BOP tea (Broken Orange Pekoe)
Broken Orange Pekoe is a robust grade with colour, strength and malty depth for full-bodied everyday or institutional tea.
All six grades are available in bulk from 50 kg. Samples are available for evaluation before a larger order.
BOPSM tea (Broken Orange Pekoe Small Mixed)
Broken Orange Pekoe Small Mixed brings bright character, lively liquor and a brisk finish to blends that need energy and definition.
BP tea (Broken Pekoe)
Broken Pekoe provides rounded strength and dependable performance for buyers building a consistent regular blend.
PF tea (Pekoe Fannings)
Pekoe Fannings infuse quickly and are suited to brisk liquor, tea bags and blends where speed and colour matter.
PD / PF Dust tea (Pekoe Dust)
Pekoe Dust, also traded as PF Dust, sits between PF and Dust. It brews fast to a strong, deep-coloured cup for tea bags and high-volume milk tea.
Dust tea (CTC Dust)
Fine CTC particles brew rapidly with strong colour and intensity, making them useful for high-volume milk tea and tea-bag applications.
Compare CTC tea grades
| Grade | Particle size | Brewing speed | Cup | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOPBroken Orange Pekoe | Largest | Slowest | Full body, deep colour, malty | Loose-leaf chai, hotels and long-brewed milk tea |
| BOPSMBroken Orange Pekoe Small Mixed | Large | Steady | Bright, brisk, lively | Premium blends and packet tea |
| BPBroken Pekoe | Medium | Medium | Strong, rounded, consistent | Everyday household packs and institutional blends |
| PFPekoe Fannings | Small | Fast | Brisk with quick colour | Tea bags and fast-brewing blends |
| PD / PF DustPekoe Dust | Fine | Very fast | Strong and dark | Tea bags, vending and high-volume milk tea |
| DustCTC Dust | Finest | Fastest | Maximum colour and strength | Tea stalls, canteens and strong milk tea |
Common questions about CTC tea grades
What is Assam CTC tea?
Assam CTC tea is black tea from the Assam tea belt made by the Crush, Tear, Curl method. The leaf is cut into small granules that brew quickly into a strong, malty, deep-coloured cup, which is why it is the standard tea for Indian chai and milk tea.
Which CTC tea grade is best for chai and milk tea?
For a strong cup of chai, buyers usually choose BOP or BP for long-brewed tea, and PD or Dust where the tea must brew in seconds, as at tea stalls and canteens. Many blenders mix a leaf grade with a dust grade to balance body and colour.
What is the difference between BOP and BOPSM?
Both are broken orange pekoe grades. BOP has the largest particles and gives the fullest body. BOPSM (small mixed) is slightly smaller and brews a brighter, brisker liquor.
What is the difference between PF, PD and Dust?
They are the three smallest CTC grades. PF (pekoe fannings) is the largest of the three and is widely used in tea bags. PD (pekoe dust, also called PF Dust) is finer and brews faster. Dust is the finest and gives the most colour and strength in the shortest time.
Choose a grade with confidence
Share your target cup profile, quantity and use case with our team. We can arrange a sample so you can evaluate the tea before confirming an order from 50 kg.