Henry P. Thomson, Inc., or HPT, is one of the largest tea importers in the US, selling primarily to tea packagers that distribute to restaurants, food chains and supermarkets in the Southern states. Founded in 1912, the company had outsourced its blending and packaging to a company in New Orleans for a number of years until Hurricane Katrina devastated the area in 2005. The blending, packaging and distribution services are now performed in Augusta, GA.
“Approximately 85 percent of HPT blends are used for iced tea,” says John Smith, HPT vice president and managing director. He notes tea is increasingly becoming the beverage of choice for Americans who want an alternative to sugary, carbonated drinks. “Iced tea is consumed in restaurants, made at home and bought in the refrigerated sections of grocery stores and convenience stores.”