ChariTea launches into Waitrose and raises £11m for charity

ChariTea creates Fairtrade iced tea, freshly brewed from whole leaf tea and made from the finest organic ingredients without refined sugars, flavourings or sweeteners. Winter 2025 sees ChariTea Black, Red and Mate (£1.95 per 330ml glass bottle) launch into Waitrose in 141 of their larger stores as well as online.

Julian Warowioff, MD of ChariTea says, “ChariTea started with a mission to show that iced tea can be both delicious and responsible. We work with Fairtrade growers and support social projects in the regions where our ingredients come from. Our drinks are made from real brewed tea, not concentrate or flavourings. Launching with Waitrose lets us bring our approach to quality and social responsibility to many more people at a time when shoppers are looking for drinks that hydrate naturally and stand for something real. The iced tea category is growing fast, and we are excited to offer a more premium and conscious option with a retailer that shares our values.”

The Drinks:

ChariTea Mate – naturally caffeinated iced tea, strongly brewed and lightly sweetened with agave. Pronounced ‘mah-tey’, ChariTea Mate is crisp, refreshing, and provides a sustainable energy boost without the crash of coffee. After becoming a staple of the German club scene, ChariTea Mate is now taking the UK by storm, as people are looking for healthier alternatives to alcohol and sugary energy drinks. The characteristic smoky flavour is derived from the way the leaves are dried over a wood fire when harvested. they are then steeped in hot water to make tea.

Its natural, slow-release energy, mate tea is high in polyphenols, vitamins and antioxidants, and has been observed to lower cholesterol, benefit the cardiovascular system and aid weight loss. Mate is naturally higher in caffeine than green or black tea, when the tea steeps with water it forms different bonds to those of caffeine in coffee, which usually take longer to enter the blood stream, this leads to a more mellow, longer lasting boost. Research shows that mate tea sharpens the mind, increases energy and improves concentration. It does this without over-stimulating the central nervous system which can lead to the ‘jitters’ and crash from coffee.

ChariTea Red – fruity and naturally caffeine-free, ChariTea Red is made with organic wild South African rooibos tea paired with passion fruit juice, brewed and naturally sweetened with agave.

ChariTea Black – ChariTea Black is a classic blend of organic Sri Lankan black tea with a twist of lemon, lightly sweetened with agave.

Every purchase of ChariTea supports social projects via the Lemonaid & ChariTea Foundation. The foundation is announcing £11 million raised – funds that currently support 25 social projects across 7 countries. Julian Warowioff comments, “Lemonaid & ChariTea have always believed that business can be a force for good and that soft drinks can fund real impact. We are proud of what our community has helped us achieve so far and we want to push those boundaries even further as we grow. This milestone shows what is possible when you build a social enterprise around fairness, transparency and positive change.”

Change the world, one sip at a time. With every drink purchased, consumers are supporting organic farming, Fairtrade, and social projects in the countries where the ingredients are cultivated. Since January 2010, the Lemonaid & ChariTea Foundation receives 5p for every bottle of Lemonaid and ChariTea sold. The Foundation has supported local initiatives across Africa, Asia and Latin America, all with one primary goal: to create a world where every person has access to independent, self-determined and sustainable livelihoods; from creating opportunities through English lessons, to empowering girls to build businesses for a better future, the causes the Foundation helps to support are diverse and impactful.