BRW Society is a contemporary tea brand that aims to inspire you to sip and connect with yourself and people around you, with a BRW in hand.

Please introduce yourself, and your business

Hello, my name is Laura Manning, and I am the founder and managing director of BRW Society pronounced 'brew' society.  I created BRW Society in 2019 to inspire people who are squeezing the most into each day to slow down and savour small moments for themselves and with those around them.

I like to think of us as the innovative mixologist, inspired by nature to create drinks that captivate people’s senses and brew up a conversation.

I truly believe that each cup of tea is a chance to rejuvenate your spirit by pausing to connect with yourself and those around you.

How did your business start?

I have always been passionate about tea, I love everything about it. 

When I moved to Dubai in 2018 I missed my favourite tea brands from the UK and I was completely uninspired by the offering at the time in the UAE.  The varieties in the supermarket were a bit stale and there was nothing like the variety that exists in the UK particularly around loose leaf tea.

So, I made the decision to change that and started by buying ingredients and blending small batches at home to sell at community markets.  The teas were a huge hit!

What is unique about your company?

I think our core values make BRW unique.  Our values drive us in all our decision making and make us who we are, they include - Unique, Happy, Connections, Quality and Eco-Friendly.

Our range of products is unique - we stock everyday tea plus bold, unusual flavours to get people excited.

We ensure nothing less than ecstatic customers; we are here to make people happy and build connections with our community.

Quality is everything, we only use the best whole ingredients and we do not compromise on being kind to the planet.

Who and where are your customers?

Currently we are GCC focused.  We serve customers in both modern trade – supplying supermarkets across the UAE, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain.  Plus, we provide a unique offering to our HORECA clientele across the whole GCC.

How’s the future looking for you? What are your plans?

We have huge expansion plans over the next five years, taking us from the GCC to other MENA countries then onto the rest of the world.

Personally, I’d love to see BRW Society products everywhere in the UK, this is a dream of mine. 

Why do you buy from Organic Herb Trading?

Organic Herb Trading are a dream to work with and share similar values to BRW which is extremely important to me. 

The OHTC team are very responsive and go above and beyond. They have great customer service.

We recently took a trip to visit a tea estate together in Assam and it was a wonderful experience.  Meeting the skilled people who bring us our daily cuppa and learning more about the process behind tea making.  It really was an experience and helped me on my tea journey.  I’m grateful to OHTC for facilitating this.

Every product we have purchased from OHTC is of the greatest quality, in line with our core values.

What do you buy from Organic Herb Trading? How do you use it, and what do you like about it?

We purchase a wide variety of organic teas from all corners of the world, plus herbal ingredients for our herbal infusions.

We also create newness together, sharing ideas on new blend recipes and ingredients.  Pooling our resources to make unique and exciting tea creations for our customers. 

It’s really fun working with OHTC, and I think that’s important when building long term relationships.

Why is organic/provenance important to you?

I strongly believe organic is better for the environment, promoting healthier and more sustainable use of natural resources.

It reduces the risk of exposure to toxic materials for people, animals, and the environment.

It’s better for everyone!

Do you have any heroes?

There are so many people I look up to and admire in the world.  But coming from a very female strong family, the females in my life – my Nan, Mum, sister, and aunties inspire me the most and make me want to be a better person every day.  These incredibly strong women are my mentors in life and my support system.  They have taught me never to give up and to fight for what I believe in and that has really shaped who I am today.  They are my superhero’s.

What is your favourite cup of tea/or long cool relaxing drink?

I cannot survive the day without at least four cups of English Breakfast, it powers me for the day. 

I’m also partial to an iced coconut matcha to keep me cool in the Dubai heat.

I love to make iced teas using some of BRW Society’s fruit blends, especially when I’m entertaining.  They’re always very refreshing and a crowd pleaser.

Please feel free to tell us one unusual fact!

This has got me thinking!  One unusual fact is that I never actually worked in the tea industry before starting BRW Society.  After graduating from University, I pursued a career in steel for 15 years before moving into tea – a much more glamorous commodity to trade in! 

If you’re passionate enough about something and work hard you can do anything!

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