Red Rose Tea

Origins and Early History

Theodore Harding Estabrooks established the Red Rose Tea company in 1890 in the port city of Saint John, New Brunswick. Estabrooks began his career in general import and export trade before specializing in the tea industry. He identified a significant issue with the loose-leaf tea common at the time, which was inconsistent in quality and strength from one serving to the next. To solve this, Estabrooks pioneered the concept of packaging pre-measured, single-serving tea bags to guarantee a uniform taste in every cup. This innovation in consistency became a fundamental part of the brand's early appeal and helped it grow from a local enterprise into a nationally recognized name. Estabrooks led the company for over four decades before retiring in 1932, at which point he sold the business to the English firm Brooke, Bond & Company, which promptly opened a second branch in Montreal to serve the growing Canadian market.

The brand's early advertising famously employed the catchphrase, "Only in Canada, you say? Pity..." which later evolved in popular culture to the more colloquial "Only in Canada, eh? Pity..." This slogan emphasized the tea's Canadian origins and exclusivity, though the company later shifted to more straightforward messages like "Red Rose Tea is Good Tea" and "A cup'll do you good." These general slogans were deemed more relevant to a broader market audience as the brand expanded beyond its initial regional base. The company's commitment to a consistent product, initiated by Estabrooks, remained a central theme in all its messaging for over 125 years.

Ownership Changes and Modern Operations

The ownership structure of Red Rose Tea has evolved significantly since its founding, leading to a split between its Canadian and American operations. In 1985, the multinational conglomerate Unilever acquired the company from Brooke Bond. Unilever subsequently sold the rights to market and sell the Red Rose brand in the United States to Redco Foods. Redco Foods was itself sold to the German company Teekanne in 1995, making Teekanne's subsidiary, Redco Foods, the owner of the US brand. Since 2018, the tea for the US market has been produced under license by the Harris Tea Company, which manufactures the product on behalf of Redco Foods. In Canada, the brand remains under the ownership of Lipton Teas and Infusions, with its operational headquarters in Toronto, Ontario. This separate ownership has resulted in distinct product lines and marketing strategies for the two countries. The Canadian consumer website explicitly states it is directed only to Canadian consumers and not to those in the United States.

Product Lines and Blends

Red Rose Tea is sold in both Canada and the United States, but the product offerings differ markedly between the two markets due to their separate ownership. In Canada, the flagship and historically exclusive product is Red Rose Orange Pekoe, a black tea blended entirely within the orange pekoe grade. The company describes its Original Black Tea as blended with care to create a perfectly balanced, great-tasting cup, a promise tracing back to Theodore Estabrooks's original goal of consistent quality. The United States market offers a wider variety, starting with its US Original Blend, which is a mix of orange pekoe and pekoe cut black teas, constituting a different recipe from the Canadian version.

The US brand has expanded into numerous specialty flavours and herbal teas. In recent years, the Canadian arm has also introduced more variety, particularly in the herbal category. Their Sweet Temptations line of naturally flavoured herbal teas includes dessert-inspired flavours such as Blueberry Muffin, Strawberry Cheesecake, Lemon Cake, and Caramel Apple Pie. These herbal blends are marketed as containing zero calories and represent the brand's adaptation to modern consumer trends. The company also promotes recipes for iced tea versions, like a refreshing chocolate mint iced tea or a strawberry cheesecake iced tea that blends fruit with a creamy finish, encouraging consumers to use the product in new ways.

The Wade Figurine Collectibles

From the 1950s to the 1970s, Red Rose Tea packages included various premiums to incentivize purchases. These included fortune-telling teacups with accompanying booklets on tasseography, and collectible tea cards issued in annual series of 48 cards from 1959 to 1975. The fortune-telling cups were a series of three white bone china cups with gold designs, numbered 1, 2, and 3, manufactured in England by Taylor, Smith, and Taylor, and came with a small illustrated booklet about tea leaf reading. However, the most famous and enduring promotion began in 1967 with the introduction of miniature glazed porcelain figurines made by Wade Ceramics of England, often called Wade whimsies.

The figurine giveaway started as a short-term promotion in Quebec before rapidly expanding across all of Canada. Test markets in the United States, such as Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and the Pacific Northwest, opened in the 1970s, with a nationwide US launch following in 1983. Different series were often produced for each country, such as a Canadian set of nursery rhyme characters never released in the US. According to the company, more than 300 million Wade figurines were given away in packages of tea in America. The promotion officially ended in 2018. While remaining figurines from some series can be purchased directly from the company, they are no longer included in boxes of tea bags, shifting the primary source to antique and resale markets.

• The Circus Series (1994 to 1999) included performing animals and circus characters like the Ringmaster and Strongman, with five human figures added in 1996.
• The North American Endangered Animals Series (1999 to 2002) highlighted species like the Bald Eagle, Polar Bear, and Green Sea Turtle.
• Noah's Ark Series (2002 to 2006) featured paired animals and Noah and his wife as a single figure.
• Later series included the Pet Shop Series (2006 to 2008), a Calendar Series (2008 to 2012) with monthly themes, Nautical Wonderland (2012 to 2015), and the final American Heritage series (2016 to 2018) with items like the Liberty Bell and Space Shuttle.

The promotion of Red Rose Tea figurines ended in 2018. Promotional material was then inserted into boxes of tea bags sold in stores. This material directed customers to online sources to obtain the remaining collectible figurines. The figurines are no longer distributed inside tea boxes in either Canada or the United States.

Marketing and Popular Culture

Red Rose Tea has employed memorable marketing campaigns throughout its history. In 1960, the brand aired three television commercials featuring the Marquis Chimps, chimpanzees dressed in human clothing. One ad depicted them playing golf, another showed them as cowboys, and the most popular, titled "Rock and Roll Tea Party," featured the chimps as plaid-suited musicians performing at a fictitious "Savoy Ritz" night club. This mirrored advertising for Brooke Bond's PG Tips brand in the United Kingdom, which had used chimpanzees since 1956. The use of chimpanzees in advertising for tea was a recognizable tactic for the parent company during this period.

The "Rock and Roll Tea Party" commercial had a notable second life in pop culture. In 1968, Pittsburgh disc jockeys Zeke Jackson and Frank "Crazy D" DiMino played the commercial's soundtrack on their radio shows to enthusiastic listener response. They licensed the song from Brooke Bond and released it as a 45-rpm single on their Gink label. Record collector and producer Paul Mawhinney pressed 1000 copies of the tune, which extended the TV soundtrack by playing it through twice, with the B-side being identical to the A-side. In more recent years, the brand's marketing has focused on digital engagement and recipe inspiration, promoting iced tea creations like chocolate mint, strawberry cheesecake, and lemon cake flavours to connect with contemporary consumers through its website and email lists.

Consumer Engagement and Brand Presence

Red Rose Tea maintains direct engagement with its Canadian customer base through its website and customer service channels. The brand encourages loyalty by offering a ten percent discount on a first order for customers who join its email list. Online, the company promotes bundle builders and best-seller collections, highlighting its range from classic black tea to herbal infusions. The website states a commitment to sharing a love for tea with families for years to come, inviting consumers to savour the aroma and taste in every cup. The brand's presence extends beyond grocery aisles into popular culture and theme parks. A restaurant named Red Rose Taverne, themed after Disney's Beauty and the Beast and hosted by Minute Maid, operates in Fantasyland at the Disneyland Resort in California, though it is not affiliated with the tea company. For many Canadians, the brand evokes strong nostalgia, with long-time customers noting detailed changes such as the reduction of tea bags per box from 216 to 210, reflecting small shifts in a product that has been a household constant for over 130 years.

Product Availability and Packaging Details

Red Rose Tea products are available through grocery retailers across Canada and the United States, as well as via the company's Canadian website. The packaging has evolved from the early days of loose-leaf tea and simple bags to the brightly coloured boxes familiar to shoppers today. A notable point of discussion among long-term consumers has been changes in package contents, such as the reduction in the number of tea bags per box. As noted by customers in 2026, some boxes previously contained 216 tea bags but now contain 210, a small change that reflects ongoing adjustments in retail packaging and portioning. The company's online store offers dedicated collections like the Sweet Temptations Bundle Builder, allowing customers to select their preferred herbal tea flavours, and it also features a Best Sellers Collection to guide new customers towards popular choices.

The Red Rose Tea website is directed only to Canadian consumers. It contains clear disclaimers stating it is not for United States consumers. This approach aligns with the separate ownership of the brand in Canada and the United States. In Canada, the Red Rose brand is owned by Lipton Teas and Infusions. The website is part of the company's strategy to engage directly with its Canadian customer base.

Questions about Red Rose Tea

Who owns Red Rose Tea in Canada?

In Canada, the Red Rose Tea brand is owned by Lipton Teas and Infusions. The company's operational headquarters are in Toronto. This is separate from the ownership in the United States, where the brand is owned by Redco Foods, a subsidiary of the German company Teekanne. The Canadian and US product lines have been distinct since the rights were split in 1985.

What is the most famous Red Rose Tea promotion?

The most famous promotion was the giveaway of miniature Wade porcelain figurines, which ran from 1967 until 2018. These collectible whimsies were included in boxes of tea bags, with different series released in Canada and the United States. Over 300 million figurines were distributed in the US alone. The promotion ended in 2018, though some remaining figurines can be purchased directly from the company.

What is the difference between Canadian and US Red Rose Tea?

The core black tea blends differ. In Canada, Red Rose Orange Pekoe is a blend made entirely within the orange pekoe grade. In the United States, the Original Blend is a mix of orange pekoe and pekoe cut black teas. The US market has historically offered a wider array of specialty and herbal tea flavours, though Canada has recently introduced its own herbal Sweet Temptations line.

What happened to the Red Rose Tea figurines?

The practice of including Wade figurines in boxes of Red Rose Tea ended in 2018. The company ceased the promotion as part of a shift in marketing strategy. While some figurines from past series are still available for purchase directly from Red Rose Tea, they are no longer randomly packed with tea. Collectors now primarily find them through antique dealers, online resale markets, and collectibles shows.

Is Red Rose Tea still made in Saint John, New Brunswick?

No, Red Rose tea is no longer produced in its founding city of Saint John, New Brunswick. This closure marked the end of a local manufacturing tradition, driven by changing consumer tastes and broader shifts in the company's operations. Today, the Red Rose brand in Canada is owned by Lipton Teas and Infusions, which manages production from other facilities. The historical connection to Saint John remains a key part of the brand's origin story, dating back to its establishment there by Theodore Harding Estabrooks in 1890.

How can I contact Red Rose Tea customer service?

Canadian consumers can contact Red Rose Tea customer service by phone or email. For general inquiries, the email address is [email protected]. For specific questions regarding orders, customers should use the email address [email protected]. These contact details are provided on the official Red Rose Tea website, which is directed specifically to Canadian consumers. The brand is owned in Canada by Lipton Teas and Infusions, and this customer service handles inquiries for the Canadian market.

Sources and further reading

• Red Rose Tea (Wikipedia)
• Red Rose Tea | Black Tea, Herbals Tea, Iced Tea (redrosetea.com)
• Red Rose Taverne, Beauty & The Beast | Disneyland Resort (disneyland.disney.go.com)

Checked by the Novello Desserts desk. Last updated 2026-10-24.