We count ourselves very lucky. Not only do we have some of the loveliest customers in the world, but we also have some great partners in the tea world – our suppliers are just as dedicated to quality as we are, and over time we’ve built really strong, meaningful relationships with them.

But this year we decided to take things a stage further – we introduced a ‘Supplier of the Year’ award to recognise the incredible skill, commitment and passion displayed by the people who grow our tea. And this year’s winner is Kionyo Tea Factory from Kenya.

To celebrate, we flew the factory manager of Kionyo, George Mwangi, over here this week to collect the award on behalf of his team and their network of smallholder farmers. In fact, together with Agnes Muriuki from the Kenya Tea Development Agency, they've been with us for most of the week, touring our factory, meeting everyone, and learning more about what happens to the tea they produce once it reaches Yorkshire.

George told us: "It's been a very humbling experience. The experience has been beyond my expectations. It's a honour to be part of these blends and to see that quality is so important throughout. When I return we'll have meetings with all the farmers, to show them our trophy - it is theirs more than it is mine. It will go a long way with them to know that their hard work and the quality of their tea is recognised."