Bone china mugs are an excellent choice of promotional product for those who want to create a perception of quality, elegance and sophistication around their company. Bone china is considered to be one of the best kinds of materials with which to make mugs and other dinnerware, as it is incredibly lightweight and sleek, yet robust. Bone china mugs printed with your company’s promotional message will last for years, ensuring that you have a long term, affordable form of advertisement for your business.

Mugs are something which are in regular use throughout the day, from the first cup of coffee in the morning to the last cup of tea at night. People often say that tea tastes better when drunk out of a china cup or mug; whether or not this is true, there is certainly an association of superior quality with Bone china mugs.

Text and images which are seen everyday often become cemented in our mind; without realising it, we become so familiar with certain pictures or textual advertisements, that we could recite the information off in our sleep. This is the beauty of using mugs as part of a promotional campaign; with every sip of their tea or coffee, the owner sees your company information and it eventually becomes embedded in their memories. The next time they are in need of the service or product which you provide, they will immediately think of your company.

Bone china mugs are of a very high quality, but this does not necessarily mean that they are not affordable. ‘Quality over quantity’ is a somewhat overused phrase, but it really is true; by purchasing well made, bone china mugs which will last a lifetime, rather than piles of cheap mugs which will break after a few uses, you will be making an investment in your company which will be returned to you in the form of new customers again and again. Our bone china mugs come in a great range of styles and can be printed with your choice of image and text.

Today, many businesses are cutting back on excess expenses and things like the provision of coffee and tea are often the first things to go. They may be seen as unnecessary or even time-wasting. But the reality is that an inexpensive coffee and tea service has plenty of benefits, as shown in recent studies by Flavia. Two thirds of employees who took part in this study stated that the provision of free hot drinks at work made them feel that their employers cared about their well-being, whilst 43% of those surveyed believed that coffee helped to increase their productivity. Drinks with caffeine, such as tea and coffee, can help to improve concentration and increase energy levels, when consumed in moderate, healthy amounts.

Some business owners may worry that providing free tea and coffee services may cause a decrease in efficiency, when in fact the opposite is the case. It was found that when coffee is not provided for employees in the workplace, a fifth of those working there will leave the office to purchase their coffee elsewhere, for a total of 15-20 minutes. These kinds of breaks add up to quite a pretty penny in term of loss of productivity and are far longer in duration than a break taken at the office for a quick cup of coffee. Short breaks, of about 5 minutes, can give employees that refreshment they need to work at their best.

So it seems clear that giving employees their daily caffeine boost is a win-win situation; it increases efficiency and ensures that employees know that the business owners care about their staff. Providing quality mugs is a standard part of a coffee service, and a far more eco-friendly (and budget friendly!) way to serve hot drinks than in disposable cups. Take this idea a step further by adding your company name to these mugs, so that employees can help to promote business, even when they’re taking a well deserved break.

According to a Which? study, consumers are confused when facing the difficult task of disposing their takeaway cup efficiently. The issue is resulting in an estimated 2.5 billion cups being thrown away every year.

So what’s the problem? Most of the takeaway cups offered by Coffee shops are only 95% paper. The other 5% is made of polyethylene, a thin layer of plastic surrounding the inside of the cup keeping it free from sogginess and well insulated.

Because of the two polar materials at work, customers are finding it a brain tease when faced with the question, ‘which bin do I put it in?’ The answer being they throw the cup in an ordinary bin and it’s off to the landfill site instead.

As harrowing as this fact might be, the truth is it would be difficult to recycle these cups. Most paper mills in the UK struggle to process paper mixed with other materials in this way. The investigation wouldn’t take this for an excuse and claims more action is required on the part of the coffee retailers to either provide more clarity as to how the cup should be recycled or make the cup so it can be recycled together with cartons for the sake of the environment.

Although Starbucks didn’t say how many takeaway cups they sold each year, they are charging 25p less if the customer brings their own mug. As the old saying goes, in the face of adversity lies opportunity and at Mugstore, you have the opportunity to **warning, another quote** have your cake and eat it too. The Americano take out Mug is a polypropylene mug in a classic take away shape. The mug is microwave and dishwasher safe, making it the perfect printed mug for your daily coffee shop trips.

Researchers found the optimum brewing time is two minutes and the ideal amount of milk is 10ml. The perfect dring temperstaure of 60C (140F) is achieved six minutes later, but after 17 minutes and 30 seconds the tea will be past its best as it falls below 45C (113F).

The formula, created by scientist at University of Northumbria is: TB + (H2O at 100C) 2mins BT + M (10ml) +6 mins BT +PC (at OT 60C).
TB = Tea Bag; BT = Brewing Time; M = Milk; PC = Perfect Cuppa; OT = Optimum Temperature.

The team, sponsored by Cravendale Milk, spent 180 hours of testing with a panel of volunteers who consumed 285 cups of tea in the laboratory.

It would seem that people’s opinion of coffee choice is most certainly increasing.

Recent research has shown that 38% of 3000 respondents to a survey carried out by coffee roaster Matthew Algie, listed quality as their most important criterion when choosing a shop, with nearly half preferring fairtrade, organic and Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee.

According to the survey, 27% of coffee drinkers prefer Latte, now Britain’s preferred closely followed by Cappuccino at 22%.

Not being a big coffee drinker myself, it would seem that there are some picky people out there when it comes to coffee! A big change from a good old Nescafe a few years ago, with the thousands of shops that have sprung into life!

If you own or work in a coffee shop, mugstore offers a range of all kinds of bespoke mugs and cups. Custom biscuits can complet and meet your every need when it comes to serving your perfect cuppa to your customers.

Occupational psychologist Cary Cooper agrees, saying breaks are an essential part of coping with sedentary office life. “Nowadays we sit in front of screens not communicating, eyeball to eyeball and even email people in the same building,” says the professor of organisational psychology at Lancaster University Management School. “We need to make people more active and see other people. The coffee break is one way of doing this.”

Companies should organise morning breaks twice a week, where people are encouraged to leave their desks to chat over free hot drinks, suggests Prof Cooper. Not everyone likes tea or coffee of course. People who don’t drink caffeine should have other options like apples or herbal infusions, so as not to feel “alienated”, he adds.

But caffeine is the drug of choice for most, with Brits getting through about 235 million cups of tea and coffee a day – many of which are made using our quality promotional mugs.

The championships aim to find the nation’s top barista, with regional heats held throughout the country in January and February and the final held at the UK’s largest food and drink trade event, IFE11, at London’s ExCel centre on 15 and 16^th of March. The top scoring barista will be crowned with the coveted title of UK Barista Champion.

To be in with a good chance, you’ll need to be as good as John Gordon of Gorilla Tampers and London-based Square Mile Coffee. He was crowned UK Barista Champion in 2010 with 687 points (whatever that means); the clever chap won prizes for best espresso, best cappuccino and best signature drink in the competition.

For baristas interested in taking part in the UK Barista Championships 2011, visit www.scaeuk.com for more information and to download an entry form (the deadline for entries is 31^st December 2010).

In some areas they use three teapots that sit on top of each other to keep the tea warm. Often they are decorated with pictures from Russian folk stories and sometimes, they are made in the shape of something so that when they fit together they look like a person or an animal.

The middle pot usually holds strong black tea, the smallest pot on the top holds herbal or mint tea, and the large pot on the bottom holds hot water. The teas can be mixed with each other and diluted with hot water as you pour out each cup.

Some samovars are small and only hold about three litres of water but some can hold up to 30 litres! Before you ask, as of yet promotional Samovars are not available in the UK market I’m afraid…

In contrast, the marriage of the future King George V to Princess May of Teck (later Queen Mary) in 1893 in the Chapel Royal, St. James’s Palace, was a quiet affair: the chapel seats only 100. Since then everyone wants to know about royal weddings; why not promote your organisation with a royal branded mug.

The Mugstore is the number one supplier of promotional mugs and ceramics in Europe; which has now made available a tasteful design, especially to commemorate the royal wedding.

If you’re looking to promote your school, council or university department and remember this historic occasion at the same time; why not invest in some royal commemorative mugs, branded with your logo or contact details on?

There are various branding options available; talk to their friendly sales team for more information today – they areally are experts when it comes to promotional ceramics.

The first nosing of this promising dram, was met with a reflex reaction similar to whiplash, as the first notes were reminiscent of being hit in the face by a fruit tart, drenched in Swan lighter fluid.

After picking myself up from the floor, I donned a pair of safety goggles and bravely dived in. Scents of burning peat bogs and industrial wastelands filled my nostrils, as the deep amber liquid reached my lips.

Smokey, meaty, red wine type flavours followed with surprising depths, once my senses remembered who they were. Described as the world’s peatiest whisky, there’s no missing its peaty nature, but there’s a lot more to this slightly sweet and very spicy dram.

This big hitting whiskey has extremely pleasant long plumy notes; overall this is certain to divide malt aficionados. Proceed with caution.

7/10

Arran 12 Year Old – Single Cask (Master of Malt)

On the nose, you’re met with a refreshing sea breeze which rather than sending a shiver, gentle warms the cockles. Complex notes of vanilla and fragrant spices run throughout, giving a delicious overall flavour.

The more one drinks, the more flavours one discovers. Sweet fruits like peach and pear follow; which are matched with citrusy hay with a slight peaty kick.

This still puts up a fight, but the finish is short, light and fragrant. This is an incredibly complex but gentle dram, which I’m sure any whisky lover will enjoy.

9/10

To order these whiskies, visit our friends at Master of Malt.

Remember, branded shot glasses and snifters can be ordered through The Mugstore – speak to their friendly team today for more information.