We began with a domestic supplier. When our carefully selected teas arrived, the markings on the boxes indicated that some of them were a few years old. We were assured that the carefully packaged teas were impervious to aging, but we knew differently and began a search for fresher sources. This led us to Germany, the epicenter of global tea trade. Freshness and quality improved, but there were still limits to selection and a sense of mystery about the origins of our products. In search of these, we began visiting and forging relations with tea growers in Asia. Now all the teas we offer come directly from the farmers who painstakingly cultivate them.
