Young Mountain Tea

Young Mountain Tea's Story

In 2013, founder Raj traveled through the Himalayan region of Kumaon, witnessing the effects of urban migration: empty villages and abandoned farmlands vulnerable to landslides. The few remaining villagers, skilled in sustainable farming, aimed to revive tea gardens. With the growing U.S. specialty tea market, Raj saw an opportunity for high-quality Kumaon tea.

Raj and a local partner explored tea farming revival, discovering that British-planted tea bushes from the 1900s still survived. Inspired to reshape the Indian tea industry, Raj envisioned a farmer-owned model prioritizing quality over quantity. Partnering with industry leaders, Raj fostered small-scale, community-owned tea production, uniting local farmers with international tea experts. Their mission? To craft exceptional teas that empower Himalayan communities.

Commitment to Sustainability

At Young Mountain Tea, they focus on sustainability to reduce their environmental impact:

• Regenerative Agriculture: Promoting soil health through minimal disturbances, allowing tea trees to thrive for over 150 years.
• Reviving Fallow Land: Planting on abandoned land to stabilize soil and prevent landslides.
• Carbon Sequestration: Tea trees capture carbon throughout their long lifespan.
• Organic Practices: No pesticides or synthetic fertilizers are used, keeping teas free of harmful chemicals.
• Education: Collaborating with tea scientist Nigel Melican to educate farmers on soil health.
• Climate Positive Orders: Partnering with EcoCart to offset carbon emissions from manufacturing and shipping.

 
Since 2018, Frontier Co-op has partnered with USAID's Cooperative Development Program to launch the Safe Processing in Cooperative Enterprise (SPICE) project. SPICE aims to bring value-added processing back to source, boosting economic opportunities and reinvestment in communities. This project started with our partners in Sri Lanka, and has since grown to include two other projects in India and Guatemala.

Agricultural communities, especially women-led ones in Kumaon, India, face economic challenges, the pandemic, and climate-related soil degradation. To support them, Frontier Co-op is partnering with Young Mountain Tea to establish a tea processing facility in Kumaon. Local farmers will hold ownership stakes, providing economic benefits and building resilience against climate impacts.