Road Tea

How to follow the tea road?

Tea is a drink of everyday, shared by billions of people, often prepared in a
rudimentary way and yet, far from being ordinary, it offers a magical dimension!
Why?
It is because, contrary to the other drinks, tea never tastes the same, either the
same flavour, or the same strength. Different types of teas are found in immensely diversifying flavours, tastes, colours and benefits.

Of all the countries I visited, I discovered a thousand ways to drink tea. Through
the rituals practiced by people, I realized that preparing and pouring a tea was a
relationship to others and nature, the same relationships as those that matter in
our lives. This made the voyage even more enticing, to learn and experience tea
rituals of the lands producing it.

To share my experience of all those feelings and finding magical moments, here
are some of my various travels, including China, Japan, India, Laos, Vietnam, Sri
Lanka, South Africa, Burkina-Faso and Argentina. Not only have I explored teas in these regions but also learnt about plants and flowers that made mixtures, coming from the four corners of the world. This in particular helped the creative tea fanatic inside me to bring out his creativity in designing unique tea mixtures that leave a splendid impact on the drinker.

On the road of organic tea producers, the goal remains the same: to promote
the organic sector by providing direct and fair compensation for producers,
improving incomes, enhancing living conditions, granting social rights and ensuring environmental goodness.

Here is a study of some regions:

ASIA:

China: Region of Yunnan - There is an excellent cooperative, organic
certified in 2004 and FLO in 2007, the cooperative has 250 families of
small producers belonging to the Lahu ethnic group.

Favourite Teas: Pu-erh, Mini Tuocha, Yunnan Dianhong.

China: Hubei region - Another cooperative, organic certified in 2001 and
FLO in 2007, has 500 families of small producers belonging to ethnic Tujia
and Miao.

Favourite Teas: Chun Mee, Gunpowder, Sencha, Jade Cloud, Wulu Premium Kung Fu Congou, Lapsang Souchong.

Laos: Tray of Bolovènes – organic certified in 2007 and FLO in 2009, the
cooperative of my choice has saved the hand-made production scale of 100
families of farmers cultivating traditional tea of high quality.

Favourite Teas: Green, Black Paksong, Celestial Oolong, Mekong.

LATIN AMERICA

Argentina: Guiray (Misiones Province) - I visited a small cooperative,
which includes 20 producers of mate. I have partners who have worked for
5 years in creating this production of organic material in the region of San
Vicente.

Plant chosen: Maté

AFRICA

Burkina Faso - I started a development project in 2009 for 2 plants
(hibiscus and neem) in Burkina-Faso with the help of Africa Orange
Blue. This project will support the work of rural women and maintain the
culture of ancient plants.

Plants: Hibiscus, Neem.

The road to tea producers has been overwhelming in all ways. Direct
association with the cooperatives and studying tea with small farmers led La
Route Des Comptoirs to where it stands today.