Learning About the World of Tea

To understand tea properly, we went to the source. Our first trip was to Sri Lanka, where we attended a tea expo and visited multiple tea estates. It was the beginning of an education that would take us much further. We saw how different teas were grown, harvested and processed. We learned that nearly every tea in the world comes from the same plant, Camellia sinensis, and that it is the character of the region, the processing and oxidation, and the skill of the blender that creates the enormous range of varieties and flavours people enjoy.

From there, John travelled to the tea-growing villages of Fujian province in China, where he learned about Tie guan yin, a tea the locals call Iron Goddess of Mercy. He watched a tea master with 60 years of experience sort through baskets of oolong, separating leaves by quality with a precision that could not be taught in a classroom. He visited Hamburg, a historic hub for tea and herbal blending, where suppliers with 150 years of experience advised on what might work for the New Zealand market.

Those relationships remain central to how t leaf T operates today. We work with trusted suppliers around the world, sourcing peppermint from Washington State for its high menthol content, ginger from Nigeria for its clean, bright flavour, and lemongrass from Thailand. Where a tea or herb comes from matters as much as what it is. Swap one ingredient for a cheaper alternative from a different region, and the flavour changes entirely.

Starting Small, Dreaming Big

In 2005, we took the leap. We found half a unit on Union Street in Petone, shared with another company, and imported around 130 different teas. The plan was straightforward: bring a wide range of quality teas to New Zealand and let customers decide what they wanted. Within six months, about 30 varieties had been cut. The rest stayed, and the range kept growing, because every tea drinker is looking for something a little different.

The early days were not easy. I kept working as a marketing manager while John threw himself into the business full time. Like most startups, money went out faster than it came in. We invested in a website at a time when online shopping was still finding its feet. We opened a retail store in Dukes Arcade, on the corner of Willis and Manners in central Wellington. We launched a wholesale division.

It was a big call. A young family, a mortgage, and the real possibility of losing it all.

Creating Something Distinctly New Zealand

Our growing global knowledge found a local expression in a range of New Zealand botanical blends. John would walk through Trelissick Park in Wellington with Kelly, the family chocolate Labrador, picking kawakawa leaves to dry at home. Blended with lemongrass and ginger, the result is a tea with just three ingredients that has become one of t leaf T's best sellers: Kawakawa Fire. New Zealand Breakfast followed, combining a strong, malty Assam with a touch of manuka leaf to give it a distinctly Kiwi character. These have since been joined by several further additions that also benefit from unique Kiwi ingredients.

Tea blending is precise work, and getting these recipes right takes patience and testing. The smallest change in one ingredient can shift the entire flavour profile, so each blend is developed with care and a willingness to start again when it is not working.

A Family Business in Every Sense

t leaf T has always been a family enterprise. Our three children grew up alongside the business, all contributing in different ways, particularly during their teens.

Our youngest son, Jack, worked in the factory regularly, packing teas and being part of the daily rhythm as a valued member of the team. Our tragic loss of Jack in 2019 devastated us, and continues to do so. There have been times in our grief when we felt that walking away from everything might be an option. But we kept going, initially one day at a time, and eventually found our footing again. With the team's support, and the steady constant of work, the business has helped us find enjoyment again, despite missing our gorgeous boy every day.

Brin and Anna now have independent careers of their own. Still, Anna continues to work actively in the business alongside her life overseas. She plays a central role leading the design, packaging, and social media activities, bringing a fresh perspective to the brand while staying true to the values that remain the foundation of the company. Having grown with the brand, Anna has an intuitive feel for it. She will not compromise on what she believes is right, and is willing to stand her ground to defend it.

Built on Trust and Repeat Business

Today, we offer New Zealand's largest range of teas, with more than 160 varieties including black, green, white, oolong, herbal, and fruit infusions. Eight out of every ten orders on the t leaf T website come from repeat customers. We hold a 5-star Trustpilot rating, dispatch orders placed before 3pm the same day, and serve more than 500 wholesale customers across New Zealand. When something goes wrong, we put it right, quickly and without fuss.

We have weathered the global financial crisis, a major shift in hospitality economics, and the lasting effects of COVID on hospitality trade. Online sales have grown in double digits for more than a decade. Through all of it, the approach has stayed the same: source quality teas, serve customers well, and never compromise on either.

We now own our own warehouse in Petone. We recently renovated the retail store and continue to introduce exciting new blends. Anna is currently refreshing the packaging designs. As the business continues to evolve, the commitment to bringing remarkable teas to New Zealand remains the same.

If you have not found your tea yet, come explore, experience and enjoy the range at t leaf T.