TEA REX BESIEGE LOCAL SAINSBURY’S WITH TWENTY 8'2 DINOSAURS, RAISING AWARENESS FOR DYSLEXICS IN THE STARTUP WORLD AND LAUNCHING GAME-CHANGING FRESH INFUSIONS

Wimbledon-based dad of two, Andrew Walker and a gang of 20 of his mates descended upon Merton’s Sainsbury’s, dressed in mightily silly T Rex suits to surprise and delight shoppers. Andrew believes the world of tea to be dry and boring; he’s bringing colour, flavour and fun to Infusions so he’s celebrating the launch of his TEA REX Infusions (www.tearex.co.uk) into Sainsbury’s, dressed as an 8’2 dinosaur, to bring a smile to flagging shoppers. As part of his flash mob, Andrew wanted to champion dyslexics in business, he will be donating profits from the next seven days (from 16^th July) of sales to a dyslexia charity and offering a paid internship for a young dyslexic in need of a mentor; no CV required, all they need to do is send in a one minute video application. All was captured on film; see TEA REX’s antics here (https://youtu.be/ZMyYesOW5o0).

As a dyslexic, Andrew operates on the basis that actions speak louder than words so why not don a comedy dinosaur suit in the name of a decent fruit-filled cuppa? As the world’s third largest tea drinking nation, Andrew wants Brits to drop one of their usual beige bland brews for a flavour-packed fruit infusion to kick start their day and, as 10% of the country that are challenged by reading and writing, he wants to spread the message that business welcomes dyslexics.

Andrew said, “School can be tricky for those who struggle with language and communicating ideas on paper, I wanted to use the way we launched our game-changing, vibrant infusions to bring attention to the wealth of creative careers open to young people with dyslexia. This launch with Sainsbury’s Taste of the Future is momentous for TEA REX, what better time to shine a light on a message that can resonate with young people who may need that confidence boost. There can be some trepidation about entering the world of work for those who struggle with written work at school, so I wanted to offer this one month internship to local youth who could do with the mentorship needed to sky rocket in their chosen career. The startup world is ideal for people buzzing with big creative ideas, a sleeves rolled up attitude and those willing to learn on their feet – all I ask is for a one minute video pitch telling me why you’d like to work with TEA REX!”

Mankind has been brewing up tasty and revitalising infusions ever since the dinosaurs were about, TEA REX is leading the infusion revolution with the world’s first 100% fresh fruit and root infusions. Currently launching to Sainsbury’s as part of their first Taste of the Future campaign, the Great Taste Award winning varieties include finely chopped Turmeric, Lemon Ginger & Black Pepper; Lemon, Turmeric, Ginger & Lemongrass and Rhubarb, Ginger Redcurrant & Lemon infusions (RRP £4.49).

Let’s be honest, fruit teas never taste as good as they smell, rather than the typical bag of dried fruit, TEA REX provides sachets of ethically sourced, powerfully flavoured fresh and juicy fruits and roots, which are chopped and packaged in a single serving ready for infusing with hot or cold water. One serving of TEA REX has 20g of fresh fruit compared to a normal teabag, which has 2g of dehydrated ingredients. Just think, when was the last time you had powdered egg or milk? TEA REX has created infusions with 7x more fresh fruit, packed with zingy flavours and natural goodness.

There’s a sense of ritual to enjoying a TEA REX, taking a few minutes out of your day to mindfully unwind and brew your sumptuous smelling tea; within your pack of TEA REX you will find an innovative little tea infuser, sourced from the home of tea ceremony, Japan; set it upon your teacup for a fruit infusion that actually tastes as good as it smells!

TEA REX’s infusions are designed to be a livening morning boost, an afternoon pick-me-up and as a soothing aid for seasonal allergies and colds. The sachets are packed with fresh ingredients including the attractive orange-coloured Turmeric, known for its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties; vitamin C-packed fresh lemon; lemongrass, with its inviting citrusy aroma and antibacterial and antifungal properties as well as fiery ginger, which can be a great natural ingredient to relieve nausea and inflammation.

Look out for TEA REX at Sainsbury’s, Ocado and Amazon as well as on their own web shop, or perhaps lurking, dressed as 8 dinosaurs, in a supermarket near you…! Read more about TEA REX, their new listing and the internship offer on the TEA REX blog here (https://tearex.co.uk/blogs/news).

TEA REX BENEFITS

• Powerful flavours from real fruits and roots
• Caffeine free for healthy hydration
• Proudly made in Britain
• No added sugar, not even a pinch
• Vegan friendly (using unwaxed lemons)

INGREDIENTS & RRP – RRP £4.50 for a pack which includes 7 sachets and 7 filters

• Lemon, Ginger, Turmeric & Lemongrass (Great Taste Awards – 1 Star)
  • With a healthy dose of turmeric, Mother Nature’s golden healer, this cup makes you RAWR first thing along with ginger and lemon to make your cup zing.
• Made from ethically sourced, freshly chopped: Sliced Whole Lemon 55%, Grated Root Ginger 32%, Diced Turmeric Root 11%, Chopped Lemongrass Stalks 2%
• · Turmeric, Black Pepper, Ginger & Lemon (Great Taste Awards – 1 Star)
  • This brew is the king of zing and does it with a real spicy flavour kick, black pepper and turmeric are natural BFFs.
• Made from ethically sourced, fresh chopped: Sliced Whole Lemon 54%, Grated Root Ginger 32%, Diced Turmeric Root 11%, Chopped Lemongrass Stalks 2%, Cracked Black Peppercorns 1%
• Rhubarb, Ginger, Redcurrants & Lemon (Great Taste Awards – 1 Star)
  • This cosy cuppa is a real hug in a mug. Tasty and a little tart, this blend balances rhubarb and redcurrant with warming ginger.

Made from ethically sourced, fresh chopped: Diced Rhubarb Stalks 43.5%, Grated Root Ginger 25%, Mashed Redcurrants 17.5%, Sliced Whole Lemon 14%

STOCKISTS

• Sainsbury’s
• Ocado
• Amazon
• www.tearex.co.uk
• Delis, health food stores and Cafes UK-wide and developing into European markets

AWARDS

• Great Taste Award Winner 2018 and 2017
• ‘Best New Drinks Innovation of 2018' at Food Matters Live
• Quality Food Award - Small Producer Winner 2017
• BBC Good Food Show Small Producer Winner 2016

TEA REX Biography

Andrew Walker embarked on inventing this revolutionary concept from his kitchen in February 2016: prepping and peeling, boiling and brewing, testing and talking to over 10,000 people to create delicious fresh fruit infusions. To fund the initial production run in September 2017, he embarked on a Kickstarter campaign that was fully funded in only 12 days, with 330 customers buying the infusions.

Initially a chilled product, it became obvious this was a barrier too challenging to overcome: positioning outside the tea aisle wasn’t obvious for consumers. In March 2018, Andrew decided to pivot, making the product ambient by using HPP, with a clear sense that this mustn’t compromise flavour. After 8 months and 30 trials, a unique process was developed establishing a 1-year shelf life with no preservatives, keeping the infusions full of flavour.

In October 2018 Andrew won a place on NatWest’s Accelerator giving him access to an invaluable network of like-minded individuals and business mentoring. Relaunching in November 2018, TEA REX secured listings with Ocado, Amazon and Sainsbury’s within 7 months. The speed of securing these was part new product, part persistence, and an 8ft inflatable TEA REX popping up to pitch may have stuck in Buyers’ minds…!

Andrew’s 10 years of marketing and management experience working with companies such as Virgin provided a platform him to fulfil his ambition to develop an idea, create a totally new category, and turn it into a business. A passionate foodie and DIY enthusiast outside of TEA REX, Andrew has a degree in Industrial Design from Loughborough University, and counts his marriage, 2 young girls and Blue Peter badge amongst his proudest achievements.

In Andrew’s own words, “Acting on an insight that fruit teas never taste as good as they smell, I set out to create infusions which showcase the amazing flavours of the best ingredients we can get our hands on. Since launching TEA REX my wife and I have been incredibly fortunate to have had two daughters – though having ‘two under two’ really does focus my mind when making decisions! As a dyslexic often struggling to express myself through written words, I have instead relied on creative thinking to develop an idea and then ‘doing’ to deliver it…. With a view to playing to my strengths, I’ve always held an ambition to create an opportunity to make ideas happen. My aim: to invent a unique product to test current convention: to build a challenger brand capable of stirring up a category.”

Seeing the revolution in coffee and the evolution of juice, Andrew identified the fruit and herbal tea market to be ripe for disruption. Innovation has stagnated and the world is full of herbal and fruit tea drinkers who are let down by over-hyped yet under-flavoured cups. Andrew says, “I’ve always been vocal about how disappointing fruit teas are, raving instead about coffee’s full flavours. This was until tasting fresh infusions on travels, from the mighty mint tea in Moroccan markets, to soul-warming honey, lemon and ginger served in the cafes of Calcutta. It was when my wife asked if I could recreate these fresh brews at home as an alternative to a dried tea bag that the penny dropped”. By June 2019 and despite seasonal appeal, TEA REX is now selling 35,000 cups a month with an ever growing loyal following, Andrew’s RAWRing to hit supermarket shelves.