In what year was the Twinings logo invented for the well-known tea brand?

In 1787, Richard Twining (1749-1824) commissioned a logo for his tea business. The logo first appeared above the entrance to the shop at 216 Strand, London, along with figurines of a golden lion and two Chinese men. The lion, which is lying down, is a sign of respect towards Thomas Twining (1675-1741), the founder of the business. The two Chinese men represent the tea trade. To begin with, only China produced and traded tea with the western world. The logo is used on all Twinings‘ products, and the figurines still sit above the entranceway in London.

In 1706, Thomas Twining purchased the shop on the Strand, which at the time was a coffee house. Coffee houses were a popular location for men of all classes throughout the city. They did not only sell coffee, but they also provided customers with alcoholic beverages, such as gin and ale. Twining saw a place in the market for tea and quickly grew a reputation for having the finest blends in the capital.

Twinings continued to flourish under successive members of the family. In 1910, the much sought after tea company opened its first shop in France and continued making different blends. In 1933, they marketed their famous 'English Breakfast' tea, which blended a combination of Assam, Ceylon, and Kenyan leaves.

As of 2019, Twinings is Britain’s best-selling tea brand, with PG Tips and Yorkshire following in second and third place.