According to legend, the discovery of tea happened 5000 years ago, quite frankly, by accident.  Chinese Emperor Shen Nung, considered the father of Chinese agriculture and herbal medicine, noticed a camillia leaf floating in a steaming bowl of water and the rest truly is history.  The word 'tea' is most likely derived from the Xiamen name 'te.'  Xiamen, known internationally as Amoy, was the main port from which China exported goods to the rest of the world.  The Mandarin word for tea is 'cha.'  Both China and Japan have legends and tea traditions 'steeped' in history as they are the oldest tea drinking areas of the world - these countries have long celebrated, recognized and ritualized the health and relaxation properties of this amazing plant.  Tea began its journey west, reaching Europe about 400 years ago.  Power and wealth were acquired through the great trade routes to the east and tea took its place among the giants.  Powdered, caked, bricked, dried, flavoured - the journey is long and varied. 

Tea was introduced into North America by British interests.  Over the years, through the challenges of tariffs, the Boston Tea Party and hundreds of years of revolution and change around the world, the popularity of tea remains resilient, even triumphant.  Tea drinking took on a whole new flavour with the invention of iced tea at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis.  In North America, we are steadily developing our understanding and use of tea.  Herbal infusions are also fast finding their way into households and hundreds of blends are available.