Creativity, Tea Culture & Food Sustainability.
This year, as we celebrate 20 years of Suki Tea, we’re doing something a little different. Or maybe it’s not different at all. Maybe it’s actually what we’ve always done best. We're going back to our roots, to where it all began. The stalls, the stories, and the pure joy of sharing tea with a community of curious, creative people.
We’re proud to announce that SUKI Tea Makers I B Corp™ will be part of the BRINK Solstice Festival in Belfast, bringing a series of tea experiences to this 10-day celebration of culture, creativity, and sustainability.
But this isn’t just about tea, it’s about what tea represents. Connection. Ritual. Care. And more than ever, it's about sustainability of food systems, of communities, and of independent businesses that are trying to do things differently.
Starting a Business Without a Rulebook
Suki Tea didn’t begin with investor meetings or a five-year plan. It started with a borrowed gazebo, £600 between Annie and I, and the idea that something as simple as a good cup of tea could change how people feel. That first stall at St. George’s Market was a kind of experiment to see if we could bring premium, ethically sourced loose-leaf tea to a market that didn’t know it wanted it yet?
Turns out, we could.
And while we’ve grown since then from market stalls to international exports, B-Corp certification, and a full-blown tea factory the spirit of that early experimentation, rebellion, ruffling feathers and fun has stayed with us. It’s easy, in the world of logistics and margins, to lose sight of the magic. But this year, as part of our 20 Years, 20 Stories campaign, we’re making a conscious effort to reconnect with that original impulse. Joy, creativity, and meaningful connection.
That’s why BRINK Solstice felt like the perfect place for us.
What’s Happening at BRINK: Tea Culture Meets Festival Vibes
At BRINK, we’ll be hosting four immersive tea sessions that combine storytelling, flavour, and food sustainability principles:
SUKI EVENTS . . .
A hands-on workshop where guests can create their own custom tea blend. We'll talk about how different herbs, botanicals, and base teas work together and why sourcing them responsibly matters. We'll also dive into how tea can be used to support food sustainability, from fair wages for growers to low-waste brewing practices.
A session exploring the role of tea in wellness and modern health routines. We’ll cover L-theanine, polyphenols, EGCG in matcha, and how different cultures have historically used tea as both medicine and ritual. We’ll also touch on how sustainable tea farming can support healthier ecosystems.
3. Matcha Masterclass (book here)
Matcha has exploded in popularity, but its roots run deep. This masterclass walks participants through traditional matcha preparation, from the importance of Tencha leaves to the art of the whisk. We'll explore the increasing demand for matcha and how it’s affecting Japanese agriculture and global food sustainability.
A light-hearted, end-of-day session where we experiment with tea-based cocktails, mocktails and cold brews. This one’s about breaking the rules, experimenting, and celebrating. We’ll also talk about using up excess herbs and ingredients in creative, sustainable ways because good hospitality can also be low-waste.
Stories that Matter: With Davina Quinlivan and Aurora Prehn
We’re not just bringing tea….we’re bringing storytellers.
We’re honoured to be joined by Davina Quinlivan, acclaimed writer and lover of ritual and sensory storytelling. Alongside her is Arora Prehn will bring insight to her studies into growing tea around the world.
Together, they’ll help us go beyond the brew. How do you taste memory? How does tea link us to place, to people, to the land it grows from? These are the kinds of questions we’ll explore through discussion, performance…..and often a bit of silence.
This collaboration highlights something we believe deeply at Suki: tea is not just a drink, it’s a cultural practice. One that deserves attention, care, and creativity.
Why Food Sustainability Matters to Tea
Sustainability isn’t just a buzzword. It’s a necessity and it’s one we’ve taken seriously from day one.
Tea is an agricultural product, which means it lives in the same ecosystem as coffee, wine, cocoa, and other crops increasingly affected by climate change. Rising temperatures and extreme weather events are already affecting tea yields and quality. The way we grow, harvest, pack, and distribute tea must change if we want to preserve this centuries-old tradition.
That’s why we work with certified Fairtrade and Organic suppliers. Why we’ve eliminated plastic from our packaging. Why we support smallholder gardens, and why we’re so interested in local food systems and circular economies.
At BRINK, we’ll talk openly about how tea fits into wider conversations around food security, ethical sourcing, and sustainable hospitality.
The Importance of Play
We’ve learned a lot over 20 years. We’ve made mistakes, scaled up, rebranded (five times!), survived a pandemic and an economic crash, and become a voice in the global specialty tea movement. But here’s the biggest lesson:
You don’t have to take yourself so seriously to do serious things.
It’s easy to get caught up in strategy and systems. But the businesses that last are the ones that know how to have fun, stay curious, and keep things human.
That’s what BRINK is for us. A celebration. A reset. A reminder that the best ideas often come from moments of lightness, not pressure.
So whether you’re a lifelong tea lover or just festival-hopping with friends, we hope you’ll join us. Come sip something new. Blend something personal. Ask questions. Tell stories.
Let’s make something together. Something sustainable, something joyful, something shared.
Suki Tea at BRINK Solstice Festival
📍 Union Street, Belfast
13th, 17th and 18th June 2025
4 Tea Sessions over 10 Days . . but we'll be attending a lot ourselves.
🎟 Limited spaces available
#TeaCulture #FoodSustainability #SukiTea #MatchaMasterclass #TeaAndHealth #FestivalEvents #20YearsOfSuki #CreativeBusiness #SustainableTea #BackToRoots #BRINKSolstice
Other partners for these events include Bryson Recycling, International Synergies NI Ltd, Queen's University Belfast, Friends of the Earth, Ulster University, Co-Centre for Climate + Biodiversity + Water, The Royal Society of Ulster SONI, Action Renewables, Native Events , Belfast City Council, Wild Belfast, Kainos, National Trust, Fibreshed Ireland, Patagonia, Culture Bridge, Mallon Linen, Arup, Arts & Business NI, Oh Yeah Music Centre. Green Arts NI, NI Science Festival, QFT Belfast, British Council, @British (BFI), Belfast Photo Festival, BEAT CARNIVAL, Northern Ireland Screen, Young at Art Belfast, The Black Box, Nerve Centre, The Gaia Foundation, Hot Poets, Nourish NI, Belfast Sustainable Food Partnership, WRAP, Tools For Solidarity , Repair Cafe Belfast, Grow NI, Quarto, Junk Kouture, Climate Craic, BBC, Belfast Print Workshop and a shedload of great humans
