We're highlighting exhibitors as we get closer to the 2026 World Tea Expo, returning to the Las Vegas Convention Center March 23-25.
This week, we spoke with Nepal Tea Collection, a Public Benefit Corporation and B‑Corp certified company that produces and sources certified organic, single-origin teas, herbs, and botanicals directly from smallholder farms across Nepal.
Tell our readers more about your company.
We sell through both ecommerce and wholesale channels, with offerings that include organic teas and botanicals, wellness blends, private labelling and manufacturing. As a producer-focused company, we share 1% of our top-line revenue directly with farmers and aim to lift 1 million farmers out of poverty within their generation while creating a global identity for Nepali teas. To date, we have worked with over 2,441 farmers, and our teas have received 24+ international awards and recognition from outlets such as Forbes and The New York Times.
A core goal for us is connecting primary producers with end consumers. Many people in the tea and botanicals space have never visited a tea farm, so we run immersive 10-day tea tours. Folks experience the full art and science of tea making at our gardens, tasting 100+ varieties and gaining a firsthand understanding of farm life. These tours also allow clients to source products directly at the origin, often creating lasting appreciation for the value and quality of Nepali teas. One of our client testimonials sums up what we do with these trips.
We have been operating since 2016, while my family has been in the tea industry for over 43 years. As a third-generation tea producer, I’ve been involved in tea manufacturing, packaging, fulfillment, and running our ecommerce and wholesale operations.
Over the years, we’ve gained experience in operations and production, which allowed us to launch Build A Blend, our private label sister company. Build A Blend helps brands bring new products to life, offering sourcing, custom formulations, blending, tea bag manufacturing and co-packing, so clients can focus on selling while we handle the operational nitty gritty involved with it.
Why are you exhibiting at the World Tea Expo?
We have been exhibiting at the World Tea Expo since 2017. In the early days of our company, the expo was an important platform for us to meet, educate, and collaborate with buyers on Nepali teas, herbs, and botanicals. At the Expo, we represent about 10 different farms, giving our farmers direct access to international markets and supporting our goal of building a global identity for Nepali teas.
Also, the Expo has been an ideal platform to showcase and test new products. In 2023, we highlighted botanicals such as lemongrass, black cardamom, hibiscus, ginger, and turmeric, which were well received. This led us to increase production to around 10 tons of these botanicals in the following year.
In 2024, when we showcased our private label arm, Build A Blend, the expo introduced us to brands seeking to enter or scale in the industry, and since then we’ve supported 50+ brands with formulation, blending, and manufacturing.
Attending the Expo also holds a sense of nostalgia, as it’s where we met our first two clients, who remain our longest-standing partners. Beyond business, it’s an opportunity to reconnect with friends, learn from fellow tea brands, and discover emerging trends.
What do you hope to gain from the Expo?
We look forward to connecting with brands that are starting out or seeking to scale, helping them navigate sourcing, formulation, and product development.
This year, we’re also launching some of our new wellness blends and are eager to gather feedback from attendees. Ultimately, our goal remains building a global identity for Nepali teas and showcasing some of the amazing new oolongs, black teas, white teas, and botanicals that Nepal produces.
What products/services will you be showing at the Expo?
Most of our award-winning teas will be on display, including White Prakash (bronze medalist at the Global Tea Championship and recently recognized at The Leafies in the UK) and our highest-elevation black tea, Everest Black, which was a winner in AVPA Paris. Also, folks who visit will have an opportunity to try out some of our botanicals and spices such as ginger, turmeric, chamomile, hibiscus, and lemongrass, which have long been crowd favorites.
Another focus is our private label and custom formulation services. We have an in-house naturopathic doctor and experienced tea blenders to support brands entering the wellness space, assisting with formulation, blending, and product development. We are hoping to have an amazing time to learn about new tea brands and work on collaboration opportunities.
What challenges do you see members of the tea industry facing in 2026, and how can your product/service help?
2025 was a challenging year, with tariffs and inflation driving up costs for manufacturers, brands, and consumers. While tariffs have eased for some origins, others still face duties. A key challenge is managing costs without passing all of them to consumers, while also supporting producers, many of whom are already living in poverty. We are grateful that Nepal currently enjoys tariff-free access, allowing brands to source high-quality teas, herbs, and botanicals from the Himalayas at competitive prices.
Also, rising costs for raw materials and packaging, combined with the premium nature of specialty teas, make it harder to educate consumers and introduce them to artisanal teas.
Additionally, as more brands highlight functional benefits, there’s a risk of misrepresentation, which could confuse consumers and undermine trust.
What trends are you seeing in the tea industry?
The wellness category continues to grow, with strong demand for functional and adaptogenic teas. Over 80% of the blends we manufacture for clients fall into this space.
The matcha craze is also continuing, driven by its functional benefits, vibrant color, and Gen Z’s social media engagement.
Another trend is traceability. Consumers increasingly want to know where, how, and by whom teas are produced. Since 2016, we’ve led with QR-enabled traceability, allowing every package to show production date, elevation, garden, and farmer, and even enabling direct tipping for farmers.
Finally, experience-driven tea consumption is emerging. Unlike coffee or craft beer, tea must be grown, processed into the final product at origin, so local shops can’t replicate the production experience. Tea bars, which focus on immersive tea drinking, mocktails, and wellness experiences, offer a way to connect consumers to the story behind the tea. We currently operate six experiential tea bars overseas, with four more opening soon, reflecting strong demand for these experiences.
To book your sponsorship or exhibit space at World Tea Expo, or to inquire about advertising and sponsorship opportunities at World Tea News, contact:
Ellainy Karaboitis-Christopoulos, Business Development Manager, Questex
Phone: +1-212-895-8493; Email: [email protected]
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