UK Tea Academy Launches Women in Tea Award for Industry Leaders

The UK Tea Academy (UKTA) has announced a new partnership with the Women in Tea & Coffee Conference to recognize and support women working across the tea industry. The collaboration will combine tea education, industry recognition and efforts to highlight the contributions of women throughout the global tea sector.

As part of the partnership, the new Women in Tea Award will be introduced at The Leafies International Tea Awards. The award will honor women who have demonstrated strong leadership, introduced innovative ideas or worked to create greater opportunities and support for other women in the tea industry.

The initiative comes as 2026 marks the International Year of the Woman Farmer, bringing increased attention to the role of women in agriculture and food systems. In the tea sector, women contribute across the entire value chain, from cultivation and production to sourcing, education, retail and hospitality. The award aims to give greater visibility to these contributions and recognize their impact.

Key Highlights:

• The Women in Tea Award will honor women leaders and innovators in the tea industry
• The initiative will recognize women across the tea value chain
• The 2026 campaign will highlight the role of women farmers in agriculture

Jennifer Wood, Director of the UK Tea Academy and The Leafies, said the partnership reflects the important role women play across the tea industry. She highlighted contributions ranging from growing and producing tea to sourcing, innovation, education and leadership, noting that much of this work, particularly at the production level, remains under-recognized.

Nonetheless, numerous endeavors in this domain, particularly during production, may go unnoticed. Our collaboration with women on tea and coffee is naturally suitable because it aids in honoring the efforts of women within the sector who contribute substantially to improving the lives of ladies working in the tea industry throughout the globe.

The UK Tea Academy, UKTA, has coupled with Women in Tea and Coffee Conference in order to boost recognition and support for female workers involved in the international tea sector. This partnership combines education in tea, recognition in the industry, and a program aimed at increasing the number of women working in all parts of the tea value chain.

It will be initiated by introducing new Women in Tea Award at The Leafies International Tea Awards which will honor women who show outstanding leadership, innovation, and dedication to supporting women within the industry.

This partnership comes at a crucial moment, as 2026 has been framed as the International Year of the Woman Farmer and acknowledges the role women play in agriculture and food systems globally. Women are a part of the tea industry at all stages, from growing tea plants and making tea to sourcing ingredients, educating, and selling and serving tea.

However, many of these contributions, especially in production, remain underappreciated. This new award seeks to showcase these accomplishments and acknowledge women who are creating opportunities and bringing positive changes in their communities and the tea industry.