Time for a cuppa! Dundalk company's tea hits supermarket shelves

Local business McEntee's Tea have won a new contract to supply Aldi stores nationwide through its Grow with Aldi Supplier Development Programme.

McEntee’s Tea in Tallanstown have been selected by the German supermarket giant in a partnership that will see their products on the shelves in stores across the country.

Donal and Helen McEntee, are both passionate tea drinkers who brought together the idea of McEntee’s Tea from their office on the family farm in Tallanstown, after Donal decided a number of years ago to follow his passion in tea, or more specifically Irish Blends of loose leaf tea.

The husband and wife team said they developed the idea of McEntee’s Tea a number of years ago to bring back quality, great tasting Irish Blends of proper loose tea to make everyone’s cuppa a moment to enjoy.

Donal said: “I felt everyone had forgotten the aroma and flavour of proper tea, we need to remind them."

Donal left a life in banking in Dublin to fulfil his dream of running his own tea business, his memories of his uncle’s rural shop with the aroma of proper loose teas bought by the pound was a huge inspiration for him.

Helen comes from the Isle of Man and has lived in Ireland for over 20 year and has extensive experience in the food and product development sector.

In 2019 they entered their range of loose teas into the Irish Food Awards “Blas na hEireann” and won Gold, Silver and Bronze with their Mint and Nettle, Gold Blend and Irish Breakfast Blend.

Following this, in 2020 they won Gold for their Irish Afternoon Blend.

They also have two UK Great Taste Gold Star Awards to add to their list.

Donal and Helens desire to develop McEntee’s Fine Teas dates back to their childhood where tea was central to traditional family life.

Helen said “Tea has been a part of traditional Irish family life for generations, it’s important to us to remind people to take a moment to enjoy a pot of proper tea with family and friends once more”.

This passion has driven their desire to bring back proper great tasting tea brewed in a teapot.

They source a very select range of loose teas together with filter teapots from around the world.

By offering both the range of quality teas alongside the tea ware, they aim to make the move to proper tasting loose tea easier and affordable for everyone.

Their offerings to Aldi customers will include some of those specialised teas, with Afternoon and breakfast blends, along with their Gold blend available at €3.95.