• A Taste of the Wild

    Tea Biz traveled to Sri Lanka in May to the foot of 7,359-foot Adam’s Peak, known locally as Sri Pada (the Budda’s Footprint), a conical sacred mountain ideally suited to tea. Forest Hill Tea founder Buddika Dissanyaka narrates a hike he is leading to a forest of 900 tea trees growing wild on an estate abandoned 140 years ago.

    • Caption: Forest Hill founder Buddika Dissanyaka at the edge of Sri Lankan tea forest.
    Forest Hill Tea Founder Buddika Dissanyaka
    Dan with Forest Hill founder Buddika Dissanyaka
    Dan with Forest Hill founder Buddika Dissanyaka

    An Abandoned Estate Transforms into a Tea Forest

    By Dan Bolton

    Millions of tea trees, first Introduced in 1867, can be found along the 268-mile length of Sri Lanka, a tropical paradise of tea estates that employ 1.5 million people today. The trees at Warnagala Tea Estate, established in 1890 by Scottish planters, today rise 40 to 50 feet into the rainforest canopy on the slopes of the sacred Sri Pada Mountain range. Pluckers climb into the trees to retrieve green leaves for tea making.

    We’ve traveled a long winding road and crossed narrow bridges over fast-moving streams to reach a forest of tea trees 2,900 feet above Sri Lanka’s shores. Joining us to talk about opportunities in specialty tea is Buddika Dissanyaka, one of many smallholders that have energized Sri Lanka’s tea sector. This new generation of rural entrepreneurs produces much of the tea grown in Sri Lanka, one of the world’s top tea-producing countries.

    Dan Bolton: The tea forest is quite remarkable, Buddika. Will you share your story with our readers?

    Buddika Dissanyaka: Thanks for coming all this way to hear from us.

    I’m a professional planter. After schooling, I joined the planting sector as a junior assistant superintendent, and I continued my career for 15-16 years to become one of the youngest superintendents in Sri Lanka.

    And then, I thought of starting something extraordinary. I have a good knowledge of tea and did a lot of research into what I might do. I figured out that there is a potential for making artisanal handcrafted teas. So here we are, speaking, just below the tea forest.

    While attending school in Kandy, I used to go down here with my friend to hike at this place. I noticed that it had very big tea trees growing in the forest. So I thought to start handcrafting artisanal wild tea for the first time in the history of Sri Lanka from this source.

    Since then, we have officially registered under the Sri Lanka tea board to start a micro tea factory. And now, we are proud to say that we are handcrafting artisanal tea and circulating it around the world. And we won some gold medals. We showcase that Sri Lanka can actually produce very good quality teas compared to the other countries that make very high-quality tea.

    Buddika identifies a 40-foot Assamica tree growing in a dense forest.


    Dan: Will you describe the pristine waterfalls and steep hillsides and explain how the dense forest that surrounds us, with its diversity of wildlife, animal life, and plant life, improves the tea?

    Buddika: This estate was originally planted by Scottish planters. They originally brought seeds from Assam, India, and Yunnan Province in China. So we have both varieties growing in the forest. One is Camelia sinensis, and the other is Camelia sinensis assamica. About 140 years back, the founders just abandoned it. The forest has reclaimed the estate over a century without human touch.

    Forest Hill Tea
    Forest Hill made tea
    Wild seedling
    Forest Hill founder Buddika Dissanyaka
    Buddika Dissanyaka
    Tea trees thrive in Forest Hill terrain

    “The forest has reclaimed the estate over a century without human touch.”

    – Buddika Dissanyaka

    During our century, the tea estate developed a thick biodiversity where animals are roaming, different species are growing, and spices are growing. So it gives a different character to our wild tea. The root structures are such that the taproot has gone down and down and down where it absorbs top-quality minerals for its leaves. We focus on very high-quality leaves to craft our teas. So our tea has very different characteristics.

    Dan: So this is a tea blended by nature. The two species often don’t grow side by side, but because of the unique nature and microclimates in Sri Lanka, we can see mature teas joined together to create a bio-fauna. It’s a situation in which the teas live together in harmony.

    Buddika: Yeah, it’s actually very unique.

    Dan: We proceed two kilometers, climbing a wash that serves as a service road until we reach the edge of the tea forest.

    Buddika: Now we are in the forest.

    This is Camellia sinensis, the assamica type of tea tree. These are small tea trees. So we have a lot of big tea trees. We have plenty of assamica, but we have lesser amounts of Camellia sinensis sinensis. So, these trees are living in harmony with the forest. You can see this one is a Camellia Sinensis sinensis. We make a lot of green teas from this variety, which is a very subtle, smooth tea.

    Dan: In this area, there are wild-grown spices, right?

    We know many of the species growing in the forest are original plants. So, we know what is wild pepper, wild cardamom, wild clove, and wild cinnamon. We also saw stores offering lots of artisanal natural spice blends. So, we began sourcing our spices in a very sustainable manner. We don’t disturb the diversity in the forest. We harvest only small quantities in the proper season and return to our factory and do our blending. And that is how we preserve this nature.

    Dan: When we returned to the small two-story factory in Kuruwita, I asked Buddika to tell us more about his technique of hand-processing these teas in small batches.

    Buddika: We craft only wild forest-grown tea without damaging the environment and are becoming an example to others. We can work within the forest without destroying it. All our artisans are very skilled, and we always guide them to develop their skills, as we are so concerned about the quality. We are making a small profit in our retail business, so we would like to expand our retail business since the profit margins go to all the stakeholders including artisans, farmers, and the local community.

    Dan: Will you share details about how you market your teas overseas?

    Buddika: We can ship our teas worldwide by DHL, and EMS customers can reach us through our Facebook and INSTAGRAM.

    See: Wild Forest Grown Ceylon Tea

    Forest Hill Facebook Page
    Ceylon Artisanal Tea Assoc. (CATA)

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  • International Tea Day Makes a Splash

    Enthusiasm for the United Nations-designated International Tea Day is peaking this year as tea associations, governments, and brands join in the May 21 tribute to a global tea industry that has increased production from 4.3 to 6.5 billion kilos in the past decade, enabling tea drinkers to enjoy 8.2 billion cups a day. A few of the many activities are linked below.

    • Caption: Tea is celebrated worldwide on International Tea Day (Sunday, May 21, 2023).
    Overview of International Tea Day Activities

    Bringing People Together Over a Cup of Tea

    By Dan Bolton

    The United Nations designated International Tea Day to encourage sustainable production and consumption of tea. This year’s theme is Bringing People Together Over a Cup of Tea. The online and in-person event at the FAO Atrium and tea tasting in Flag Hall is Sunday, May 21, from 2 pm to 3:45 (Rome Time Zone) and will focus on smallholder tea producers, reaffirming the FAO’s commitment to help overcome the challenges they face. Smallholders now produce 60% of the world’s tea, employing millions. The UN website offers several useful reports on how the industry can support the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Reports include International Tea Market: Market Situation, Prospects, and Emerging Issues; Tea Outlook 2027 and Emerging Trends in Tea Consumption.

    The European Speciality Tea Association announced a Zoom fundraiser to support women in tea. Promoted as the world’s biggest sipping event, the online gathering begins at 2 pm (British Summer Time) on Sunday, May 21.

    “We plan to invite more than 1000 people worldwide to raise a cup in unison to celebrate this amazing beverage generating 1000 pounds sterling before and during the event to empower women in tea management. Women have been marginalized in the tea-making process and other management leadership roles within the tea industry, and we want to be a catalytic force to initiate change there. The hour-long event will be recorded for viewing on demand. Visit www.specialityteaeurope.com to register.

    Line up

    • Paola Cruz is a wellbeing influencer @practicewithpaola will talk about tea and wellbeing and how to infuse this in your life.
    • Virginia Lovelace, author and tea scientist, will talk about improving your tea experience at home.
    • Nepal tea collective sisters will talk about their life in tea.
    • Muskan Khanna will talk about being one of the youngest women tea makers.
    • Madelaine Au will talk about organizing a successful tea event in Oregon.
    • Lucy (Mynt Mynt) Shwe from Mother’s Love Tea in Myanmar will speak about the uniqueness of Burmese tea culture.
    • Bernadine Tay from Quinteassential is a Founding Director of the European Speciality Tea Association and will host and moderate the event.
    World’s Biggest Sipping Event Ticket

    ARGENTINA
    Expo Té Argentina, in Posadas, Misiones, is a three-day event marking the 100th anniversary of commercial tea production. The event is May 25-27 and includes garden tours, a tea business conference, an exposition, and a tea fair. Learn more…

    • Tea product business round: May 26 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. 
    • Expo May 25 and 26 from 4 to 9 pm 
    • Tour with Producers of the enterprises: May 27

    Download Conference Program: Day 1 | Day 2

    BELGIUM
    The Chinese Tea Culture Center in Antwerp will host a tea meditation and tea circle from 3-6 pm on Sunday, May 21. The Belgium Chinese Tea Culture Association is a non-governmental and not-for-profit culture association whose mission is to promote peace, harmony, and respect for the ECO nature and humanity in society through tea and tea serving.

    CANADA
    The Tea and Herbal Association of Canada will host its 4th annual Sofa Summit on Friday, May 19, from 8:30 am to 7:30 pm (Eastern Daylight Time). Join THAC President Shabnam Weber for 11 hours of conversations with tea experts, tea association representatives, and growers worldwide.

    Register 4th Annual Sofa Summit

    UNITED STATES
    The inaugural Eugene Tea Festival will be held at the Farmer’s Market Pavilion in Eugene, Oregon, from 10 am to 4 pm (Pacific Daylight Time). Organizers invite participants to enjoy tea tastings, educational workshops, and a vibrant marketplace. Learn more…

    Download Workshop Program | Sponsors

    Listen to the interview

    Jessica Woollard discusses Eugene Tea Festival with organizer Madelaine Au

    GERMANY
    The Tea Day theme for this year’s German Tea & Herbal Infusions Association events is The Whole World in My Cup.

    Teeverband board member Annemarie Leniger explained the ambitious goals of the industry: “Teas, in all their diversity, are not only part of a highly developed culture of enjoyment, but they are also becoming increasingly important as a valuable, natural food in this country. As a commodity, tea builds bridges between the continents, connects young and old tea fans, and should further promote economic developments in the countries of origin if German tea manufacturers have their way.” 

    European Tea Day organizers announced the inaugural June 2 celebration in Brussels with panel discussions describing the European tea market, new ways of attracting next-generation tea drinkers, and a tasting session. Learn more…

    Key Takeaways

    • Tea export earnings help to finance food import bills, supporting the economies of major tea-producing countries.
    • The tea sector contributes to socioeconomic development, representing a major source of employment and income for millions of poor families worldwide.
    • Tea thrives in specific agro-ecological conditions and environments, often impacted by climate change.
    • In order to ensure benefits for both people and the environment, the tea value chain must be efficient and sustainable at all stages, from field to cup.
    Learn More

    Did You Know?

    • Tea cultivation provides employment and income to millions of smallholder growers, who supplement or even replace the production of larger tea estates in many countries.
    • While three-quarters of the tea produced is consumed domestically, tea is a widely traded commodity.
    • Over the past decades, the global tea industry has grown rapidly, with rising consumers globally.
    • Despite the increase in tea consumption in the major producing countries, per capita consumption remains low, suggesting considerable growth potential exists.
    Learn More

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  • Unpacking the Future of Tea

    After a five-year hiatus, the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre is hosting its biennial Global Tea Forum on April 25-27 at The Address Dubai Marina Hotel, with discounted tickets now available. Saeed Al Suwaidi, Director of Agri Commodities at DMCC and a respected executive and technologist, shares his perspective on some of the issues to be addressed during the DMCC Global Tea Forum in April.

    Purchase Tickets to attend the 8th Global Dubai Tea Forum
    • Caption: Saeed Al Suwaidi, Director of Agri Commodities at DMCC
    Saeed Al Suwaidi | Unpacking the Future of Tea
    Saeed Al Suwaidi
    Saeed Al Suwaidi | Director Agri Commodities

    Exploring Consumer Trends and New Market Opportunities

    By Dan Bolton

    The Dubai Multi Commodities Centre, founded in 2002, is the world’s largest and most successful free trade zone, now supporting 18,000 companies from a wide range of industries and sectors.

    DMCC’s Tea Center, founded in 2005, is a global hub for value addition and the top tea re-exporter in the world. Tea is one of the most widely traded commodities worth nearly $50 billion, expected to grow by more than 40% this decade.

    Dan Bolton: This year’s theme, Unpacking the Future of Tea: From Consumer Trends to New Market Opportunities, is compelling, given the upheaval the tea industry has experienced since the forum last convened in 2018. Will you share with listeners your perspective and describe some of the issues to be addressed during the DMCC Global Tea Forum?

    Saeed Al Suwaidi: It’s amazing how everything in this industry is restarting, almost a reset. People are looking at it with fresh eyes. I mean, one of the things about this year is that it’s not an exceptional year. The past five years for us have been very different with COVID lockdowns, and everything that happened during those years changed us, and with that being said, there’s much eagerness for everything to resume almost as normal.

    During the lockdown, what happened?

    The main thing that’s happened is people experimented. Everybody had some tea in their cupboard and didn’t know all the nice things about it. So now, with everything open again, they’re more into experimenting with the world of tea. One of the things that we want to know is what we can bring to the table and what the world can bring to the table regarding tea and everything around it.

    People call it the poor man’s drink because it’s accessible to everybody. It’s widely traded, and it’s over $50 billion worth of trade annually, and this is going up by at least 30 to 35 to 40% in the next ten years, so there are many opportunities. During COVID and right after COVID, everything that happened to the shipping industry affected everything, how things move and how tea moved. Now, it’s less economical for certain places to have tea than they would wish with the rising cost of shipping and the constraints within shipping. This is something that we want to touch on in the forum as well as to find the best ways of maneuvering trade routes. Our theme is, Unpacking the Future of Trade to see if we and everybody can add value so that everybody in the value chain benefits, and most importantly, end consumers anywhere to have something in their cupboard. So, we want to encourage the industry to see where there’s more value.

    Dan: DMCC has undergone several changes in the past five years. DMCC’s tea center continued to expand its trade capacity as the world’s top tea re-exporter, opened a new coffee trading center, its first lounge, and weathered economic turmoil stirred by the pandemic while deftly managing logistics under duress. Will you update us on DMCC’s current initiatives? I heard that trading cocoa is under consideration.

    Saeed: The DMCC Tea Center has been here for 16 years. We celebrated our 16th year this year, and the DMCC Coffee Center highlighted replicates that model in the coffee industry.

    We went through the rough times of COVID just after its launch, but we are full steam ahead. Capturing the coffee business makes sense, especially logistics-wise. We’ve become a much better logistical center for these two commodities and are now looking at cocoa.

    The cocoa industry is much more complex than coffee and tea, but we are looking at it seriously. You know, the majority of everything chocolate is mainly from West Africa. Our sister companies and logistics partners would help ease the movement of everything, chocolate, in terms of by-products, and so forth. We’re [also] looking closely into spices and tree nuts.

    Let’s establish a center focusing on tree nuts and certain spices that can work together. We’re looking at things that won’t cross-contaminate and so forth.

    We saw record growth last year, something that’s drawn our attention regarding forecasting for the future. We are considering expanding two or three-fold from where we are today.

    Ahmed Bin Silayem
    Anil Cooke
    The Address Dubai Marina
    Kolukkamalai Tea Estate Tea Processing Factory

    “Capturing the coffee business makes sense, especially logistics-wise. We’ve become a much better logistical center for these two commodities and are now looking at cocoa.”

    – Saeed Al Sawaidi

    Dan: DMCC brought you on board in part for your technological expertise, and I emphasize that because the future you are discussing is deeply interwoven with technology. Tell us a little about your background.

    Saeed: All my entire career, I worked in technology, starting from Fortune 500 companies to government entities in the UAE, semi-government entities in the UAE, and American establishments wanting to get their foot inside the GCC or North Africa.

    I have always had a big interest, funny enough, with both coffee and tea all my life. So, I visited tea estates in Asia and various establishments and brands of tea and coffee.

    When I saw this opportunity, I wanted to be part of this amazing organization. It is and has been the number one free zone in the world for the past eight years and captured the number one spot of rough diamond trading in the world as well.

    This means that they are the best, so of course, I wanted to be part of this organization. I saw the opportunities there, and what we can bring in with technology. You must be very fast in adaptation of movement and changing, and this was not the case overall with the tea industry. So yes, it’s the case somewhat of Dubai as we really adapt and change. But when it comes down to industries, like tea, especially, it’s not that kind of speed to change. One of the things that I want to change is how fast we can adapt to changes in this industry. I think when you look at this place specifically the tea business criteria, with a vision set by the Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Ahmed Bin Sulayem, is to set up a tea center out of the tea growing regions to be a hub for tea, it’s not an easy task and also no one would think to have a center like this in a place like Dubai.

    Not everybody will buy it, and there was a very clear understanding of the movement for this to be established. We saw exceptional growth last year, and in the Agri Commodities, we’ve seen more than triple-digit and quadruple-digit growth in certain verticals.

    Dan: I believe the future you’re describing is deeply interwoven with technology.

    Saeed: I agree. There’s a lot of things that happened over the last two decades, specifically in technology if we’re talking about coffee and tea; what’s happened in coffee is we see more and more, like, you know, and retailers are getting in touch with farmers, and this is due to technology.

    You have all these traders in the middle, like, shrink. There’s more money going toward the farmers, and this is one of the better things happening today, both in tea and coffee.

    In terms of price discovery, farmers anywhere, whether in Sri Lanka, India, Kenya, or China, you name it, didn’t know the price their commodity gets. Due to technology, they now know. You had all these traders in the middle who would trade, and trade and trade, driving up prices and leaving the farmers out of the equation. Today both of our centers are working with governments because this is one of the only places where you can still own the tea and stilt own the coffee and your other commodities; whether it’s transferred or changed, or whatever, you can still own it throughout that value chain, and you retain the value, and this can really make a difference for estate owners.

    Dan: What have you most enjoyed about this position?

    Saeed: There’s so much to learn from everybody in the industry. I love learning, and this is a continuous thing. I have that mindset every day from farmers. I literally have everybody within the value chain to see. So I know the strains of the state owners and people who grow the tea, and people who buy it, and how to get to the end shipping and all of this, I see everything from start to end, and then the end product goes up goes on the shelf so to see that, and to see what can we add to have better is for more people around the world to consume this amazing beverage.

    People understand that coffee 20 years ago, you would have your regular coffee. Today, there is a specialty coffee and different ways of extraction and everything.

    I think this is just happening right now in tea. We see a lot of companies that are into extracting tea into new formats, and we see new machinery and tea. When you look at the coffee side, you have all these amazing machines, and you have all these different ways and different cups and mugs and so forth.

    But when it comes down to tea, you just have your regular cup. This is changing right now and we’re going to see this with bubble tea and all of these kinds of new trends, such as adding tea to different ingredients and so forth, where coffee can’t be. I think we’re just seeing the beginning of that.

    Programme
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    DMCC is a center of global trade serving 18,000 companies. Headquartered in Dubai, it is the world’s most interconnected Free Trade Zone and the leading trade and enterprise hub for commodities.

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  • Fresh Thinking for a New Era in Tea

    Brook37 founder Mou Dasgupta says the new era of tea is not just introducing tea but also explaining how you consume it. We are saying that yes, traditionally, you drink tea from a cup, but why not break the barriers and drink tea from a champagne glass or chill the tea and drink it in a martini glass? Make other drinks using tea. Open up your imagination; don’t be bound by the past. Take our old drink, modernize it, and just do fun things with tea.

    Listen to the Interview

    Mou Dasgupta, founder of Brook37 The Atelier

    Mou Dasgupta, founder of Brook37 The Atelier

    Elegance Begins with the Leaf

    Mou Dasgupta is pursuing her passion for tea after 25 years of trendsetting corporate leadership in the financial services industry. She developed a love for fine-quality tea while living in West Bengal, India, where she attended university in Calcutta. She trained in the sciences and holds a master’s degree in software engineering. “Brook37 is proud to bring fresh thinking and an ethical and sustainable mindset to all we do,” she says. “Our unparalleled tea selection of flavors, aromas, and colors from around the world, along with exquisite packaging, help you choose a positive and aspirational lifestyle.”

    Dan Bolton: Thank you for taking the time to talk about your vision of a new era in tea and how it led to the launch of Brook37, a premium brand sourced directly from suppliers in the most famous of India’s tea-growing regions. What are some aspects of this new era?

    Mou Dasgupta: In describing a new era of tea, I want to talk about tea reimagined in the USA.

    The new era of tea is not just introducing tea. It’s also explaining how you consume tea. So we are saying that yes, traditionally, you drink tea from a cup, but why not break the barriers and drink tea from a champagne glass or chill the tea and drink it in a martini glass? Make other drinks using tea. Open up your imagination; don’t be bound by the past. Take our old drink, modernize it, and do fun things with tea.

    That’s how I feel that the younger generation may find it more interesting. When I go to a friend’s house, they offer me Diet or a regular Coke, or maybe a club soda as a non-alcoholic beverage. I want people to offer tea. It is a non-alcoholic beverage with fantastic health values. So, keep our tea caddy next to your wine bottle and open a beautiful tea caddy when your special guests arrive. That’s how I want to position tea.

    Dan: You grew up drinking good tea.

    Mou: I moved to the USA from a place that is about 300 miles from Darjeeling about 25 years back, and one of my big struggles was to find the high-quality tea that I used to drink before I moved to the USA.

    Over here, you can find great coffee stores everywhere, but finding a great tea shop takes a lot of work. Tea is also looked upon as a health drink. It has many health values, but I want to make people understand that tea can bring people together. Tea can reconnect people and rejuvenate; it’s a drink that can elevate the moment, and it’s a non-alcoholic drink with value like fine wine. And you know, in wine, the quality of the grapes, the soil, and the weather drive how the taste and the flavor will vary. Darjeeling tea is exactly like that. I want to make people aware. I want them to taste Darjeeling tea and see that it’s a different drink altogether.

    Dan: Many brands position themselves as premium, but only a few succeed in conveying the elegance visible in your color palette, your choice of tins, and a clever pairing of an engraved traditional silver-plated infuser with a modern silver measuring spoon in your gift set Will you discuss your view on what makes a tea premium?

    Mou: First, elegance starts with the look of the tea leaves. A high-quality tea leaf is not dust. It’s a long, beautiful leaf, and it is rolled to perfection. It’s dried to perfection. It’s hand-picked at the perfect time. Recently, on a trip to Darjeeling, I noticed a tea leaf plucked before the rain could taste and smell different than a leaf plucked after the rain. It’s the elegance of flavor. It’s the elegance of taste.

    To that, we added silver accessories. When you drink a high-quality Scotch or a single malt, you could drink it from a plastic cup, but most drink it from a beautiful crystal glass. High-quality Darjeeling tea demands that kind of setting. It is more than just flavor and not just the tea’s color. It’s also the accessories, all of them, that elevate the moment.

    That’s where beautiful packaging comes in and where the look of the tea matters. So that people feel it’s a beautiful moment that they’re creating, whether it’s with their children, whether it’s with their grandchildren, whether it’s their significant other, or by themselves. Tea is an elevation of the moment — any moment.

    Limite’ Loose Tea | $49 | 20-25 cups
    Epicurean | $94 | 20-50 cups
    Wellness | $35 | 20 teabags
    Mou, right, with tea plucker at Darjeeling tea garden

    Dan: You have a wonderful founding story. You first found success as a software engineer, angel investor, and executive director of JP Morgan Chase and Morgan Stanley before directing your talents to tea.

    Mou: My primary inspiration is that for 25 years, I have been looking for this kind of tea. I had a very hard time finding Darjeeling tea like the tea that I enjoyed in India. In our Country, in the USA, the tea comes through many hands a lot of the time, and every time you open a bag, the quality of the tea goes down.

    When I left my job and decided I wanted to do something on my own, something more meaningful, tea kept coming back to me.

    I realized this was an opportunity because all the best quality teas get picked up by Germany by Japan right away from Darjeeling. In most cases, they don’t come to our country. We are deprived of that highest quality. Brook37 is buying exclusive small lots of seven to ten kilos of the best Darjeeling offers.

    That’s what drove me. I don’t want to just bring the tea; I want to bring the whole experience with it. We call ourselves the Chanel of tea because we present tea as a high-end beverage that celebrates life. We have created a brand that will catch everyone’s attention, all the sensorial organs, the look, smell, touch, and feel all of it together. That’s what inspired me.

    I didn’t want a company that was all about money or finance. It was not a motivating factor for me. I wanted to have a responsible company. There is a saying that we do not inherit nature or the environment from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.

    I didn’t want a company that was all about money or finance. It was not a motivating factor for me. I wanted to have a responsible company. There is a saying that we do not inherit nature or the environment from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.

    The environment that I’m borrowing from my children, I want to give it back in good shape in a conscious way. From day one, we have been building a conscious brand, plastic-neutral, biodegradable, and reusable packaging, certified by 1% by the planet, etc. It must be empowering, and it must be socially conscious.

    “There is a saying that ‘we do not inherit this earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.’ I want to give back in good shape the environment we have borrowed from our children.”

    – Mou Dasgupta

    Dan: Will you share your inspiration for creating a women-led team with listeners?

    Mou: It’s not a conscious decision. I didn’t come in saying that I was only going to hire women. But 90 percent of the people working in our brand are women. We found the best talents who happen to be women. The best tea pluckers are women, and the best tea packaging laborers are women. Our tea sommelier happens to be a woman. Our photographer and videographer is a woman. Even our marketer and our social media leads are women. I just happened to have a team of women I found to be the best at their work.

    By elevating Darjeeling tea, we also elevate the people back in Darjeeling. It’s with pride that we produce one of the best teas in the world. I want them to share that sense of pride. Darjeeling should be a name that stands above the rest, not just a tea; it is a distinguished beverage, and hopefully, Brooke37 will give that to them.

    Dan: Will you discuss sourcing? That’s a challenge in Darjeeling right now, with many of the 87 registered estates in distress, several recently acquired, and all experiencing an overall decline in production from around 10 million kilos 10 years ago to six million kilos in recent years.

    Mou: My primary goal is to bring the best quality tea in my country to the USA. And it is not to promote Darjeeling’s biggest tea growers or tea estates. It’s really to work with anybody who is growing high-quality tea.

    We are looking for small growers. We’re looking for entrepreneurs innovating new types of teas and bringing them here at a good price.  I do feel that, at times, the prices are compromised. When someone gives 70% to 80% off the price of tea, that is just dust of Darjeeling tea, and calls them Darjeeling, they are diminishing Darjeeling tea to the world. Sometimes the price paid at the back end is too low and unfair to the tea growers.

    We are ready to pay $100 for a bottle containing five glasses of fine wine but not ready to pay $100 for 40-50 cups of the finest tea. If we don’t elevate Darjeeling to that point, people in the back end will always suffer.

    I alone don’t have the power to eliminate poverty in Darjeeling. I make sure that I at least do my part. I promote their work, I promote their tea, and I promote their small businesses because I am also a small business owner.

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  • Ekaterra Rebrands as LIPTON Teas and Infusions

    Tea News for the week ending January 13

    Podcast Episode 99

    Nathalie Roos, CEO of ekaterra tea, this week announced “with pride an enthusiasm our corporate name change to LIPTON Teas and Infusions.”

    “This change comes together with our commitment to drive the whole tea industry upwards and grow value for all and our planet,” said Roos.

    Lipton writes that the rebranding will strengthen the company’s position as the world’s number one tea business and affirm its approach as a consumer-centric organization. Ekaterra currently generates €2 billion in annual turnover from sales in 150 countries. The name change is more inclusive of non-traditional brands in the ekaterra portfolio, such as Pukka and TAZO. The company owns 34 brands including PG Tips, the T2 retail chain, and regional brands such as Brooke Bond Red Label and Bushell’s in Australia.

    | The First of Seven Agriculture-Focused Satellites is Safely in Orbit

    The SpaceX Transporter safely delivered the first Agri-Focused Earth Observation Satellite (EOS) into orbit Jan. 3. The constellation of seven satellites will each monitor one million square kilometers daily, covering 100% of the largest areas of farm and forestlands, about 98% of the globe’s land surface. The satellites, designed by Dragonfly Aerospace, scan 13 bands to generate panchromatic and multispectral imagery to monitor daily crop growth, water stress, weed spread, the presence of pests, and temperature variations at ground level. Tea growers can use the data to precisely control CO2 emissions, cut energy consumption, decrease water usage and reduce losses to pests.

    | The Specialty Tea Institute Ceases Operations
    According to Peter Goggi, president of the Tea Association of the U.S.A, the decision was driven by economics and a decline in interest. STI will not accept membership applications in 2023 and will not conduct classes anytime in the near future, he said. Goggi writes that STI could not offer many courses over the last three years due to COVID and had experienced a dramatic drop in both membership and interested students. STI is the association’s educational arm, offering basic through advanced training. The institute’s Certified Tea Specialist and Certified STI Instructor credentials and STI Tea Mentors program were well respected with participation by tea professionals around the world.

    | PLUS Mou Dasgupta, founder of Brook37 The Atelier in Princeton, New Jersey, is pursuing her passion for tea after 25 years of trendsetting corporate leadership in the financial services industry. She developed a love for fine-quality tea while living in West Bengal, India, where she attended university in Calcutta. She says Brook37 “is proud to bring fresh thinking and an ethical and sustainable mindset to all we do,” she says. “Our unparalleled tea selection of flavors, aromas, and colors from around the world, along with exquisite packaging, help you choose a positive and aspirational lifestyle.”

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