A new strain of peppermint called Royal Tea, or Peppermint Tea, has made its way into a range of products from coffee mugs to teas, and the company has been forced to deny it’s even been approved by regulators.
The company’s CEO, Stephen Mould, has now told TechCrunch that he’s now made the decision to pull the peppermint from the range and to instead use the product’s other, less potent cousin, Peppermint Mint.
Royal Tea is a hybrid strain of two commonly used varieties of peppermints, the British and the Chinese.
The British peppermint is a cross between a common type and a rare type of American variety known as the Mandarin peppermint.
It’s more common in the UK, where it has a reputation for having a bitter taste, but its popularity has risen rapidly in recent years in China.
It is popular in parts of China, and even has its own tea brand.
Mould has told TechWeek that the company’s Chinese Peppermint strain is only meant for consumers who have “a genuine love of tea” and are willing to spend a lot of money on a premium tea.
It does not, however, have the strength of the American variety, which Mould says “is a blend of different peppermint species.”
“The difference between the two is the strength,” Mould said.
“It’s a hybrid.
The American peppermint has the strength, the aroma, and it’s also quite tasty, so it’s a good choice.”
Mould explained that the new strain, known as Royal Tea 1, is now available in two flavours: Peppermint Red and Peppermint Orange.
Peppermint Green, the new one, is a blend between a different type of peppermill and peppermint, with a stronger flavour.
“The new strain is much more potent than the old one,” Minder said.
Royal tea’s flavour has also been tweaked slightly to make it more palatable to some.
Minder says the company is also working on a “few other flavour variants” that are “more flavourful” and could be available soon.
It will take a while for the company to know how popular Royal Tea will be, Minder admitted.
Minders’ comments come after the UK government approved Royal Tea in November for its use in beverages and tea products, but the approval came with a warning that it is not approved for use in food.
In a statement sent to TechCrunch, the Food Standards Agency said that Royal Tea would not be allowed in food products and that it could not be used in products that are designed to be eaten.
Royal, a hybrid of the two most common types of peppermines, was approved in the US in 2013, but it did not go on sale until February, two months after it was approved.
The FDA says it is currently working with Royal to “ensure that any changes that have been made to its structure are in line with regulatory requirements and the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) guidance”.
Minder told Techweek that the changes are a result of the company “taking into account what is happening with the market” and that “we will be able to address any concerns we may have in due course”.
Mould told TechWire that he was confident that Royal would be available in stores in “early 2017” as the company continues to work on the product.
