Teekanne facts for kids

Teekanne GmbH & CO. KG is a well-known German company that sells tea. It is located in Düsseldorf, Germany. The company's founders, Rudolf Anders and Eugen Nissle, were very innovative. They were the first to sell tea in special tins. They also mixed teas to create high-quality blends. Later, they even invented the machine that makes tea bags. Today, this family-run company produces an amazing 7.5 billion tea bags every year!

History of Teekanne

How Teekanne Started

Teekanne began on July 16, 1882, in Dresden, Germany. Back then, it was called “R.Seelig & Hille”. In 1888, the company changed its name to “Theekanne”. This was the old German way to spell "Teekanne," which means "teapot". This new name was also registered as a trademark. Its registration number, 6541, makes it one of Germany's oldest trademarks still in use today.

In 1892, two employees, Eugen Nissle and Rudolf Anders, bought the company. They were the first to sell tea that was already blended and packaged. The company has stayed in the same family ever since. In 1912, Teekanne registered two new tea brands: “Teefix” and “Pompadour”.

Tea Bags and Innovations

During World War I, Teekanne helped soldiers and civilians. They provided them with "tea bombs." These were sweet portions of tea in small gauze bags. These handmade bags were the very first version of the modern tea bag we use today.

In 1929, a Teekanne employee named Adolf Rambold designed something amazing. He created the world's first machine for packing tea bags. This machine, called the “Pompadour,” could make 35 gauze bags every minute.

New Leadership and Challenges

In 1931, the next generation of the family took over the business. These were Ernst Rudolf Anders and Johannes Nissle. Ernst Rudolf Anders was on the LZ 129 Hindenburg airship in 1937. Sadly, he died during the Hindenburg explosion in Lakehurst, United States.

During the final days of World War II, Dresden and Teekanne suffered a lot of damage. In 1946, the company started to rebuild. They began in a small, simple place in Viersen, Germany.

Growth and Modern Tea Bags

In 1948, a new company was started just for making tea bags. It was called “Teepack.” Adolf Rambold became a co-owner. In 1949, he showed off his new, fully automatic tea bag machine. It was called the "Constanta." This machine could produce up to 160 double-chamber tea bags every minute. The revolutionary double-chamber tea bag was a new invention protected by a patent.

In 1957, Teekanne moved its main offices to Düsseldorf. The "Constanta" machine was improved even further. The new version was called the “Perfecta.” It could make 400 double-chamber bags in just one minute. This machine is now sold all over the world.

Expanding Across Europe

Teekanne Austria was founded in Salzburg in 1951. It started with its own production facilities. In 1996, Teekanne Austria took over the "Kandisin" brand in Vienna. Kandisin is a leading sugar substitute brand in Austria.

In 1991, Teekanne returned to its original home. It bought Teehaus GmbH in Radebeul, near Dresden. This brought Teekanne back to its roots in Dresden.

In 2006, the famous German tennis player Steffi Graf became the new face of Teekanne. She became their brand ambassador. In 2014, Teekanne opened a new production hall in Düsseldorf-Heerdt. This hall was very efficient and was considered one of the most modern production halls in Europe at the time.

Teekanne Family of Companies

The Teekanne Group includes several other companies around the world:

• Teepack Spezialmaschinen GmbH & Co. KG, Düsseldorf, Germany (started in 1948)
• Teekanne Ges.m.b.H, Salzburg, Austria (started in 1951)
• Pompadour Te srl GmbH, Bolzano, Italy (started in 1964)
• Pompadour Iberica S.A, Alicante, Spain (started in 1985)
• Teehaus GmbH, Radebeul/ Dresden, Germany (started in 1991)
• Teekanne Polska, Kraków, Poland (started in 1992)
• Teekanne s.r.o., Prague, Czech Republic (started in 1994)
• Redco Foods Inc., Windsor, Connecticut, United States (started in 1995)
  • Junket
  • Red Rose Tea (United States)
  • Salada (United States)

See also

In Spanish: Teekanne para niños