Malawi tea soars high on global market

By Bester Kayaye

Malawi’s tea is making positive strides on the world market as the Caduceus Cellars, owned by winemaker Maynard James Keenan, a Grammy award-winning vocalist for Tool, A Perfect Circle, and Puscifer, will feature five hand-crafted Malawian teas at his Jerome, Arizona Tasting Room in USA on December 28, 2020.

The teas to be featured include; Masala Chai, Lost Malawi English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Green Tea and Mint, as well as Lemon Blend tea,  and it is curated and blended by the United Kingdom’s Rare Tea Company and grown by Malawi’s Satemwa Tea and Coffee Estate.

According to Jordan Price, Malawi’s Honorary Consul in Texas –USA, the beverages are to be incorporated having perfectly complimented Caduceus’ award winning wines.

Price said: “As an Ambassador, I am excited Arizonans and international visitors to the historic mining town of Jerome, will experience the passion and dedication of Malawians through these delicious teas.”

He also disclosed that the sale of these teas will help fund school scholarships through the Rare Tea Company’s nonprofit arm, Rare Charity.

Caduceus Cellars Tasting Room Manager Brian Sullivan thanked Jordan Price Malawi’s Honorary Consul, for providing an enthusiastic introduction to Malawi.

Sullivan said: “I was fascinated by the information Hon. Consul Price shared about Malawi and tea farming. Later I researched the country on the internet and learnt that Malawi was the first country in Africa to grow tea commercially. Pointing me in the direction of the Rare Tea Company has also been a positive experience. They have been quite professional in their interactions and I am looking forward to continuing working with them going forward.”

Founder of Rare Tea Company, Henrietta Lovell, said, “Everything you know about wine is true of tea. The effects of the terroir are every bit as crucial, as is the harvesting and the crafting.  Great tea comes from great producers, in the same way that fine wine does. We source the best to bring you the greatest flavors.”

Alexander Cathcart Kay, owner of Satemwa Tea and Coffee Estate noted that high value teas have a direct impact on Satemwa’s ability to sustain its vision of improving the living standards of their employees and neighboring farmers.

The teas available at Caduceus Tasting Room include black teas grown on the estate and Fair Trade Spearmint and Lemon Verbena, grown by adjacent independent farmers.

He said, “It is exciting and gratifying to see Satemwa specialty teas find their way into high quality establishments like Caduceus. Satemwa has struggled to make progress in the US market over the years and the support received from the Malawi Embassy, through their Honorary Consul and the commitment of the Rare Tea Company makes an enormous difference.”

Founded in 1923, Satemwa is a third generation family owned tea and coffee estate in Malawi’s Shire Highlands which contributes to improved Malawian standards of living by crafting a unique line up of white, green, oolong, black, dark, and herbal teas.