Tea Supplies News
Giving Kenyan Tea Its Own Identity
A conversation with Inga Garmuvienė, Founder & Managing Director of MB Kenya Tea Kenya is one of the world’s leading tea producers, yet much of its tea reaches consumers without its origin being fully recognized. Based in Lithuania, MB Kenya Tea is working to change that by connecting Kenyan producers with buyers who value consistency, transparency and long-term relationships. In
Wayne Qu: Designing Tea for Hospitality
At trade shows, founders usually stand to one side, greeting visitors while someone else prepares the drinks. Wayne Qu does the opposite. When we met him at the International Coffee & Beverage Show in Kuala Lumpur, he spent most of his time behind the counter, whisking matcha. Visitors probably saw someone preparing tea. What they were really watching was the
Tea Republic: A Designer’s Journey Into the World of Tea
The tea industry is not short on stories about heritage, terroir and centuries-old traditions. What is less common is a founder who approaches tea the way a designer approaches a room. That was the impression left by Sumita J. Singam-Takacs, founder of Tea Republic, whom we met at the International Coffee & Beverage Show Malaysia 2026. While many conversations at
Beyond the Matcha Boom: Kenji Shimizu’s Mission to Share the Real Story of Japanese Tea
The global matcha boom has created a new generation of entrepreneurs. Some are selling products. Others are building brands. Kenji Shimizu is doing something different: he is helping consumers understand what lies behind the green powder that has become one of the world’s most sought-after ingredients. For Shimizu, matcha’s success is part of a wider fascination with Japanese culture. “In
Sugar Innovation and Matcha Ambition: How a Malaysian Food Manufacturer Is Betting on the Next Tea Wave
The International Café & Beverage Show (ICBS) in Kuala Lumpur is a place where established brands meet emerging trends. This year, however, one of the most talked-about discoveries for T Hospitality came not from a multinational tea company, but from a 17-year-old entrepreneur presenting a brand that had been launched only months earlier. At one of the exhibition’s most eye-catching
A New Generation of Matcha Entrepreneurs – Sho Kato
At the International Café & Beverage Show (ICBS) in Kuala Lumpur earlier this month, T Hospitality met Sho Kato, founder of the Japan Matcha Export Organization — a young company that perfectly reflects how the global rise of matcha is creating new entrepreneurial opportunities across Asia. Still in his twenties and having launched the company immediately after graduation in 2024,
GuiTea: The Chinese Matcha Giant Riding the Global Tea Wave
At ICBS Kuala Lumpur, GuiTea emerged as a major player in the booming global matcha market. Founded in China’s Guizhou province, the company is now the world’s second-largest matcha producer, manufacturing 4,000 metric tons annually. By combining scale, certifications, and competitive pricing, GuiTea is positioning itself as a key supplier for cafés, beverage brands, and hospitality operators worldwide amid the
Bold Brews and Cultural Depth: East Forged and the Future of Tea in Hospitality
An inspiring story for anyone working across tea and hospitality. A remarkable brand—currently available only in Australia—that deserves a global audience. After speaking with Kym, co-founder of East Forged, one word stands out: impressive. What Kym and Tania have built over the past nine years—officially launched in 2020—is far more than a ready-to-drink tea. It is an expression of culture that
