Taylors switches imports to cut down mileage

PD Ports has won a ten-year contract to handle all of the tea and coffee imports for the historic business and invested 350,000 on upgrading two warehouses, covering 60,000 sq ft in total.

Family-owned Taylors had traditionally used ports and warehouses in the South for the 14million kg of commodities it brings in from Africa, Asia and South America.

Keith Writer, commodities director at Taylors, said: "It is an important step for us.

"Not only does the move help us greatly improve our environmental footprint, it also reduces costs.

"We're committed to buying the best tea and coffee the world has to offer for our Yorkshire Tea and other blends, and the partnership with PD Ports ensures we're able to maintain these high quality standards throughout the import and warehousing process."

Port staff will take product samples as part of the supply chain process, which will then be tested by Taylors as part of its quality control process.

The deal follows a 12-month trial when PD Ports handled half of Taylors' tea and coffee imports.

Taylors, which produces Yorkshire Tea, was founded in 1886.