The COVID-19 epidemic has spurred the rise of E-commerce shopping convenience more than ever. To mitigate the spread of the virus, many governments imposed restrictive border procedures in all countries across the globe.
Mr. Taha Bouqdib and Ms. Maranda Barnes, the husband-and-wife duo who founded TWG Tea, realized that in order to stay in touch with their customers worldwide, they needed to accelerate the brand's expansion of its e-commerce operations. Despite the fact that TWG Tea has been selling online for almost a decade, the brand's online and mobile app purchases have witnessed staggering growth. This led them to scale up their digital presence to stay connected with their customers even during the pandemic. They launched their official online stores on third-party marketplaces, allowing the company to quickly expand.
TWG Tea continued to grow, despite the unpredictable climate change in 2020 due to the pandemic. Their online retail sales nearly doubled from the previous year. It had 28 more online stores by the end of the year, including new markets such as Spain, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands. The company presently ships to 58 countries internationally. It also employs over 3,000 employees in 17 countries and has more than 70 physical stores in major cities around the world.
Ms. Barnes further added that “despite diversifying our online retail presence, we have maintained brand integrity by ensuring that the TWG Tea experience – both online and offline – remains consistent.”
So, how was this success possible?
BY PARTNERING WITH THE RIGHT DELIVERY SERVICE PROVIDER
Every day, handcrafted luxury teas and tea items are delivered out. Hence, finding the right logistics partner is critical to maintaining a consistent brand experience. Upholding the same standards of service and excellence as TWG Tea, DHL Express provides its knowledge and logistical expertise in deliveries to the company for the past five years.
This is why the home-grown luxury tea brand partners with DHL Express to recreate their success as a premium tea brand delivering over 1,000 single-estate, fine harvest, and exclusive tea blends to discerning tea customers in new European countries. It was here that teaming up with an international logistics provider like DHL Express, with a presence in over 220 countries and territories, helped their day-to-day logistical requirements in every new or existing market they ventured into.
Moreover, DHL's On-Demand Delivery (ODD) service was a hit with TWG Tea's consumers, the majority of whom are working professionals. This flexible delivery feature enabled their customers to choose their preferred delivery and return time, seven days a week.
INCREASING SUSTAINABILITY
The brand has long taken pride in its product packaging which features exotic fruits, flowers, and spices that change with the seasons. Moreover, they are also increasing their sustainability efforts by minimizing packaging waste. With a like-minded logistics partner such as DHL Express, they were able to amplify their green efforts as more packages of TWG Tea made their way around the world.
The brand has discarded plastic packaging in favor of 100% recyclable, ethically sourced packaging for nearly all its goods, similar to how DHL Express’ clients prefer eco-friendly packing materials. Their teabags are completely biodegradable, as they're composed of natural cotton and thread with no glue or staples.
To quote Ms. Barnes, “We are committed to reducing our environmental impact, so we’re creating customized 100% recycled carton boxes that can protect our products without the need for stuffing or cushioning inside.”
MAKING A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT WHILE ALSO MAKING THEIR MARK
Both DHL Express and TWG Tea have made a name for themselves by demonstrating a strong commitment to environmental protection. DHL Express has pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 to minimize its carbon emissions. Being a pioneer in green logistics, the company is employing sustainable aircraft fuels and creating carbon-neutral buildings, as well as electrifying 60% of last-mile deliveries. By 2030, the business expects to have over 80,000 electric vehicles on the road worldwide.
The best part is that both TWG Tea and DHL Express focused on running their respective businesses sustainably. The brand is devoted to lowering the environmental effect by designing unique, 100% recycled carton boxes that can preserve their products without the need for additional padding or stuffing. DHL Express Singapore, on the other hand, is committed to assisting customers in reducing emissions throughout the logistics value chain and meeting their sustainability goals. DHL believes it is their job as the world's largest logistics firm to lead by example and be a sustainability leader in the industry.
DHL Express, TWG Tea’s international logistics partner, has demonstrated real concern for the brand as its customer and a dedication to sustainability in its operations. As stated by Ms. Barnes, “conscious consumers prefer reusable items, value durability and quality over price and support environmentally friendly brands more and more.”
The common goal of both TWG Tea and DHL Express has allowed the company's founders to anticipate working with this international logistics provider for at least another five years.
