Van Rees Group awarded Royal designation

Netherlands-based independent tea trader Van Rees Group has been awarded the designation “Royal” by His Majesty King Willem-Alexander.
“It is a privilege to steer this Royal company to an interesting future that lies ahead of us even after 200 years”, said Rajith De Mel, managing director of Van Rees Group, which was established in 1819.
“I sometimes compare Van Rees to an old tea bush that has already survived many storms, droughts and has stood the test of time. This comparison offers confidence and perspective to continue strengthening our market position in the world. For example by responding to new trends in tea such as specialty tea and the increasing focus on health and sustainability. We are 200 years old, but at the same time 200 years young. We have a global network of tea professionals who transfer their knowledge from generation to generation and who can respond well to the international market developments”.
Van Rees is one of the nearly 600 Dutch companies that currently hold the Royal warrant. The addition Royal is only granted to companies that deliver good performance, are solid and reliable and have a rich history.
The history of the company goes back to 1819, when Jan van Rees founded a tea trading company in Zwolle, going door to door on horse and cart or by bicycle, selling tea in packets of 100- 250 grams. Van Rees has been building its international network since 1950. In 2019 the group, headquartered in Rotterdam, has a worldwide network of 12 international offices in tea producing countries, supplying tea to private and public sectors, regardless of the country of origin. The packages of 250 grams have been replaced by bulk packing and shipments per container. In 2018 the market leader traded 75,000 tons of tea.
Since 2010, the shares of Van Rees Group have been held by Amsterdam Commodities NV. “With Acomo we have a solid and long-term shareholder on board who supports us in realizing our growth ambitions and is prepared to invest in the new growth opportunities that are still ahead of us”, said De Mel.