Mars Drinks strikes deal with Taylors of Harrogate

The deal delivers Taylors’ Yorkshire Tea and Rich Italian coffee to that segment of the market for Mars Drinks’s Flavia drinks machines, packaged in Mars Drinks’s proprietary Freshpacks.

Liz Skilbeck, brand manager for Taylors Coffee, told FoodManufacture.co.uk the move was a great way to raise consumer awareness of Taylors and drive up sales of its products in supermarkets.

“Flavia is served in 28,000 offices in the UK and we are confident that the strength of our brand and high quality products will drive demand for Taylors drinks,”​ Skilbeck told this site.

She said Taylors would be supplying the tea and coffee and Mars Drinks would be processing and packaging it at its Basingstoke plant.

‘Additional opportunities’​

“It’s an ongoing partnership,”​ said Skilbeck. “If it is a success and we see demand for more of our products we would love to explore additional drinks opportunities with Mars Drinks Flavia.​

“The workplace market is hard to enter without the right products, service support and associated equipment. The workplace offers many hot drink occasions, which we’d like to be Taylors ones.”​

Hossam Ashraf, general manager, Mars Drinks UK, said: “Mars Drinks and Taylors of Harrogate are both family-owned businesses committed to quality. That’s why we’re proud to include Taylors of Harrogate’s premium tea and coffee in our drinks portfolio.​

‘More choices’​

“By adding these national favourites to our offering, we’re able provide our customers with more choices throughout the workday …”​

Matthew Huffer, sales director, Taylors of Harrogate, said: “Mars Drinks has proved the Flavia drinks machine and Freshpack technology can deliver a proper brew that upholds the strict quality standards our consumers have come to expect from our brands.​

“We are delighted with this opportunity to extend our retail brands into the workplace, offering the same recipes our customers love in a convenient single-serve format. Partnering with Mars helps raise our brand awareness and encourages more people to try Taylors products.”​

Taylors of Harrogate is a Yorkshire family business focusing on the premium end of the coffee and tea market since 1886.

Rainforest Alliance Certified​

Taylors’ Rich Italian coffee is a refined coffee roast that delivers Brazilian beans and subtly sweet beans from Africa and Central America, all 100% sourced from Rainforest Alliance certified farms.     

The inclusion of Taylors of Harrogate products in Mars Drinks’s workplace drinks portfolio is the latest in a series of offerings from the company. These include the new Flavia barista machine, which automatically dispenses coffees, teas, lattes, cappuccinos and authentic espressos, and the addition of Segafredo Zanetti premium Italian espresso Freshpacks.

Mars Drinks single-serve solutions also include Flavia drinks machines for the office, plus a wide-range of products, such as Alterra Coffee Roasters coffees, The Bright Tea Co teas and Dove and Galaxy hot chocolate.