The UK Tea Academy and the Women in Tea & Coffee Conference, run by Tea & Coffee Trade Journal, announced a partnership on 27 August 2026 to launch a dedicated Women in Tea Award as part of The Leafies International Tea Awards. The award will recognise women who show outstanding leadership, innovation or a commitment to empowering others across any part of the tea industry — from growing and processing to sourcing, education, retail and leadership.
The timing lines up with 2026 being designated the International Year of the Woman Farmer. Jennifer Wood, director of the UK Tea Academy, noted that women's work in the sector, particularly at production level, can often go unrecognised.
For a shop like Premium Tea, which works with brands where traceability and estate conditions matter, initiatives like this point in the right direction: good tea starts with the people who grow and select it.
Source: Tea & Coffee Trade Journal