An award-winning North East coffee company has received its first shipment through the region’s leading port.

Beanies Flavoured Coffee recently received the first of regular shipments from India through PD Ports’ Teesport site, near Hartlepool. The company sells a variety of flavoured coffees, which are stocked by major supermarkets and independent retailers, from its base in Darlington.

Mark Stangroom, Beanies’ sales and marketing director, said: “It’s the first direct coffee shipment we’ve received, coming all the way from Chennai, India.

“Having it arrive in Teesport is great for us as it’s so close; last time, this particular shipment was delivered to London and we then got it transported to us, so this is much more efficient and convenient.

“It really highlights the amenities we have on our doorstep in the Tees Valley and how the region plays such an important role in imports and exports, something that’s particularly close to our hearts after recently winning a Queen’s Award for International Trade.”

Teesport is the sixth largest port in the UK by volume and is owned and operated by PD Ports, which is also the Statutory Harbour Authority for the River Tees.

Geoff Lippitt, PD Ports’ chief commercial officer, said: “PD Ports respects and admires the determination of smaller and emerging businesses such as Beanies, which are the foundation of industry in the Tees Valley and make up 80 per cent of our wider supply chain.

“As the region’s largest private employer, we have a responsibility to play in supporting the growth of SMEs and are wholly committed to supporting the local supply chain.

“With regular vessel calls, continued investment, major new business wins and a strong pipeline of opportunity, PD Ports is well-placed for future growth and to achieve our ambition to make the River Tees the UK’s most successful port region by 2050.

“We are delighted to be providing the logistics and transport services for another fantastic local company in Beanies and look forward to continuing this partnership.”

For more information about Beanies, visit www.beaniesflavourco.co.uk. To learn more about Teesport, visit www.teesport.co.uk.