The Republic of Tea facts for kids

The Republic of Tea is an American company that sells many different kinds of tea. It's located in Larkspur, California. This company was one of the first to offer special teas like rooibos red tea and white tea to people in America. They sell over 350 types of tea across North America.

The Story of The Republic of Tea

How It Started

The Republic of Tea began in 1992. It was started by three people: Mel Ziegler, Patricia Ziegler, and Bill Rosenzweig. In 1994, Ron Rubin bought the company.

Family Business and Unique Titles

Ron Rubin's son, Todd Rubin, joined the company in 2007. Todd became the president in 2015. Ron Rubin is now the Executive Chairman and is called the "Minister of Tea." The company uses fun, unique names for everyone involved. Employees are called "ministers," customers are "citizens," and stores that sell their products are "embassies."

How The Republic of Tea Works

Where to Find Their Teas

The Republic of Tea sells its products in special stores. These include places like Whole Foods Market and Williams Sonoma. The company chooses not to sell its teas in very large stores like Costco or Walmart. They like to grow slowly and steadily.

Focus on Good Practices

The company cares about how its teas are grown. They support sustainable agriculture, which means farming in ways that protect the environment. Some of their teas come from farms that use special methods called biodynamic farming. These methods focus on keeping the soil and plants healthy in a natural way.

The Republic of Tea also makes "Sonoma Teas." These teas are special because they are made from dried grape skins. These skins would normally be thrown away, so using them helps reduce waste.

Staying a Family Company

Both Ron and Todd Rubin have said they want The Republic of Tea to stay a family-owned business. They are not interested in selling the company.