Our Farmers

Metolius Tea sources as many ingredients as possible directly from small co-op and family-owned farms. We have found the most vibrant flavors, values and relationships at the community level. Our most cherished farming partnerships practice sustainable farming and affect measurable social impact in their communities.

Foster Farms

Foster Farm Botanicals is a Vermont-based organic farm with Regenerative Organic®, Real Project Organic, and USDA Organic certifications. They improve and rehabilitate their soil health while committing to animal welfare and social fairness.

Shop Cinnamon Hibiscus Learn about Regenerative Organics

Lafaza

Our partner in Madagascar sources our vanilla direct from co-op farmers who practice sustainable farming in an effort to protect the unique rainforest biodiversity in the north-east coast of Madagascar. This direct-trade model ensures farmers are paid a premium for their crops.

Vanilla-blended Earl Grey

Meru Herbs

We source our hibiscus and lemongrass from a women’s farming co-op in Eastern Kenya. Their mission is to empower women, alleviate poverty, and improve farmers’ standard of living. The 470 small-scale farmers receive sustainable incomes, education, irrigation, and financial services in exchange for their quality, organically grown herbs.

Cinnamon Hibiscus Little Bear

Elephant Origins

Certified Elephant Friendly™ addresses hazards to elephants in tea growing regions, including impassable drainage ditches, electrocution, toxic exposure to pesticides, and human-elephant conflict. A companion benefits to helping the elephants include better working conditions for people and more biodiverse and soil healthy practices. In addition to Elephant Friendly™, Tenzing's tea is USDA Organic and Fair Trade, and included in the Ethical Tea Partnership.

Tenzing Tea

Nepal Tea Collective

We partner with Nepal Tea Collective to source organic orthodox teas directly from family-owned farms in Eastern Nepal. The direct-trade model supports economic initiatives towards education and housing for farmers, ensuring the continuation of their sustainable farming practices that preserve the climatic quirks of the region, lending to the distinct flavors of Nepali teas.

Black Rose Earl Grey

Local Lavender

We buy lavender from local Central Oregonians Heidi and Bob, a husband-wife team with several acres of plants devoted to Metolius Tea. Their garden promotes the health of the local bee population.

Sweet Bee Green

Guatemalan Cardamom

Our cardamom partner is a cooperative of 120 small family farms committed to education initiatives, reforestation, and fair trade.

Metolius Chai North Tea

Schillings Garden Market

Our local Schillings Garden Market - famous for their annual pumpkin patch - grows beautiful bachelor's buttons throughout their garden and harvests them just for us. These beauties supplement our larger stock but do not comprise 100% of the buttons you'll find in our Earl Grey and Earl Grey Gold.

Earl Grey Gold

Peruvian Ginger

Our ginger farmer's techniques regenerate soil health and allow free space for thriving populations of native rainforest animal species. The remote region is comprised of small plots of farmer-owned land and one processing facility.

Metolius Chai Turmeric Gold

Brazilian Sugar

Our sugar is Regenerative Organic Certified™, a program that ensures both environmental sustainability and social good. Their facility is 100% carbon neutral and they were recognized as a Sustainability Champion for their proactive approach to balancing environmental and social contributions with profitability.

Metolius Chai

High Mountain China

We partner with a tea company based in the high mountains of Yunnan where tea gardens are interspersed with old growth forest. They pay good prices to the farmers and celebrate the sustainable development of both nature and society in China.

Black & Gold Gold Needles

Seahorse Chocolate

Cacao shells are the casings around the chocolate nib. Chocolate makers have no use for them, but they are better than chocolate itself for making chocolatey tea infusions. A few times a month we make our way to RC's divinely aromatic chocolate factory and collect his shells for a most excellent purpose.

Metolius Mint