A TOURIST who fell in love with Glasgow is giving restaurants across the city tea with a teutonic twist.

Anja Reinhardt, who visited Scotland three years ago and decided to stay, has set herself up as a tea merchant.

The 30-year-old has launched Anja's Tea Chest - a tea importing business that impressed judges in Scottish Enterprise's recent Dragons' Den-style competition.

Now she is impressing restarateurs across the city.

Despite being operational for less than six months, she has secured deals with some of Glasgow's best known restaurants, including Soho, which is run by Michael Bergson, the former boss of private members' club 29.

Ms Reinhardt, 30, said: "I think most people have the attitude that the Germans are a nation of beer lovers, but the country is one of the biggest importers of tea in mainland Europe.

"But we have a very different approach to tea than most people in Britain.

"In Britain it is kept very simple, with a tea bag. In Germany there is much more ceremony and there is a lot of interest in different leaves and flavours. That is what I want to bring here. I have used contacts in Germany to source teas from across the world and sell and educate people here on what is out there."

Ms Reinhardt is now making her own take on the Tupperware party and introducing tea parties.

She will visit houses, brew up and show people how to make real tea and what flavours they should be looking for.

It does sound like a lot of work for a cuppa - but the price of some of her goods suggests care should be taken. She has 80 varieties for sale, with the most expensive costing £10.60 for 100 grammes - around 70p per cup.

Her business is based in Cathcart in the South Side.

Ms Reinhardt said: "Setting up in the West End would have made sense, but I live in Shawlands, close to the shop, and the cost of setting up in the west would be just too expensive.

"I also want to try to find my own audience.

"The South Side is changing and there is a market right here on my doorstep."