowledge of our staff. You'll find it very hard to find that combination in any other company.
What are your top tips on how to make the perfect cup of your favourite product?
Jasmine Dragon Pearls is a green tea; therefore, to get the best flavour, you need to use fresh water that has not been boiled previously. 55-75°C as you don't want to burn the leaf and make it taste bitter. Use one level teaspoon per person and (never one extra for the pot, it's too much tea) brew the leaves for 2-3 minutes. Once brewed, remove the leaves. It should taste light and floral and have the colour of white wine or light champagne.
On International Women's Day, we thank all the incredibly passionate women who work for Whittard. Whether selling directly to customers in stores across the world or working at head office, filling roles that cover every step of production, we would like to thank you. If our expert's favourite products got you running for a brew, you can pick them up either in store or online.
