WORLD’S FINEST ORGANIC TEAS
We source only the finest and most distinctive teas, directly from leading single estates in the world’s most renowned growing regions and terroirs – always with a commitment to natural cultivation that respects both people and the environment.
With few exceptions, our selection consists exclusively of certified organic teas or teas cultivated without the use of pesticides.
Guided by these principles and supported by a dedicated international team of tea experts, Yoshi en is committed to preserving the centuries-old culture of tea and presenting the world of tea in all its diversity, at the highest possible level of quality.
TEA FROM LEADING SINGLE ESTATES
We source our teas directly from carefully selected farms in some of the world’s most renowned terroirs. Our international sourcing team is constantly searching for exceptional new teas of truly outstanding quality.
Both new and long-standing partner farms are visited in person by members of our team, allowing us to build particularly close and personal relationships with the tea growers themselves. These visits also give us first-hand insight into local cultivation and production methods, enabling us to share the origins and craftsmanship of our teas with our customers openly and transparently.
LIMITED HARVESTS & RARITIES
We specialise in the finest, often highly limited harvests from single estates and small regional tea producers.
With considerably smaller areas under cultivation than large-scale producers, these farms naturally produce only limited quantities. This allows us to offer a remarkable diversity of genuinely rare and hard-to-find teas, many available only in very small quantities.
TASTE THE TERROIR
For each type of tea, we focus on the growing regions and terroirs recognised as being among the very best, selecting farms renowned for both the quality of their teas and their commitment to natural cultivation. Many of these estates have received prestigious awards and enjoy a reputation extending far beyond their respective regions. In total, we source more than 550 different organic teas from over 100 terroirs and more than 120 carefully selected tea farms across over 20 countries.
When it comes to premium Japanese tea, our selection is particularly comprehensive and diverse. Our aim is to present as complete a picture as possible of Japan’s exceptional tea landscape. Across all other tea-growing regions of the world, we focus on outstanding examples of the most celebrated varieties and origins. Our selection includes an especially refined range of white teas, carefully selected high-mountain oolongs from Taiwan, China’s renowned rock teas and teas from some of Darjeeling’s finest estates.
We are also particularly proud of our exceptional Pu Erh collection, including selected teas that are matured for us over several years in Yunnan.
Beyond traditional tea, we offer an extensive selection of premium herbal infusions from the Swiss and Austrian Alps, mountain teas from Mount Olympus and Mursalski, fine rooibos from South Africa’s renowned Biedouw Valley, freeze-dried fruit infusions, and many other distinctive herbal, bark, flower and root infusions from around the world.
ORGANIC & PESTICIDE-FREE CULTIVATION
A farm’s location also matters. We favour secluded growing areas, where the risk of pollutants being carried onto the land by wind is minimised. Organic certification, however, is not a prerequisite for working with us. Some of the finest teas are produced by small regional farms, where traditional methods and the craftsmanship of dedicated tea growers take precedence over formal certification. For these farms, certification may simply not be feasible for financial or organisational reasons. What matters most to us is the philosophy and practice of the individual grower: a genuine, long-term commitment to cultivating tea naturally, responsibly and without harmful substances.
ENJOYMENT & WELLBEING
The earliest Chinese writings on tea already celebrated it as a drink associated with health and wellbeing. Beyond the simple pleasure of drinking tea, making it part of a daily ritual offers a welcome opportunity to slow down, unwind and enjoy a moment of calm. For us, that sense of wellbeing begins with the tea itself. Exceptional terroir, careful cultivation and natural growing methods all contribute to a tea that can be enjoyed with confidence. These principles guide the selection of every tea we offer – because exceptional flavour and uncompromising quality naturally go hand in hand.
NATURAL, PURE & FAIR
Our commitment to naturalness, purity and fairness is fundamental to the way we select our teas and partner farms. To independently verify the purity and safety of our products, we test all our teas for pesticide residues as well as for other potential contaminants in accordance with a dedicated HACCP-based risk profile. The corresponding laboratory test results are made available with each product for full transparency.
We believe that tea should be produced with respect for the people behind it and that fair remuneration should be an integral part of the process. By working directly with single-estate and certified farms, we gain insight into processes that can otherwise remain largely out of sight. We only enter into partnerships where we can be confident that everyone involved is treated fairly.
At the same time, we believe that exceptional, responsibly produced tea should remain accessible. We therefore offer our teas at fair and reasonable prices, based on moderate margins rather than excessive mark-ups.
Research & Innovation
While always respecting tea’s rich traditional heritage, we are passionate about exploring its potential for innovation. To this end, we collaborate with tea farms, laboratories and research centres to study selected teas and cultivars in greater depth and contribute to their continued development.
As one of the pioneers in tea innovation and research, we have established close, long-standing partnerships with growers who rank among Japan’s leading producers of GABA and high-catechin teas. These growers develop teas exclusively for us and, through continuous collaboration with our tea team, have been able to refine their methods and further enhance the quality and potency of their teas over the years. Our range includes Japanese green teas with exceptionally high GABA concentrations – including some of the highest levels ever measured – as well as green teas with particularly high catechin content.
CRAFT & CULTURE
Alongside our teas, Yoshi en offers an extensive selection of high-quality teaware. Our collection encompasses pieces from some of Japan’s and China’s most renowned centres of ceramic craftsmanship, as well as exceptional works by European artists, ranging from accessible pieces for those beginning their tea journey to rare collectors’ items. Reliable functionality is always essential, but we also believe that teaware should embody and celebrate the distinctive aesthetics of tea culture. To this end, we work with renowned makers such as Yamada Matsu and Kaikado, as well as leading artists including Takashi Endo and Petr Novák.
We welcome fresh and creative perspectives within the world of tea and seek to support emerging artists as they develop their craft, providing them with a platform that reflects and showcases the exceptional quality of their work.
When designing our own product lines, beautiful and considered design is equally important to us. We see a refined, thoughtful aesthetic as an expression of respect for the quality of the product itself. In our designs, we seek to create a dialogue between traditional tea aesthetics – drawing on Japanese minimalism and the philosophy of wabi-sabi – and a contemporary urban lifestyle.
The Way of Tea
In an increasingly fast-paced and hectic world, tea offers an opportunity to slow down, relax, practise mindfulness and cultivate a more balanced way of life. Tea has a long association with Zen traditions in China and, later, Japan, where monks valued it as an accompaniment to meditation and mindful practice.
Inspired by this tradition of Chado – “the way of tea” – we seek to create a connection between tradition and modern life. Alongside our teas, we therefore offer a wide selection of carefully chosen accessories that complement a calm and mindful approach to tea. These include traditional Japanese incense and meditation cushions made exclusively for us from fine linen.
YOSHI EN TEAM
Yoshi en was founded in 2013 as part of Sunday Natural, born from founder Jörg Schweikart’s passion for tea. The two sister companies continue to work closely together to this day. Today, Yoshi en brings together more than 20 tea experts from over 10 countries, united by a shared fascination with and passion for tea and tea culture. Each contributes their own knowledge, perspective and enthusiasm to what we do.
For this reason, we see Yoshi en as more than simply a purveyor of exceptional teas and teaware. We also seek to be an ambassador for tea culture and a contemporary pioneer of a modern, mindful and health-conscious way of life centred around tea.
