Story So Far
You never get a second chance to make a first impression, so when we started out we gave our name careful consideration. ‘Pukka’ was perfect.
Translated from Hindi to mean ‘authentic’, ‘genuine’ or, more colloquially, ‘top-quality’, ‘Pukka’ epitomises all that we represent – our ethos, ambition and everything we create.
Started with little finance, but plenty of passion, we’ve grown Pukka on our beliefs in ayurveda – the ancient Indian art of living wisely – and the incredible health benefits of organic herbs.
As we grow, our reliance on nature increases. With this in mind, we respect our relationship with the land by using herbs from organic and sustainable sources, enjoying long-term and fair-trade bonds with our suppliers. We are proud to say that all our herbs and products are certified organic by the Soil Association and the USDA* and can all be traced back to the field in which they were grown. We make regular visits to the farmers we work with to learn from as well as educate them. Like all relationships, it’s a two-way thing.
Throughout our journey, the huge support we’ve received from our customers has encouraged us to stay true to our roots and vision. We’re still as passionate about sharing the wonders of organic herbs as we were when the seeds of Pukka were first sown.
That passion just gets stronger with time.
*United States Department of Agriculture
Founders – Sebastian Pole and Tim Westwell – were brought together by a mutual interest in promoting wellbeing.
Sebastian was a qualified practitioner in ayurveda and Chinese and Western herbal medicine and an avid herb grower.
He loved herbal teas and realised that there was a need for innovative herbal teas that tasted delicious.
Fate intervened in 2002 when Tim placed an advert in a local magazine asking, ‘Do you want to grow business in a healthy way?’ There was just one response. It came from Seb.
Together they set up Pukka Herbs, working initially from Tim’s spare room.
Today there are 40 Pukka People shaping our herbal passion into the future.
The rest, as they say, is history.
