We are a creator-owned herbal tea company inspired by the countryside surrounding Cam and Dursley.
At Wayside Herbal Teas we blend for flavour – we use the tastiest parts of herbs and spices to make our teas taste as delicious as we can. We make artisan small-batch herbal blends, drawing on only the finest herbs and experience of working with natural ingredients. Our range changes regularly to reflect passing seasons and changing moods.
Wayside herbal blends are not like the mass-produced teabags you buy in shops. Loose-leaf blends need a teapot, a tea cosy, and a bit of time – the tea might look hazy, the herbs might not look pretty – but we started this company because we believe that the taste and nutritious aspects of the herbs and spices are more important.
In our craft teas you really see and meet the plants that are used in the blends. So, you know what is in it. We blend for taste and not appearance, so say hello to leaf, twigs, roots and flowers.
Why wayside? Viv believes we all need our own wayside to slow down and pause beside. There is so much to learn from the natural world and many aspects we need to care more about.
Wayside is also a beloved place. It was the boffie (tea shed) in a kitchen garden in Kent where Viv grew up. The garden was a paradise with an orchard, and lilac trees of every shade. There were enormously tall red brick walls and remnants of magnificent greenhouses. The garden was home to foxes, ducks, rabbits and glow worms.
NB We have a 5-star food hygiene rating from Stroud District Council, although their website says awaiting inspection! Do ask us for details and we can show you our certificate.
ABOUT VIV
Viv has a background in the herbal tea industry and was Head of Herbal Research at Pukka Herbs Ltd. She has a Foundation in Herbal Medicine from the Heartwood Foundation, a course accredited by the National Institute of Medical Herbalists of which Viv is a member. Viv has always been involved in health research and her background is in gut physiology and nutrition. She researched the microbiota thirty years ago before it was cool and studied the enteric nervous system.