Bird & Blend founder Krisi Smith reveals what it takes to turn Swizzels sweets into tantalising teas!

You’re the founder of Bird & Blend, Krisi… I used to know you as Bluebird Teas. Why the change?
We were challenged by a big company who used Bluebird in part of their restaurant names. They own the trademark across a range of classes including the one covering dry packs of tea.

Ah! I see!
Obviously, we didn’t want to give up straight away and we did spend some time and resources trying to keep Bluebird. However, since we have a very pragmatic approach to business – and also didn’t want any confusion between our brand and another – we decided to rebrand. We had so much lovely support from our community that it ended up being a great opportunity for us to refresh and to re-imagine – which is what we love doing best. And of course, Bird & Blend was born!

Got it. And for those not in the know, what is it that Bird & Blend does?
We’re tea mixology experts! And with over 100 blends, special seasonal teas, sticky chai and matcha on our famous Tea Wall, it’s easy to see why our customers have described us as Tea Magicians! Tea is our TEAm’s passion so we’re here to help you explore the magical world of tea – whether you’re browsing our website, chatting with us on social media or popping into one of our 14 stores… And counting!

And you mention ‘the Tea Wall’… I have to say, that’s a stunning idea; beautiful display. People can get a sense of what that’s all about in your video here. So let’s talk licensing, Krisi! Among your offerings is the recently launched Swizzels range… That’s not an obvious collaboration! What retro-sweet flavours are there?
We created four flavours: Love Hearts, Drumstick, Parma Violets and Refreshers.

And properly based on the flavours of the sweets! So… Well, I’m curious: people are probably familiar with those sweet flavours. How do they translate on the back of a packet of tea, though? How do you describe them?
Well, for Love Hearts we say we’re capturing the taste of Love Hearts, and combining that with fruit tea… We bring you a dreamy, sweet tea that’s sure to have your mouth salivating. Drumstick is fruity and energising; an infusion inspired by the retro classic sweets. Parma Violets is sweet and full bodied with lovely Parma Violet notes – sure to be a hit!

My grandmother used to love Parma Violets; she’d’ve been thrilled to try a tea! So Love Hearts, Drumstick, Parma Violets… What does that leave?
Refreshers! Which we describe as being zingy and refreshing; a blast from the past! It’s a zesty fruit infusion – sure to give you a pep in your step!

A pep in your step! Love it. How did this partnership come about, Krisi?
My team and I are always keeping a keen eye out for amazing opportunities. When we spotted this one, we knew it’d be a perfect fit… We love to create fun, unique products that are sure to surprise and delight customers. And being a part of the Swizzels brand during their 95th anniversary year is so exciting. We’re thrilled to be collaborating with them.

Lovely answer, thank you. And is this your first licensed range?
Technically no, but this is our first licensed range to launch. So, I suppose, yes it is!

Oh, hello! Have I stumbled across something else, then?!
Well! We’ve collaborated with Aardman to bring a Wallace & Gromit tea to market. It’s a strong, fruity blend with energising ingredients, perfect for sparking inventive ideas!

Great! I’m glad I asked; that really fits in with Wallace & Gromit, doesn’t it? Feels very them. Alright, we’ll keep our eyes peeled for that too. In the meanwhile, why is now the right time for a Swizzels range?
New product development is key for us – and doing something unique, in partnership with a well-known and much-loved brand like Swizzels made a lot of sense. That’s especially true during summer when we could draw new customers into our Magical World of Tea, outside the peak months of October, November and December.

And once the idea for this took hold, how did it develop? What’s the process that takes you from saying “Palma Violets!” to drinking a brew?
That process is a lot of fun – but it’s hard work, too! We have team members in different departments working together to get a product like this developed, launched and promoted. Plus there’s always a little bit of magic thrown in at nearly every stage!

Where do you start, though?
It all starts with initial talks so both parties can understand what everyone wants – ideas and packaging and so on. We also discuss any restrictions and limitations there might be. Then it’s creating the blends! With Swizzels, it was quite nostalgic for me: turning beloved childhood sweets into fun, flavourful teas. I loved seeing it all come to life for everyone through our visual identity and marketing campaigns. Additionally, there was – along the way – a fair amount of tasting tea… And sweets, naturally!

It’s a tough job, Krisi, but someone’s got to do it! And with that in mind what other licences might work for you in regard to future collaborations, do you think?
We’re open to considering pretty much anything that fits with our brand ethos and ethics…

Well, let’s talk about those… What’s important to you?
A number of things are important to us. Our people, for instance: we believe in treating people fairly and doing business in the right way. Sustainability is another; that’s been at the heart of our business from day one. From leaf to cup, every part of your tea’s journey is carefully designed to minimise the impact on our planet.

Nicely put!
We also believe in charity and community – stylised as ChariTEA and CommuniTEA! Since we launched our ChariTEA Programme in 2014, we’ve donated nearly £105,000 to more than 30 worthwhile causes… Each of which was nominated by a team member.

And CommuniTEA?
Yes. Naturally, our customers are at the heart of everything we do. But as an independent business, we’re always championing other indies too. So we have a thriving, passionate CommuniTEA of tea lovers and other indie businesses. And as I say, if what people do fits in with our ethos, those ethics, then we’re open to a conversation…

We really like to connect with a brand and tell their story through the products we develop so we can create something really meaningful. What we’re not interested in is simply sticking a brand label on Bird & Blend tea for the sake of it. With a wide-ranging customer base and physical stores, there are times when something simply lands in front of us. Other times, it’s a case of putting together a ‘hit list’ and seeing what comes from that.

Brilliant! Thanks for talking us through all this, Krisi; I knew it would be fascinating. To wrap things up, let me ask you this… What’s the one question I should’ve asked you today but didn’t?
Where can I buy your Swizzels sweetie teas range?

Great question! You’re online at birdandblendtea.com – but you said you have 15 stores… Where are they?
We have Leeds and York on the way this year, but we currently have three in London – Angel, Borough and Portobello. We have two in Brighton, and then one each in Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow, Manchester, Norwich, Nottingham, Oxford and Worthing.

Fabulous. You said two in Brighton? I can only picture one in Gardiner Street…
Right – one in Gardiner Street; another right on the seafront.

Terrific. Thanks, Krisi. Best of luck with all your fruity teas!