A Tealeaf’s Journey: Teatulia’s “Garden to Cup” Philosophy

A Tealeaf’s Journey: Teatulia’s “Garden to Cup” Philosophy Avoids Middlemen, Brings Freshest Premium Quality Organic Tea to Consumers

Contact:

Linda Appel Lipsius, Teatulia, tel 303.433.2980 x 102, linda@teatulia.com  

Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural Marketing, tel 303.807.1042, steve@compassnatural.com

Teatulia’s “garden to cup” philosophy brings pure whole leaf organic teas direct to customers from a single tea garden in Northern Bangladesh's Tetulia region—the only tea garden in Bangladesh to be USDA certified organic. Never blended, these teas are imported fresh, resulting in a refreshingly clean flavor.

Denver, CO (January 23, 2012) – By sourcing directly from its own 1,500-acre certified organic tea garden in Northern Bangladesh, Denver-based Teatulia is able to bring the very freshest, highest quality line of pure whole leaf organic teas to America and the United Kingdom.

With a primary connection to its production partners in Bangladesh, Teatulia imports its organic tea direct to America and the UK, avoiding middlemen and commodity warehouses, where mainstream-traded teas often sit for years before reaching the consumer market. 

Additionally, “Teatulia’s farm-to-table teas are never bulk blended by third-party traders,” says Teatulia Director of Marketing Chris Olsen, whereas almost all commercial teas sold in the West are blends, he says. The aim of blending, where a commercial tea can contain up to 35 different types of tea, according to the U.K. Tea Council, is to maintain constant taste, despite the loss of one or other source due to adverse weather or high prices. Also, teas are often mixed to garner a higher price by blending higher quality tea in with lesser quality varieties. 

As such, Teatulia is garnering recognition as a leader in pure, “single-garden direct” tea, bringing the freshest, premium quality whole leaf tea grown without the use of toxic, synthetic pesticides and fertilizers at a better price to organic consumers and discerning tea drinkers everywhere, he says.  

“Too often, tea is treated as a commodity, controlled by a small handful of multinational tea packers and brokers, sometimes taking two years or more by the time it is harvested, stored at auctioneers warehouses, blended and packed before making it to store shelves,” says Teatulia co-founder and CEO Linda Appel Lipsius. “As a small producer, Teatulia imports its tea fresh and direct to the US, taking only a fraction of the time commodity teas take to reach the store shelf.” 

Teatulia also is pioneering the establishment of Bangladesh as a leading producer of sustainably harvested, premium tea. Its tea garden is the first certified organic tea garden in Bangladesh. Working with the community in the Tetulia Upazila region—Teatulia’s namesake—sales of Teatulia products help support education and community development in Bangladesh. Through its commitment to people and sustainability in the region, Teatulia has helped to significantly restore the eco-system, create jobs, and serve the local community by establishing women’s cattle lending programs, building new school libraries and adult literacy programs, and improving access to health care. 

About Teatulia

Teatulia, founded in 2009, is a woman and minority owned business with a mission to provide “100% organic teas with a purpose.” With its line of single-origin, premium certified organic teas, Teatulia’s work helps support local economies, education and sustainability initiatives in northern Bangladesh. The company also is committed to fully compostable and recyclable packaging, down to the biodegradable teabags. Teatulia teas are available online atwww.teatulia.com, and at leading natural, organic and specialty food stores and select restaurants, cafes and coffee houses in Colorado and throughout the United States and in the United Kingdom. For more information, contact Linda Appel Lipsius at Teatulia, tel 303.433.2980, linda@teatulia.com.

Teatulia's One-Straw Revolution Brings Organic to Bangladesh

For Immediate Release:

Contact: 

Linda Appel Lipsius, Teatulia, tel 303.433.2980 x 102, linda@teatulia.com  

Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural Marketing, tel 303.807.1042, steve@compassnatural.com

Inspired by the principles of Japanese farmer/philosopher Masanobu Fukuoka, author of The One-Straw Revolution, Teatulia looks to expand its 1,500-acre, certified organic tea garden in northern Bangladesh, supporting local economies and providing premium organic teas to the U.S. and world markets.

Denver, Colo., (October 17, 2011) - There is a significant connection between America, Bangladesh and Japan when it comes to organic tea. Adopting sustainable farming techniques created by the late Japanese farmer and philosopher Masanobu Fukuoka, author of the acclaimed book The One-Straw Revolution, Denver-based organic tea company Teatulia has been successful in creating the only USDA-certified organic tea garden in Bangladesh—with a goal of being the largest organic tea garden in the world.

From this pristine 1,500-acre tea garden, where no toxic, synthetic pesticides are ever used, Teatulia imports a full line of award-winning, single garden direct teas from its namesake community, Tetulia Upazila, in Northern Bangladesh.

“As demand for Teatulia tea grows, so will the acreage of our organic tea farm. Our goal is to be the world’s largest organic tea garden,” says Linda Appel Lipsius, CEO and company cofounder. “Adopting principles from Masanobu Fukuoka’s ‘natural farming’ philosophy is resulting in a thriving ecosystem teeming with once endangered flora and fauna, and a more sustainable economy for the Tetulia Upazila region, plus it allows us to produce higher quality organic teas year after year,” she says.

First published in English in 1978 by Rodale Press, The One-Straw Revolution has been called “one of the founding documents of the alternative food movement, and indispensable to anyone hoping to understand the future of food and agriculture,” by Michael Pollan, renowned author of The Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food.

“Masanobu Fukuoka’s work is one of the key influences in our organic philosophy and practices,” says Kazi Anis Ahmed, Teatulia’s cofounder and partner based in Bangladesh. “While we have to adapt to the realities of a very different climate, the main takeaway is to farm with as little intervention as possible, a principle that is close to our hearts and one that is diligently followed.”

Teatulia’s One-Straw Revolution Farming

Masanobu Fukuoka, who first created “natural farming” in 1947, introduced a unique philosophy. Unique among tea producers, Teatulia has adopted techniques from The One-Straw Revolution into its own farming practice, beginning with a core understanding that nature lies beyond the reach of human intelligence and therefore humans need only minimal intervention in the roles for which nature is responsible.

Like Fukuoka did as a rice farmer in Japan, Teatulia does not plow, flood its land with unnatural irrigation sources, or use toxic, synthetic pesticides, fertilizers or other chemicals. Instead, nature is the guide to farming, and all unnecessary elements and inputs are peeled away. This style of non-invasive farming regenerates the ecosystems that make up Teatulia’s tea garden, producing a stimulating environment in which tea plants thrive.

The One-Straw Revolution teaches that making the most out of one’s land is to, in essence, allow nature to take its course. Fukuoka’s four principles of natural farming that have been adopted by Teatulia include:

·      No cultivation or plowing; soils remain intact

·      No chemical fertilizers or prepared compost

·      No weeding by tillage or herbicides

·      No dependence on toxic, synthetic pesticides or other chemicals

“Natural farming” is often seen as deceptively simple farming. The results, however, are nothing short of magical, says Kazi Anis Ahmed. Growing tea under sustainable farming practices creates pure teas that are the flavor of nature. Soils are nutrient-rich, eco-systems are balanced, and sustainable farming practices are taught to the community to help grow personal crops as well.

About Teatulia
Teatulia, founded in 2009, is a woman and minority owned business with a mission to provide “100% organic teas with a purpose.” With its line of single-origin, premium certified organic teas, Teatulia’s work helps support local economies, education and sustainability initiatives in northern Bangladesh. The company also is committed to fully compostable and recyclable packaging, down to the biodegradable teabags. Teatulia teas are available online at www.teatulia.com, and at leading natural, organic and specialty food stores and select restaurants, cafes and coffee houses in Colorado and throughout the United States and in the United Kingdom. For more information, contact Linda Appel Lipsius at Teatulia, tel 303.433.2980, linda@teatulia.com.

Teatulia Helping Reduce the Rocky Mountain Pine Beetle Blues

Contact:

Linda Appel Lipsius, Teatulia, tel 303.433.2980 x 102, linda@teatulia.com  

Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural Marketing, tel 303.807.1042, steve@compassnatural.com

Denver, Colo., (September 26, 2011) - Teatulia, a Denver-based tea company offering USDA certified, premium organic tea from Northern Bangladesh, has a strong commitment to sustainability. Its packaging is made of recyclable and biodegradable paperboard canisters, unbleached labels, compostable corn silk pyramid tea bags, and individual tea wrappers made from compostable eucalyptus.

Now, Teatulia has expanded its sustainability commitment beyond its packaging to offer retailers and food service partners display racks made from the wood of pine trees killed by the Rocky Mountain Pine Beetle, an infestation that is ravaging forests in the West, including thousands of acres in Colorado. Teatulia is making use of this beautiful pine wood, streaked with blues, greens and greys, to create attractive displays while helping to clear forests of millions of dead trees to help encourage new growth.

According to the Colorado State Forest Service, there has been an outbreak of Rocky Mountain Pine Beetles since 1996, resulting in the loss of millions of trees in Colorado. The beetles tunnel into live pines such as lodgepole, ponderosa, Scotch and limber pines and lay eggs. The larvae live off the tree from fall until summer when they form into new adults and exit the tree. During this process the beetle also transmits a fungus that contaminates and ultimately kills the tree. This process leaves behind a blue-green coloration in the wood.

“Coloradans are saddened by the destruction the pine beetles have created. The degradation of our forests not only has a monumental effect on nature but also the timber industry. We want to support local businesses by putting this beautiful timber to use,” said Teatulia Co-Founder & CEO Linda Appel Lipsius. 

Tea Chests to Treasure

Teatulia’s award-winning tea and beautiful, sustainable packaging deserve to be displayed in natural Colorado pine. “Getting away from wire racks and creating an attractive, eye-catching display helps our retail and food service partners. We wanted to offer them something different,” says Chris Olsen, Teatulia’s Marketing Director. “By using natural wood and integrating modern print technology, we were able to create a display that captures Teatulia’s commitment to sustainability.”

Offering three distinctive displays for tea canisters, loose leaf and single serving teas, Teatulia helps local Colorado woodworkers use timber that some assume to be of lesser quality.  However, as the saying goes, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” “We love the unique look of each of these handmade chests," says Chris Olsen. “Every one of them is inspiring and tells its own story. Just like our tea collections.” 

About Teatulia

Teatulia, founded in 2009, is a woman and minority owned business with a mission to provide “100% organic teas with a purpose.” With its line of single-origin, premium certified organic teas, Teatulia’s work helps support local economies, education and sustainability initiatives in northern Bangladesh. The company also is committed to fully compostable and recyclable packaging, down to the biodegradable teabags. Teatulia teas are available online at www.teatulia.com, and at leading natural, organic and specialty food stores and select restaurants, cafes and coffee houses in Colorado and throughout the United States and in the United Kingdom. For more information, contact Linda Appel Lipsius at Teatulia, tel 303.433.2980, linda@teatulia.com.

Love at First Flush: Teatulia’s 2011 Limited Edition Ananda Tea

For Immediate  Release:

Contact:

Linda Appel Lipsius, Teatulia, tel 303.433.2980 x 102, linda@teatulia.com

Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural Marketing, tel 303.807.1042, steve@compassnatural.com

Love at First Flush: Teatulia’s 2011 Limited Edition Ananda Tea Harvested from First Tea Leaves of Spring, Available for Limited Time Only

Denver, Colo., (September 8, 2011) – Love at first flush—no, we’re not talking about getting red in the face—we’re talking about the reaction tea aficionados have when they taste Teatulia’s limited edition Ananda first flush black tea.

Teatulia, a Denver-based, woman and minority-owned organic tea company whose teas come from their own 2,000 organic tea garden in northern Bangladesh, announces the release of Ananda Tea, its premium quality, exquisitely flavored, limited edition first flush tea. 

Ananda comes from the “first flush,” meaning the harvest of fresh new tea leaves that appear in the early spring after the period of winter dormancy. First flush harvests offer the purest tea leaves available, producing abundantly fresh, bright and flavorful tea. Teatulia’s first flush leaves produce a flavorful black tea that avid tea drinkers deem to be among the freshest and most unique cups of tea available, according to Teatulia co-founder and CEO Linda Appel Lipsius. 

Terroir of Tea: Ananda Offers Taste of the Season, Growing Region

Beautiful, hand crafted single-estate organic teas comprise Teatulia’s offerings, and now the company is providing tea lovers a taste of the freshness of spring and a glimpse into the taste of the season’s future harvests. 

Like wine, tea is influenced by weather and the local growing conditions that contribute to a tea’s flavor and aroma. Very special characteristics that appear only in the spring make drinking Teatulia’s Ananda first flush tea a rare opportunity to taste its seasonality.  

“Ananda, meaning bliss in Sanskrit, was named after the experience one will have while enjoying the tea,” says Linda Appel Lipsius. With its light color, gentle aroma, and mild astringency, Ananda Tea has a pronounced taste of sweet malt with notes of soaked raisin and barley. According to Linda Appel Lipsius, tea lovers will appreciate Ananda’s complexity and refreshing qualities.

Spring Harvest Important to Bangladesh Community
Although the unique taste and purity of the tea draws immediate consumer attention to the product itself, it is the spring season that awakens the wider agricultural community from winter dormancy in northern Bangladesh. “Tea harvesters anxiously await nature’s growth. The high-quality spring tea provides an important, viable economic resource for the tea farm and the community,” says Teatulia co-founder Linda Appel Lipsius. 

Since 2000, the Teatulia Cooperative has established revolutionary education, health and cattle-lending programs for the people working in the 2,000-acre certified organic tea garden and surrounding areas. All sales of Teatulia Organic Teas contribute to this mission, helping to better the lives of Bangladeshi men, women and children while rebuilding the local ecosystem. The company’s release of Ananda helps reach the community’s poverty alleviation goals. 

The newest tea to the Teatulia catalog is available at www.Teatulia.com. As Ananda Tea comprises the rare first harvest of the spring season, it is available for a limited time only. Visit here for more information on Teatulia’s pure and exquisite, limited edition Ananda Tea.

About Teatulia
Teatulia, founded in 2009, is a woman and minority owned business with a mission to provide “100% organic teas with a purpose.” With its line of single-origin, premium certified organic teas, Teatulia’s work helps support local economies, education and sustainability initiatives in northern Bangladesh. The company also is committed to fully compostable and recyclable packaging, down to the biodegradable teabags. Teatulia teas are available online at www.teatulia.com, at Whole Foods Markets stores in the Northwest, Northeast, Southeast and Rocky Mountain region, and at select restaurants, cafes and coffee houses in Colorado and throughout the country. For more information, contact Linda Appel Lipsius at Teatulia, tel 303.433.2980, linda@teatulia.com.