https://www.cntraveller.in/story/made-in-india-15-tea-brands-local-chai/
In India, tea is far from just a beverage. From street-side cutting chai to gourmet, infused brews, tea reaches people across the country. India is the second largest producer of tea in the world, right after China. And there are several homegrown brands that are working hard to innovate with regional flavours, while also focussing on sustainability and farmer involvement.
Here are 15 tea brands that are made in India
Organic India
Organic India works with small family farmers to cultivate thousands of acres of sustainable organic farmland across India. Their signature tulsi teas carry an organic certification, are rich in antioxidants and come in a variety of flavours, including ginger, lemon, ashwagandha and jasmine. They also have caffeine-free options like Tulsi Ginger Turmeric and Tulsi Sweet Rose.
Tea Trunk
Founded in 2013 by tea sommelier Snigdha Manchanda, Tea Trunk sources teas directly from farmers to craft them into unique blends like marigold green tea, rose oolong tea and masala chai black tea. Their goal is to source quality teas within India and make them available to tea-lovers in the country as well as worldwide.
Brooke Bond Taj Mahal Tea House
Taj Mahal Tea was born in 1966 at a tea taster's chamber in Kolkata and was India's first premium tea brand. They source their teas from the gardens of Assam, Darjeeling and the Nilgiris. Their offerings include loose teas, whole leaf tea bags as well as their Gourmet Chai collection, with teas like Karipatta Delight and Mint Masala tea.
No. 3 Clive Road
Named after the home where founder Radhika Chopra's father was born, No. 3 Clive Road is a luxury brand that specialises in hand-blended teas. At their atelier in New Delhi, they produce blends that evoke a sense of the past, like the Aurangzeb Blend, which harks back to Mughal Delhi with flavours of rose, jasmine and marigold. Similarly, their Jodhpur Blend contains blue cornflower petals reminiscent of the blue pigment in the walls surrounding the Mehrangarh Fort.
Goodwyn tea
Kolkata's Goodwyn Tea is a producer-owned tea brand that sources tea from their century-old 6000 acre tea estates in Assam. They sell loose teas like Kashmiri Kahwa and Single Origin Green Tea as well as tea bags in chamomile and peppermint flavours, among others.
Satori tea
Satori is a Japanese Buddhist word that stands for an experience of inner enlightenment. Keeping to this meaning, the artisanal tea brand aims to help people take a moment away from the noise and reconnect with themselves over a cup of tea. Satori offers 7 boutique teas, including flavours like Citrus and Spice and Floral Blossom.
Sancha Tea
Sancha was founded in 1981 by master tea taster Sanjay Kapur, who launched India's first gourmet tea store in Old Delhi. Today, over three decades later, they have a tea gallery in Delhi and sell 75 varieties of tea, including award winning Indian varietals. Some of their bestsellers are the Sleeping Beauty Tea, made to soothe the body at bedtime and the Lavender White Tea for rejuvenation. Their tea bags are environmentally friendly, biodegradable and use no plastic.
The Hillcart Tales
This artisanal tea brand finds its origins in HillCart Road in Darjeeling, where founder Ashutosh Ghosh first discovered his love for teas. They pride themselves for rare tea blends like Apple Strudel, Caramel Dream and Blood Orange. Their loose tea and muslin tea bags come in sustainable packaging with hand-painted watercolour illustrations, that can be easily upcycled into household decor accessories.
Himherbs
Himherbs operates from the scenic village of Raja Ke Bagh in Kangra, which is surrounded by the Dhauladhar Range. The focus on blending rare combinations of mountain flowers and herbs, with an underlying base of Kangra green tea. Their Himalayan Amrit Kangra Herbal Tea brings together the holistic goodness of Ayurveda and is even endorsed by the Indian Army, according to their website.
Chado Tea India
The word 'Cha' means tea in Chinese and a host of other languages, while the word ‘Do' means path or way in Japanese. Together, they make Chado- the way of tea. Chado Tea India offers over 100 varieties of loose leaf teas, including the Nilgiri Smokey Green Tea, Blue Pea Flower Tea and Lavender Earl Grey.
Jugmug Thela
JugMug Thela is a New Delhi-based gourmet food and beverage brand, with a focus on healthy food without any chemicals, colour or artificial flavours. They offer a range of chai masalas, each suited for a specific kind of tea, as well as fine teas in flavours like Chamomile and Vanilla. With a strong commitment to environmental sustainability, they source their ingredients directly from farmers and social enterprises and use biodegradable packaging.
Dancing Leaf
Based in Mumbai, Dancing Leaf's collection of 50 global teas boasts of rare, flavoured and traditional teas. Their teas are sourced locally from Assam, Nilgiri and Darjeeling, as well as internationally from China, Taiwan and Japan. Along with the white, black and green teas, they also have exotic concoctions like the Rooibos Cinnamon Infusion, which is packed with antioxidants and is caffeine-free.
Tea Treasure
Tea Treasure is a young brand looking to change the way tea is perceived, supplied and savoured in the Indian markets. Their organic herbs are sourced from various countries without any middle-men or third parties, so you can know exactly where your tea is coming from.
Dharmsala Tea Company
Founded in 1882, The Dharmsala Tea Company currently consists of sixth-generation tea planters committed to preserving the tradition of sharing single-origin Kangra tea with the rest of the world. The teas are created to transport people to the peace and tranquility of Dharmsala. They offer a wide range of ayurvedic, herbal and caffeine-free teas, along with floral and fruit blends.
Amaara Herbs
Amaara Herbs began its journey of infusing natural herbs in qualitea teas in 2017 and have been highlighting the energizing properties of herbal teas ever since. They view tea as a natural and healthy beverage that contributes to a better lifestyle. Their herb brews include the Metabolic Tea, which contains lemongrass, fennel and husk and the Ginseng or Ashwagandha Herb Tea, known to boost energy.
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