Climate Change Threatens to Alter the Taste and Supply of Tea

A new report by Christian Aid warns that climate change is threatening the flavour and supply of tea, with rising temperatures and extreme weather in major producing nations making cups more bitter and less consistent. The United Kingdom drinks approximately 100 million cups of tea per day, and roughly half of UK tea imports come from Kenya, according to the report.

The Details

According to Christian Aid, optimal tea cultivation depends on stable temperatures between 13°C and 30°C together with adequate rainfall. Deviations from these conditions stress plants and alter their underlying chemistry.

Higher temperatures increase the production of astringent compounds such as catechins and polyphenols while reducing amino acids that create sweetness, resulting in harsher, more bitter tea, the organisation said. Tea flavour chemistry depends on a balance of catechins, amino acids, and polyphenols, and climate pressures that shift this balance directly influence taste.

Erratic rainfall and extreme weather events, including droughts and floods, are disrupting harvests and leading to lower yields, volatile prices, and unreliable supply. The report identifies Kenya, India, and Sri Lanka as major producers that are highly exposed to climate variability.

Smallholder farmers in Kenya are already experiencing the effects. Reuben Korir, a small-scale tea farmer from Kericho County, said: "The leaves are smaller, and we believe the taste is not as good as it used to be during more stable seasons."

The impact is not limited to East Africa. UK tea growers are also reporting less predictable seasons, late frosts, and irregular rainfall patterns that are affecting tea quality. Lucy George of Peterston Tea, a small farm in South Wales, said: "Seasons are less predictable with warmer winters, sudden late frosts, and irregular rainfall patterns."

Geopolitical tensions affecting energy markets and shipping routes, including the Strait of Hormuz, are raising the costs of fertiliser, fuel, and transport for tea producers, according to Christian Aid. Yahoo Finance UK and GB News also carried reports on the findings, corroborating the assessment that climate pressures are intensifying across tea-producing regions.

Dr Neha Mittal, senior climate services scientist at the Met Office and visiting scientist at the University of Leeds, said: "Tea brands depend on delivering a stable and recognisable flavour profile. As climate variability increases, achieving that consistency becomes more challenging."

Context

Kenya, India, and Sri Lanka are among the world's largest tea producers. Christian Aid said smallholder farmers who supply a significant share of the global market are especially vulnerable to temperature shifts and erratic rainfall.

The charity linked the pressures on tea quality and supply to broader climate trends that are intensifying across tea-producing regions. It noted that the combination of rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and higher input costs is creating compounded risks for producers. The report said that compounded environmental and geopolitical pressures are creating an increasingly uncertain operating environment for growers and consumers alike.

Some commentary has questioned whether market data currently proves tea is already becoming more bitter, suggesting the report relies on projected climate models and farmer experience rather than published chemical market analysis, according to the blog Not A Lot Of People Know That. The blog is a low-tier source and does not invalidate the report, but it highlights the absence of direct market feedback evidence.

The report itself acknowledged gaps in independent peer-reviewed chemical analysis of recent harvests to quantify bitterness changes, as well as a lack of specific data on current price impacts and supply chain disruptions directly attributable to climate versus geopolitical factors.

What's Next

Claire Nasike Akello, climate adaptation and resilience lead at Christian Aid, said: "For generations, consumers have taken for granted that a cup of tea will taste the same, day in, day out. But that consistency depends on a stable climate, and that stability is now breaking down."

The organisation called attention to the need for stronger climate adaptation support for smallholder farmers who underpin much of the global tea trade. It also pointed to compounding pressures from climate shifts and rising input costs as risks that will continue to affect both growers and consumers.

Christian Aid said the interplay of environmental and geopolitical pressures is creating an increasingly uncertain operating environment for tea farmers. It noted that without sharper data linking climate change directly to market price movements, policymakers and buyers may lack the precise evidence needed to target adaptation funding effectively.