Tea Trailblazer Joyce Maina Joins Bird & Blend Tea Co.
Bird & Blend Tea Co. has announced the appointment of Joyce Maina as its first-ever Head of Tea. With over 30 years of experience in the global tea industry, Joyce brings a wealth of knowledge, passion, and innovation to the brand.
Now based in Brighton—where the very first Bird & Blend store opened 11 years ago—Joyce is an internationally renowned tea expert whose career spans continents and some of the world’s most iconic tea companies.
In her new role, Joyce will lead the development of impactful initiatives that align with Bird & Blend’s mission to pioneer sustainable sourcing and product innovation. She will also serve as the brand’s in-house tea expert, ensuring every blend reflects a commitment to quality, creativity, and purpose.
Throughout her impressive career, Joyce has held senior positions as a Buyer, Taster, and Blender with global tea giants such as Unilever, Tetley, and Twinings. Her long-standing commitment to ethical trade and sustainability—having worked extensively in developing countries to support sustainable tea initiatives—played a key role in her decision to join Bird & Blend, which achieved B Corp certification in 2022.
Working from the company’s head office in Worthing, Joyce will collaborate closely with Bird & Blend’s 25 UK stores, leading innovation and inspiring a new generation of blends that redefine the future of tea.
Joyce’s tea journey began in Kenya, where she grew up. Her career has taken her across Europe, the Middle East, North America, Australia, India, Pakistan, Nigeria, and South Africa, blending for diverse markets and building a global reputation as a tea visionary.
Her dedication to improving the tea industry extends far beyond the commercial world. Joyce supports the United Nations’ International Trade Centre (ITC) on programmes that help producers in developing countries improve tea quality and embrace sustainable business practices. She has trained producers and SMEs in Myanmar, Kenya, and most recently, Burundi, where she led a nationwide tea training initiative in February 2025.
Joyce also took Myanmar producers to the 2024 World Tea Expo in Las Vegas to help them showcase their teas on the global stage.
In 2021, the ITC commissioned Joyce to develop a specialty tea quality categorisation system to help small-scale farmers assess and communicate their tea’s quality to international buyers. She continues to champion this work, describing it as deeply aligned with her purpose to “do good in tea.”
Joyce’s leadership in reimagining tea and delivering extraordinary flavour experiences will be instrumental in furthering Bird & Blend’s reputation for quality, creativity, and joy.
Reflecting on her new role, Joyce said:
“I am excited to embark on this new chapter with Bird & Blend. It’s a fantastic opportunity to bring my global experience to a company that shares my passion for exceptional tea. Together, we’ll continue to push the boundaries of what tea can be—creating new blends that not only taste amazing but also make a positive impact.”
