Northern Ireland tea maker Suki Tea said it has doubled its manufacturing capacity following investment in a new 拢500,000 factory in Lisburn.

The company, which marks 18 years in business this year, said the move has allowed it to bolster its sales and continue to grow in new markets with expansion to 30 countries worldwide. On the back of the latest expansion, it has set a target to grow production by 600% over the next decade and expects to create a number of new jobs

The new factory has also boosted Suki Tea鈥檚 green credentials given it is powered by renewable energy generated from solar panels and other sustainable technology designed in collaboration with sustainability and heating experts from Invest NI.

Suki Tea co-founder Annie Irwin sustainability is high up the company鈥檚 agenda.

鈥淎s a long-term supporter of Fairtrade and a committed Real Living Wage Employer, it鈥檚 really important to us as a business that we operate day-to-day in as ethical and sustainable a way as possible,鈥 she said.

The company was founded by Annie and friend Oscar Wooley in Belfast in 2005 and now supplies loose leaf tea to hotels, cafes and delis

鈥淎s we celebrate our 18th year in business, this new premises is a fantastic opportunity for Suki to continue to grow,鈥 Oscar Wooley said. 鈥淢oving from three business units to one purpose-built factory allows us to make our production processes and logistics more efficient, expand our product offering and create new jobs.鈥

鈥淥ur mission has always been to create a community of loose-leaf tea drinkers across the globe, and we鈥檙e pleased that with continued investment into our facilities, our equipment, and our team, we can remain at the forefront of the loose-leaf tea industry in the 海角视频, Ireland and around the world.鈥