Why Did the British Switch from Coffee to Tea?

Ever wondered why the British, surrounded by some of the world’s biggest coffee lovers, stuck with tea? While Scandinavians guzzle coffee by the cupful—ranking among the top consumers globally—Britons famously favour tea. But it wasn’t always this way. Britain once had a thriving coffee scene. So what changed?

In short: coffee trees wouldn’t grow in Britain, the global coffee supply was unstable, and a devastating fungus wiped out Sri Lanka’s coffee industry—leading the British to switch to tea, which thrived. By the late 1700s, tea imports exploded, and the iconic British tea habit was born.

Britain’s Early Coffee Boom

Coffee wasn’t always a niche drink in Britain. The country’s first coffeehouse opened around 1760, and by the late 17th century, London alone hosted over 2,000 coffee shops. These weren’t just places to drink—they were social hubs, dubbed “penny universities” where, for the price of a penny, you could read the news, debate ideas, or network. Coffee culture was alive and well.

Why Coffee Couldn’t Thrive in Britain

The problem? Coffee trees hate Britain’s climate. These plants thrive in cool, rainy highlands between 25° north and south of the equator—but Britain’s southernmost point sits at 50° north. Growing coffee locally was impossible. So the British imported it, mostly from Dutch colonies: Indonesia, Suriname, and especially Ceylon (now Sri Lanka).

Dutch traders controlled early global coffee trade in the 17th and 18th centuries, sourcing beans from their tropical colonies. Ceylon, sitting between 5° and 10° north, had ideal altitude, climate, and soil for coffee. The British loved the coffee the Dutch brought—but had no control over the supply.

How Britain Took Over Sri Lanka’s Coffee—and Lost It

In the 19th century, power shifted. The Netherlands lost Ceylon to Britain, then the world’s leading empire. Eager to profit, the British pushed coffee farming on the island. They abandoned lowland plantations and expanded into high-altitude areas, clearing forests to make room. Between the 1830s and 1860s, coffee plantations doubled. By the 1880s, they doubled again—to nearly 1,600 square kilometres. Coffee covered 15% of Ceylon’s farmland. Exports skyrocketed, growing 20-fold from 1840 to 1870.

But success came at a cost. Coffee plantations were monocultures, vulnerable to disease. In 1875, coffee leaf rust hit. The fungus turned leaves yellow, then red-brown, before they fell off. Infected trees died within years. Efforts to fight it failed.

From Coffee to Tea: The Ceylon Switch

To recover, British planters replaced ruined coffee trees with tea bushes. Tea thrived in Ceylon’s climate and resisted the fungus. The shift transformed the island into one of the world’s top tea exporters—and gave Britain a new staple: Ceylon tea. That’s the tea you still hear about in stories of British tea culture.

The Rise of British Tea Culture

Britain’s tea boom wasn’t overnight. In 1699, official tea imports were just 6 tons. By 1799, that number surpassed 10,000 tons. Unofficial estimates suggest around 20,000 tons entered the country by the century’s end. Everyone drank it: aristocrats, workers, even beggars.

Tea wasn’t just for the elite. The famous “builder’s tea”—a strong brew with milk and sugar, made by dunking a teabag in a mug—is a working-class staple. It started during the Industrial Revolution, when labourers fuelled up with it. Factories even scheduled tea breaks because workers were more productive after a cup.

Then there’s “teatime.” At 4 or 5 PM, everything stops for tea. That’s non-negotiable. Rural traditions called it “high tea,” originally a hearty meal with tea served on high tables to keep food safe from pets. Today, high tea often means a posh afternoon tea service in fancy restaurants.

The average Brit drinks four cups of black tea daily—that’s about 3.5 kilograms of tea per person each year. From “bed tea” first thing in the morning to “breakfast tea,” “builder’s tea,” “afternoon tea,” and “nightcap tea,” it’s a ritual.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did the British ever really love coffee?

Yes. In the 17th and 18th centuries, coffeehouses were hugely popular in Britain. London had over 2,000 by the late 1600s, serving as social and intellectual hubs. Coffee was part of daily life before tea took over.

Why did coffee plantations fail in Ceylon?

Coffee plantations in Ceylon were destroyed by coffee leaf rust, a fungal disease that attacks leaves, causing them to yellow, brown, and fall off. By the 1870s, the disease had spread widely, and efforts to stop it failed, leading to the collapse of coffee farming.

What replaced coffee in Ceylon?

Tea replaced coffee in Ceylon after the coffee rust crisis. The British introduced tea plants, which were better suited to the local climate and resistant to the fungus. Tea became Ceylon’s main export and created the famous Ceylon tea brand.

When did tea become popular in Britain?

Tea grew rapidly in popularity from the late 1600s. By the late 1700s, annual imports exceeded 10,000 tons, and unofficial estimates place total consumption around 20,000 tons by the end of the century. It became a daily drink across all social classes.

What is builder’s tea?

Builder’s tea is a strong black tea brewed in a mug with a teabag, typically served with milk and sugar. It originated among labourers and factory workers during the Industrial Revolution and remains a staple of British working-class tea culture.

What is the traditional British teatime?

Traditional British teatime happens around 4 to 5 PM and is a daily break for tea and often snacks or light meals. It’s so culturally fixed that even important matters are postponed until after tea. High tea is a related but more substantial rural tradition.

Recommended FrontStreet Coffee for Tea Lovers

If you enjoy the British tea ritual, try FrontStreet Coffee’s Classic Blend for a smooth, balanced cup reminiscent of a strong builder’s brew. For something brighter, their Yirgacheffe offers floral and citrus notes like a brisk afternoon tea. Or explore the Black Cocoa Blend for a rich, comforting cup akin to a spiced milk tea. All three showcase the precision and balance that coffee enthusiasts appreciate—just like a well-poured cuppa. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.