Our Story
FORMOSA OOLONG
Taiwan is a small mountainous island discovered in 1590 by the Portuguese, who named it "Formosa" (“the beautiful”). Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, and English all occupied the island at various points during the 16th and 17th centuries, for its ideal strategic position for exporting goods to Europe. The Dutch, who occupied Taiwan from 1624 to 1662, were the first to develop tea trade in this territory.
In 1662, Admiral Zheng Cheng Gong reconquered the territory. Chinese from FuJian Province (Anxi and Wuyi) immigrated to Taiwan, brought with them tea seeds, plants, and their expertise in tea growing. Families began to cultivate small tea gardens to satisfy their personal needs.
Toward the end of the 18th century, the tea trade started to develop. In 1866, John Dodd offered financing to Taiwanese peasants who wanted to start plantations, and set up factories in Taipei so the new local growers would have access to every stage of tea processing.
150 YEARS LATER
In 2016, an unreasonably passionate tea drinker named Amy climbed thousands of steps uphill battling rain storms and thunder clouds, fought off high grass gnomes and slayed dragons in the highest hilltops of Taiwan, so she could get her hands on the ever so precious tea.
Just kidding, she did not fight any dragons or gnomes. None of this ever happened nor was her journey this exciting. She, did however spend the past 5 years of her life reading every single tea book she could get her hands on and traveled across the world to source Oolong Tea direct from its source, Taiwan, contributing back to these very farms her tea comes from.
She made a historic promise: "I will only sell tea that I am not hesitant to serve my family. The finest, healthiest, and most responsibly sourced tea. Free from dilution, synthetic additives, and flavor engineering."
OUR JOURNEY
We are not a big company or have board members from Fortune 500 companies. We do not have Michelin 3-star tea blends or black truffle infused tea from Unicorn nests. What we are offering is tea direct from the sun-scarred hands of tea farmers living in the highest mountains of tropical Taiwan; a majestic setting that is not only IG-worthy, but has centuries of knowledge in tea cultivation and roasting.
You must be wondering, what does all this taste like? What does tea direct from a little island called Taiwan, birthplace of stinky-tofu and yet yields majestic and picturesque high mountains full of Oolong Teas. The taste is of a mountain spring that sends you through a path of mist and aromas of flowery bouquets; some are so floral that they should be on the Claritin-D commercials.
Don't take our word for it. We would love to take you along our journey, taste the stories of these very farmers and support their livelihood. We are tea importer by trade, but a team of serious tea enthusiasts on a mission to re-imagine the world of tea free from politics, greed and corporate strategies. We are on the journey to collect the best Oolong Tea with transparency and traceability.
Would you join us on this tasting adventure?
