Worthington Brown takes Holmfirth tea to China

Jan 12 2010 by Henryk Zientek, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

A GRAPHIC design agency in the Holme Valley has opened a new office in China – with a little help from a local tea shop.

Worthington Brown, which has been based in Holmfirth since 1990, opened its first China office in Hangzhou four years ago to provide graphic design, advertising and web design services for both western and Chinese businesses across Asia, America and Europe.

Founder and managing director Neil Worthington said: “With our rapid growth in China over the past four years, we soon out grew our existing offices.

“Our new purpose-built studio is in the heart of the world famous Hangzhou green tea region 200 miles south of Shanghai.

“We thought, what’s more fitting to celebrate our opening with a real proper cuppa and Yorkshire tradition - tea.

“We approached Smythes Tea Room in Holmfirth as they are well known for their famous brew.

“We packed boxes of Holmfirth Tea – complete with teapot and tea cosy – into our suit cases along with a few tins of Fox’s biscuits and sent it 7,500 miles to China .

“We invited more than 50 guests – consisting of clients and staff in China– to the opening and conducted a blind tea tasting.

“The clear winner was Holmfirth tea by a unanimous decision.”

Worthington Brown was also supported by the Lord Mayor of Leeds, Clr Judith Elliott, who took time out of a busy schedule visiting Leeds’ twin city of Hangzhou to attend the opening and declared: “It was the best cuppa I’ve had in ages!”