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'{{short description|Brand of tea}} {{For|people named Lipton|Lipton (surname)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}} {{Use British English|date=December 2016}} {{Infobox Brand |name = Lipton |logo = [[File:LIPTON PRIMARY RGB BMT.png|150px]] |logo_caption = Logo used since 2014 |image = <!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Lipton logo 2002.jpg]] --> |type = [[Tea]] |currentowner = {{ubl|[[Unilever]]|[[PepsiCo]]}} |introduced = {{Start date and age|1890|df=yes}} |discontinued = |related = |country = United Kingdom |markets = Worldwide |previousowners = |trademarkregistrations = |website = [https://www.lipton.com/us/en/home.html/ www.lipton.com] }} <!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Lipton logo 2002.jpg|thumb|125px|Old logo of Lipton: 2002-2014]] --> '''Lipton''' is a British [[brand]] of [[tea]], owned by [[Unilever]]. Lipton was also a [[supermarket chain]] in the United Kingdom, later sold to [[Argyll Foods]], after which the company sold only tea. The company is named after its founder Sir [[Thomas Lipton]]. The Lipton ready-to-drink beverages are sold by Pepsi Lipton International, a company jointly owned by Unilever and [[PepsiCo]]. ==History== {{For|the personal history of Thomas Lipton|Thomas Lipton}} ===Supermarkets=== [[File:Thomas Johnstone Lipton.jpg|left|thumb|220x220px|Thomas Lipton]] [[File:Allied.GIF|thumb|right|The old Liptons, [[Galbraith supermarkets|Galbraith]], [[R & J Templeton|Templeton]] and [[Presto (UK supermarket)|Presto]] logos]] In 1871 Thomas Lipton (1848–1931) of [[Glasgow]], Scotland used his small savings to open his own shop, and by the 1880s the business had grown to more than 200 shops.<ref name="fundinguniverse1">{{cite web|url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Thomas-J-Lipton-Company-Company-History.html |title=History of Thomas J. Lipton Company |publisher=Fundinguniverse.com |access-date=22 October 2012}}</ref> In 1929, the Lipton grocery retail business was one of the companies that merged with Home and Colonial Stores, Maypole Dairy Company, Vyes & Boroughs, Templetons, Galbraiths & Pearks to form a food group with more than 3,000 shops. The group traded in the [[high street]] under various names, but was registered on the UK stock market as Allied Suppliers.<ref>Allied Stores was originally formed in 1929 to act as the group's purchasing arm.</ref> Lipton's became a supermarket chain focused on small towns. Allied was acquired by [[Argyll Foods]] in 1982; the supermarket business was rebranded as [[Presto (UK supermarket)|Presto]] during the 1980s. ===Tea=== Shortly after opening his shop Thomas Lipton began travelling the world for new items to stock. One such item was tea, a rare and expensive luxury at the time. Sales had doubled from £40 million in the late 1870s to £80 million by the mid-1880s. In 1890 Lipton purchased tea gardens in Ceylon, now Sri Lanka, from where he packaged and sold the first Lipton tea.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.liptontea.com/article/detail/157721/lipton-history |title=From the tea garden to the tea pot: Sir Thomas Lipton's Vision |publisher=Lipton Tea |access-date=29 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141029183508/http://www.liptontea.com/article/detail/157721/lipton-history |archive-date=29 October 2014 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> He arranged packaging and shipping at low cost, and sold his tea in packets by the pound (454g), half-pound (227g), and quarter-pound (113g), with the advertising slogan: "Direct from the tea gardens to the teapot." Lipton teas were an immediate success in the United States.<ref name="fundinguniverse1"/> The Lipton tea business was acquired by consumer goods company Unilever in a number of separate transactions, starting with the purchase of the United States and Canadian Lipton business in 1938 and completed in 1972 when Unilever bought the remainder of the global Lipton business from [[Home and Colonial Stores|Allied Suppliers]]. In 1991, Unilever created a first [[joint venture]] with PepsiCo, the Pepsi Lipton Partnership, for the marketing of [[ready to drink]] (bottled and canned) teas in North America. This was followed in 2003 by a second joint venture, Pepsi-Lipton International (PLI), covering many non-United States markets. PLI was expanded in September 2007 to include a number of large European markets. PepsiCo and Unilever each control 50 percent of the shares of these joint ventures.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.just-drinks.com/article.aspx?id=91542 |title=PepsiCo and Unilever extend partnership |publisher=Just-drinks.com |access-date=29 October 2014}}</ref> Due to the [[2008 Chinese milk scandal]], food giant [[Unilever]] started recalling its Lipton milk tea powder in Hong Kong and Macau on 30 September 2008. The tea powder, which used Chinese milk powder as its raw ingredient, was recalled after the company's internal checks found traces of [[melamine]] in the powder.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080930/ap_on_re_as/as_hong_kong_tainted_milk |title=Lipton-brand milk tea powder recalled in Asia |agency=Associated Press |publisher=Yahoo! News |access-date=30 September 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081003212837/http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080930/ap_on_re_as/as_hong_kong_tainted_milk |archive-date=3 October 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2008-09-30-liptontea-hongkong_N.htm?csp=34 |title=Lipton milk tea powder recalled in Hong Kong |agency=Associated Press |work=USA Today |access-date=30 September 2008 |date=30 September 2008}}</ref> In 2011 [[PETA]] criticized Unilever for conducting and funding experiments on rabbits, pigs and other animals in an attempt to make human health claims about the tea’s ingredients. According to the animal rights organization, Unilever decided to end the practice of Lipton products after receiving more than 40,000 appeals from PETA supporters and days before PETA made plans to launch its "Lipton CruelTEA" campaign.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Zelman |first1=Joanna |title=Unilever Ends Animal Testing On Lipton Tea Products After PETA Threatens Major Campaign |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/03/unilever-ends-animal-test_n_818225.html |access-date=10 February 2015 |work=Huffington Post |date=2 February 2011}}</ref> Unilever no longer tests their products on animals unless required to by governments as part of their regulatory requirements.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.unilever.com/sustainable-living/what-matters-to-you/developing-alternative-approaches-to-animal-testing.html |title=Developing alternative approaches to animal testing |publisher=Unilever |access-date=8 June 2016}}</ref> ===Soup mixes=== Lipton produces instant [[Instant soup|soup mixes]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.liptontea.com/search/soup |title=Search results for 'soup' |publisher=Lipton Tea |access-date=29 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141029182643/http://www.liptontea.com/search/soup |archive-date=29 October 2014 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> In the 1950s in the United States, Lipton ran an advertisement campaign promoting [[French onion dip]] prepared at home using Lipton's French onion soup mix, thus helping to popularize [[chips and dip]].<ref name="Oxford">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AoWlCmNDA3QC&pg=PA145 |title=The Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink |page=145 |via=Google Books |isbn=978-0-19-530796-2 |last=Smith |first=Andrew F. |date=May 2007}}</ref> Hundreds of new commercially produced varieties of dips were later introduced in the U.S.<ref name="Oxford"/> ==Present day== [[File:Lipton Earl Grey tin.jpg|thumb|right|A tin of loose Earl Grey tea]] Lipton teas are a [[Tea blending and additives|blend]] selected from many different plantations around the world, from well-known producing countries including [[Tea production in Sri Lanka|Sri Lanka]], India, Kenya, and China. Lipton Yellow Label is blended from about 20 different teas.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.time-for-tea.com/producing.asp |title=Lipton Tea can do that: Producing the Finest |publisher=Unilever |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090111104522/http://www.time-for-tea.com/producing.asp |archive-date=11 January 2009 }}</ref> Apart from the usual black leaves tea (with the long-standing Lipton Yellow Label brand), the company markets many other varieties, both as leaf and ready-to-drink beverages.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F40C10FA3E550C708DDDA00894DE404482 | work=The New York Times | title=Brewing for the True Believer; Tea's Got a Brand New Bag | first=Florence | last=Fabricant | date=13 September 2006 | access-date=7 May 2010}}</ref> These include green teas, flavoured black teas, [[herbal tea]]s, Lipton Linea (a "slimming tea") in Europe, and Lipton Milk Tea in various Asian markets. Lipton's owner Unilever sells PG-Tips tea in the UK, and does not retail any Lipton-branded products except Lipton Ice Tea there. In a number of markets, including Japan, Russia and Australia, the company is advertising the benefits of [[theanine]], which has [[psychoactive]] properties.<ref>{{cite web|title=LIPTON Tea & Your Health |url=http://www.liptont.com/tea_health/performance/index.aspx |publisher=Unilever |access-date=26 December 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100924230548/http://liptont.com/tea_health/performance/index.aspx |archive-date=24 September 2010 }}</ref> Lipton still owns plantations in East Africa ([[Kericho]], Kenya and [[Mufindi]], Tanzania). In May 2007, Unilever became the first company to commit to sourcing all its tea in a sustainable manner.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/business/20070525-0857-tea-unilever-sustainable.html|title=Unilever to sell environmentally sustainable tea|work=The San Diego Union-Tribune|agency=Reuters|access-date=29 October 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090731212847/http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/business/20070525-0857-tea-unilever-sustainable.html|archive-date=31 July 2009|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Working with the [[Rainforest Alliance]], an international environmental [[NGO]], Lipton and its parent company, Unilever, announced all Lipton Yellow Label [[tea bag]]s sold in Western Europe would be certified by 2010 and all Lipton tea bags sold globally by 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.unilever.com/ourcompany/newsandmedia/pressreleases/2007/sustainable-tea-sourcing.asp |title=About us |publisher=Unilever |access-date=29 October 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070617183750/http://www.unilever.com/ourcompany/newsandmedia/pressreleases/2007/sustainable-tea-sourcing.asp |archive-date=17 June 2007 |df=dmy }}</ref> Lipton's own tea estates were among the first to be certified.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.independent.co.uk/business/analysis_and_features/article3223697.ece |title=Time to brew up a sustainable cuppa |work=The Independent |access-date=29 October 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080107082327/http://news.independent.co.uk/business/analysis_and_features/article3223697.ece |archive-date= 7 January 2008 |df=dmy }}</ref><ref>[http://investing.reuters.co.uk/news/articleinvesting.aspx?type=consumerProducts&storyID=2007-05-25T170334Z_01_N25420184_RTRIDST_0_SP_PAGE_016-N25420184-OISCP.XML Reuters] {{dead link|date=October 2014}}</ref> Product bearing the Rainforest Alliance seal appeared on Western European markets in 2008 and started appearing in North America in 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nationalpost.com/life/story.html?id=1427753|title=Sense & Sustainability: Banking on greener tea|work=National Post|access-date=29 October 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/behindTheScenes/idUKTRE5457WX20090506|title=Rainforest certified Lipton tea reaches U.S.|publisher=Reuters|location=UK|access-date=29 October 2014}}</ref> On 6 May 2009, Lipton received a Corporate Green Globe Award for its work with the Rainforest Alliance.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/past-gala-honorees|title=Past Gala Honorees|publisher=Rainforest Alliance|access-date=25 October 2017}}</ref> ==Brands== Lipton's main pillar brands are Lipton Yellow Label and Lipton Iced Tea. Other product lines include the Lipton pyramid ([[tetrahedron]]) range in Europe and North America, and Lipton Milk Tea in East Asia. In 2008, the brand launched Lipton Linea in Western Europe. ===Lipton Yellow Label=== Lipton Yellow Label has been sold since 1890, when Thomas Lipton introduced the first version of the Yellow pack with a red Lipton shield, still in use. It is sold in 150 countries worldwide.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lipton.com/en_en/#Lipton%20history-0,68|title=Lipton Tea|publisher=Lipton Tea|access-date=29 October 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120920021708/http://www.lipton.com/en_en/#Lipton%20history-0,68|archive-date=20 September 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Lipton Yellow Label is a blend of several types of tea, sold both in tea bags and as loose tea, rolled into small balls like [[Gunpowder tea|gunpowder green tea]]. ===Lipton Iced Tea=== '''Lipton Iced Tea''' or '''Lipton Ice Tea'''<ref>{{cite web|title=Lipton Ice Tea website|url=http://www.liptonicetea.com/}}</ref> is sold in four flavours, lemon, peach, mango and raspberry. Green Tea and Rooibos flavours are also available in some regions. Two other flavors are sold exclusively in the arab world: red fruits and exotic fruits.{{Citation needed|date=October 2020}} ===Lipton Brisk=== [[Brisk (beverage)|Brisk]], formerly Lipton Brisk, is an iced tea brand distributed primarily in North America as a [[joint venture]] between Lipton and PepsiCo. It differs from Lipton's other iced tea brands in that [[phosphoric acid]] is added to the blend, giving the beverage a distinctive sharp flavor. ===Lipton Pyramid Tea=== Lipton also produces tea using the [[tetrahedral]] bag format as seen in other tea brands. Lipton Clear was launched in five variants, [[Earl Grey tea|Earl Grey Tea]], [[English breakfast tea|English Breakfast Tea]], Peach Mango Tea, [[Green tea|Green Tea]] Mandarin Orange, [[Mentha|Mint]] and [[Chamomile|Camomile]] Tea. ===Pure Leaf=== Pure Leaf is an iced tea brand distributed primarily in North America by the PepsiCo-Lipton joint venture. Unlike Lipton Iced Tea and Brisk, which use a freeze-dried instant tea powder, Pure Leaf is brewed in liquid. ==Lipton worldwide== Available in over 110 countries, Lipton is particularly popular in Europe, North America, Africa and the Middle East, parts of Asia and Australasia (Australia and New Zealand) as well as Latin America, and the Caribbean. Despite its British origins, Lipton black tea (such as Yellow Label) is not marketed in the UK, as owner Unilever sells [[PG Tips]] tea there. Lipton Ice Tea and fruit teas are available in the UK. ==Marketing and advertising== [[File:Lipton can prop, Night of the Living Dead (1968).png|200px|right|thumb|A Lipton can was used as a prop in the popular horror film ''[[The Night of the Living Dead]]'' (1968)]] In 1914, Lipton's tea were one of the sponsors for the first flight from Melbourne to Sydney by French aviator [[Maurice Guillaux]], at the time the longest air mail and air freight flight in the world. Sponsor Lipton printed 250,000 copies of a letter Guillaux wrote saying "I found it the most delicious tea I have ever tasted....I found it very soothing to the nerves", and these could be had by sending Lipton a one-penny stamp. For a threepenny stamp, Lipton would send out a quarter-pound pack of tea.<ref>''Sydney Morning Herald'', Saturday 25 July 1914.</ref> In an attempt to change the negative perception of Lipton Ice Tea in the United Kingdom&nbsp;– as 60% claimed they did not like the taste before even trying it&nbsp;– Lipton carried out a [[London]]-based summer marketing campaign in 2010 under the slogan "Don't knock it 'til you’ve tried it!";<ref name="Lipton launch campaign">{{cite web |url=http://www.promomarketing.info/experiential/sampling/lipton-launch-dont-knock-it-until-youve-tried-it-c/3773 |title=Lipton launch 'Don't Knock it Until You've Tried It' Campaign |publisher=Promotional Marketing |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150622195558/http://www.promomarketing.info/experiential/sampling/lipton-launch-dont-knock-it-until-youve-tried-it-c/3773 |archive-date=22 June 2015 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> roaming demonstrators handed out 498,968 samples over the 58-day run. After the campaign, 87% of consumers claimed to enjoy Lipton Ice Tea, while 73% said they were more likely to purchase in the future.<ref name="Lipton Experiential Campaign">{{cite web |url=http://www.idagency.com/work/product-sampling/lipton-ice-tea/#content |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140825040204/http://www.idagency.com/work/product-sampling/lipton-ice-tea/#content |url-status=dead |archive-date=2014-08-25 |title= Lipton Experiential Marketing Results|publisher=iD Experiential}}</ref> A similar campaign, with slogan "Let's Go!", was carried out in summer 2017.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.promomarketing.info/lipton-ice-tea-summer-experiential-campaign/ |title=Lipton Ice Tea summer experiential campaign|website=IPM Bitesize |date=30 June 2017 }}</ref> Lipton also made commercials starring [[The Muppets]] for the 2014 [[Disney]] film ''[[Muppets Most Wanted]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/3026984/the-muppets-take-over-nyc-in-this-new-lipton-tea-commercial|access-date=2020-07-05|website=www.fastcompany.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Lipton® inspires people to “Be More Tea™”|url=https://www.unileverusa.com/news/press-releases/2014/lipton-inspires-people-to-be-more-tea.html|access-date=2020-07-05|website=Unilever USA|language=en}}</ref> ==Product quality controversy== In November 2011, the [[General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine]] of China found high levels of pesticides such as [[bifenthrin]] in one variety of Lipton tea. Unilever responded by clearing the shelves of all affected products.<ref name=Greenpeace>{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/sns-rt-us-unilever-china-qualitybre83n0at-20120424,0,731198.story |title=Greenpeace says finds tainted Lipton tea bags in China |first=Ben |last=Blanchard |work=Chicago Tribune |date=24 April 2012 |access-date=30 April 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426125723/http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/sns-rt-us-unilever-china-qualitybre83n0at-20120424%2C0%2C731198.story |archive-date=26 April 2012 }}</ref> In April 2012, [[Greenpeace]] raised further questions about Lipton products in China, after two varieties of Lipton tea the group purchased in Beijing supermarkets failed safety tests, with the results allegedly failing to meet the regulations enforced in the European Union.<ref name="greenpeace1">{{cite web|url=http://www.greenpeace.org/eastasia/news/blog/lipton-tea-laced-with-toxic-pesticide-residue/blog/40093/|title=Lipton tea laced with toxic pesticide residue|publisher=Greenpeace|access-date=29 October 2014}}</ref> The group also stated, "Some of the detected pesticides are also banned for use in tea production by the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture." <ref name="greenpeace1"/> Unilever China denied the findings, stating all Lipton products within the country were safe.<ref name=Greenpeace /> ==See also== * [[Lipton Institute of Tea]] * [[Cup-a-Soup]] * [[Brooke Bond]] * [[Tata Tea]] * [[Tetley]] * [[Tetley Tea Folk]] * [[Typhoo tea]] * [[Twinings]] * [[Yorkshire Tea]] ==References== {{Reflist|colwidth=30em}} {{commons category|Lipton (tea)}} {{Unilever}} {{PepsiCo}} {{Defunct UK grocers}} [[Category:1871 establishments in Scotland]] [[Category:Retail companies established in 1871]] [[Category:Retail companies disestablished in 1929]] [[Category:1929 disestablishments in Scotland]] [[Category:Companies based in Glasgow]] [[Category:History of Glasgow]] [[Category:Defunct companies of Scotland]] [[Category:Retail companies of Scotland]] [[Category:Defunct retail companies of the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Food manufacturers of Scotland]] [[Category:Defunct supermarkets of the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Products introduced in 1890]] [[Category:Scottish brands]] [[Category:Iced tea brands]] [[Category:Tea companies of the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Unilever brands]] [[Category:PepsiCo brands]] [[Category:Tea brands in United Kingdom]] [[Category:Food and drink companies established in 1890]] [[Category:Food and drink companies disestablished in 1972]] [[Category:1972 mergers and acquisitions]] [[Category:British companies established in 1871]] [[Category:British companies disestablished in 1972]] [[Category:British companies disestablished in 1929]]'