Nepal Tea Collective is dedicated to transforming the lives of tea farmers through direct relationships with consumers. Founded in 2016, it operates a dynamic business model that includes wholesale, direct-to-consumer sales, and immersive tea tourism. The Collective emphasizes sustainability, empowering farmers, and fostering transparency, aiming to uplift communities while promoting high-quality Nepali tea globally.
There’s a saying that goes, “A simple cup of tea is far from a simple matter.” This rings especially true for Nepal Tea Collective, a dedicated team focused on forging direct relations between tea lovers and tea farmers. At the core of the Nepal Tea Collective lies a deep commitment to transforming the lives of tea farmers and their communities.
What began in the 1960s as a visionary goal by the founders’ father to lift the villages out of poverty through sustainable tea farming has now evolved into Nepal Tea Collective. To this day, the company continues this mission with unwavering dedication, striving to make a meaningful impact every step of the way.
Since its inception in 2016, the company has focused on creating strong relationships between buyers and farmers. This partnership has ensured fair compensation, empowering farmers and enhancing their lives, resulting in a 48.07% increase in partner income. A detailed breakdown of the impact the company has made can be found in the impact report that it recently published.
Dynamic Business Model
To support and sustain these initiatives, Nepal Tea Collective operates through a dynamic business model designed to elevate Nepali tea on a global stage. Their business model is strategically divided into three major sections: Wholesale, DTC, and TaaS.
The wholesale division partners with stores nationally and internationally to showcase Nepali tea alongside other global varieties
The Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) offers seasonal farm-fresh teas directly to customers through its Shopify-enabled website and e-commerce platforms.
Additionally, their innovative Tea as a Service (TaaS) model invites consumers to Nepal, providing an immersive experience in tea cultivation and production. This tourism initiative allows visitors to appreciate the intricate labor and tradition behind each cup, which fosters a deeper connection to the tea and its origin.
Commitment to Sustainability
Building on this foundation, Nepal Tea Collective is deeply committed to creating a sustainable future. Nestled along the Eastern Himalayan range, their tea communities thrive within a stunning yet vulnerable ecosystem increasingly imperiled by the advancing climate crisis.
In response, the company recently introduced a line of 100% non-GMO, plant-based, industrially compostable tea bags filled with their whole-leaf organic teas. For every package of tea purchased, they pledge to plant a tea sapling supporting reforestation efforts and sequestering approximately 5 lbs of CO2 per sapling.
Empowering Farmers and Tea Workers
At the heart of Nepal Tea Collective’s operation are the farmers and tea workers. The company ensures that their tea buyers know exactly where their teas come from and see the faces of the farmers and tea workers who make their teas.
They have launched the 'Tip the Farmer' feature, where international buyers can scan the QR code provided in the packaging to leave a tip for the farmers. Furthermore, through their 1% revenue distribution program, they have successfully distributed $3,985 to 81 farmers and tea workers in the past year.
Empowering Women and Education
Partnering with the Nepal Tea Foundation, Nepal Tea Collective is committed to empowering women in the tea industry and providing scholarships for first-generation students in Eastern Nepal.
In 2023, they are also sponsoring Rojina Lamgade's tea-making course, which will make her the third woman tea maker and the youngest tea maker in Nepal, breaking barriers and promoting female leadership in the industry.
Emphasis on Transparency
In 2023, Nepal Tea Collective changed its company structure to a PBC (public benefit corporation) and onboarded 180 investors through a crowdfunding model. They prioritize transparency, manually tracking every step of the tea journey and providing this information on every single package and tea bag label. The company is also aspiring to attain a B-Corp certification in 2024 to further ensure complete transparency.
Furthermore, they have recently announced a USD 1,000,000 grant for this Feed the Future USAID Nepali tea partnership. This transformative initiative aims to bolster climate-smart production in Nepal by equipping farmers with sustainable farming skills and enhancing the ability to produce, transport, and store high-quality products for export.
Nepal Tea Collective is more than just a tea company. It's a testament to the power of community, sustainability, and transparency. As they strive to brew for a better tomorrow, the Collective continues to create a global identity for Nepali tea, uplift a million farmers from poverty, and foster a vibrant entrepreneurial learning platform in Nepal. Indeed, each cup of tea from the Nepal Tea Collective is far from simple; it's a cup brimming with positive impact.