Gorreana facts for kids
Gorreana is a famous company from Portugal. It is located on São Miguel Island in the Azores, a group of islands in the Atlantic Ocean. This company has been making tea since 1883. This makes it the oldest tea plantation in all of Europe! Gorreana produces both black and green tea.
The Story of Tea in the Azores
Tea plants were first brought to São Miguel Island in the 1800s. The seeds came from ships returning from the Eastern world, like China. Growing tea was new for the island.
Help from China
To help the tea plants grow well, experts were needed. A Chinese man named Lau-a-Pan came to the Azores. He was a tea master. He brought his knowledge and skills. His interpreter, Lau-a-Teng, helped him communicate. Thanks to their help, tea farming became very successful on the island.
A Growing Industry
By the early 1900s, the tea industry was booming. São Miguel Island had many tea farms. There were 10 different tea factories. Almost 50 tea plantations were thriving. Gorreana is one of the few that still operates today. It continues the long tradition of tea making in Europe.
