Belfast born and blended since 1896
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT
It’s time to start the countdown to this year’s Neighbourhood Retailer Awards! We are delighted to begin sharing our wonderful sponsors in our special feature, Sponsor Spotlight. Here, we find out more about our sponsor Thompson’s Tea, who are sponsoring the Neighbourhood Store of the Year Category 3 award.
This year, Thompson’s Tea celebrates 130 years of tea blending in Belfast. Their story began in 1896, when Robert S. Thompson trained in the art of tea tasting at a warehouse near Belfast docks, developing an uncompromising approach to quality that has remained at the heart of the family business ever since.
Today, Thompson’s is a fourth-generation family business and the maker of Punjana, Northern Ireland’s best-selling tea. While much has changed over 130 years, one tradition remains: every weekly blend is still taste-tested and approved by a member of the Thompson family. That commitment to quality has helped the business grow from its Belfast roots, with its teas now enjoyed throughout Ireland, Great Britain and further afield.
Northern Ireland’s retailers continue to play an important part in that journey. From independent neighbourhood stores to busy forecourts, convenience retailing remains at the heart of daily life here – whether it’s the weekly shop, a quick top-up or a refreshment on the go.
Jamie Thompson, fourth-generation family member and Director at Thompson’s Tea said: “For 130 years, our business has grown alongside Northern Ireland’s retailers. Local stores are an incredibly important part of the communities they serve, and we greatly value the relationships we have built with retailers across Northern Ireland over many generations.
“That makes our long-standing association with Neighbourhood Retailer particularly meaningful. We’re delighted to support this year’s Neighbourhood Retailer Awards and to sponsor Neighbourhood Store of the Year Category 3 – a category that recognises the very best of an industry that works incredibly hard to serve communities right across Northern Ireland.”
Thompson’s Tea looks forward to joining retailers and industry colleagues at the awards and celebrating the people and businesses that continue to make Northern Ireland’s grocery sector so valuable and vibrant.
Find out more about Thompson’s Tea and its 130-year story at www.thompsonstea.com
