Care UK nutrition experts have worked with a premium specialist tea company to create a first for the sector: a tea that is designed to taste better as it is thickened for those on modified diets.
‘Next Level Tea’ has been exclusively developed in a joint venture with the boutique, family-run company Tea From The Manor.
After successful trials, the teas are being launched across Care UK homes this week to celebrate Nutrition and Hydration Week.
The tea comes in four flavours: green tea and mint, red berry, English breakfast and Earl Grey, with the herbal and fruit flavours being decaffeinated.
They are designed to support residents who live with dysphagia and are on levels one to four of the IDDSI framework. By creating these teas, there are more beverage options for residents to choose from, which will support good hydration, which is critical to their health and wellbeing.
The tea composition and flavours were painstakingly developed and tested over the course of five months by Care UK’s Hotel Services Manager Andrew Mussett and James Green of Tea From The Manor, with the aim of bringing thickened teas that taste good and are refreshing to drink for residents with specific dietary needs.
The idea was born after the National Care Catering Awards in 2024. A passing comment from his colleague, friend and the night’s winner of Our Care Catering Hero award, Anna Sudak, made Andrew consider the drink options available to residents. Anna, who had undertaken an IDDSI diet for a week to better understand her catering offer, had made just one passing comment: “I could’ve stayed on the food – but the drinks didn’t leave me feeling refreshed.”
Andrew said: “From our research, we know most residents switch to coffee when they enter care homes. We think this is due to personal preference – care homes may not carry a resident’s favourite brand of tea, for example.”
“I used knowledge gained over many years about baking, flavours, and beverages in the tea’s development. With James’ expertise, we were able to create a series of teas that brew more quickly than regular teas. This means, even with the additional time needed to ensure that the tea is thickened to the correct level, the liquid remains hot.
“It was important to us that the teas maintained their strong aroma to help promote the flavour. Usually, once the thickener is added, this is lost, but we’re pleased that this is not the case here. There is an acidic bottom note to all of our blends, meaning they are the perfect palate cleanser for residents and the teas leave them feeling refreshed.
“Around 21% of residents across Care UK need thickened fluids to be able to drink safely. That’s why the creation of these teas is so important to us – we want to make sure that residents still have access to something that they find familiarity in and enjoy drinking. Whilst milkshakes, smoothies and fruit lassis are popular across our homes, you just can’t beat a good cup of tea!”
The founder of Tea From The Manor, James Green, joined the British Army at the age of 16. James was posted to Hong Kong where he served with the Gurkhas. It was during this posting that the Gurkhas showed him the values of real tea, from here a passion for tea began.
Following James’ retirement from the army, he decided to turn this passion for tea into Tea From The Manor which he started with his daughter Charlotte in 2011. Over a decade later, the
company continues to serve some of the best hotels, restaurants, cafes and care homes around the country.
Designing bespoke teas for clients is one of the best parts of James’ job and he was particularly excited by the chance to make a difference with the team at Care UK. Being presented with the opportunity of introducing thickening powder to his teas, James relished the challenge to find the right combinations. It was very important for James to get this exactly right, as he understands the value of taste memory and what it means to residents at care homes across the country.
A personal favourite of James’ is the red berry flavour, which can be had as a hot tea or allowed to cool making a delicious drink which will help with the hydration process.
In line with Care UK’s dedication to the environment, all of Tea From The Manor’s tea bags (including the string) are both degradable and compostable, so Care UK homes can recycle used tea bags with any food or garden waste.
Tea From the Manor said: “James is very excited by this new chapter in the Tea From The Manor story, and would like to thank Care UK for their guidance and for bringing this project to fruition. All at Tea From The Manor hope the residents will enjoy the blends we produce for them.”
This is not the only way to celebrate Nutrition and Hydration Week. Care UK’s 160+ homes have been encouraged to celebrate the joys of tea which is associated with good conversation by taking part in making art using teabags, some will learn how to read tea leaves, and our kitchen teams have been challenged to create foods and baked goods using tea – ranging from chai seed flapjack to matcha green tea cake.
Hotel Services Managers will be hosting a series of workshops – focusing on the importance of nutrition, hydration, and how to incorporate tea flavours into your cooking – throughout the course of the week.
James Green will be joining them to talk about his lifelong passion for the taste and celebration of tea at Brook Court care home in Kidderminster on the morning of Tuesday 18th March, Chandler Court in Bromsgrove that afternoon, and Ambleside in Stratford-upon-Avon on Wednesday 19th. You can find out more about Next Level Tea on the Care UK website. To find out more about Tea From The Manor, please visit their website.
