Tc Tea

Number 12 in Puthupalli is where we keep the tea business running. It’s a small enough spot that people often miss it if they aren't looking closely. We don't have a showroom or a storefront, just a working area where the tea leaves get brought in from the plantations. Most of our day is spent looking at the quality of the leaves and making sure they’re dried properly. Puthupalli is a quiet enough place most of the time, which helps us focus on the tasks at hand. We have a few long tables where we sort through everything by hand. It takes a long time and your back starts to ache after a few hours, but it’s the only way to do it if you want it done right. The smell of fresh tea is the best part of being here, especially when the rain starts outside. We use old-fashioned scales to weigh everything out before it goes into the boxes. There’s no big corporate hierarchy here; we all just pitch in where it’s needed, whether that’s unloading a van or sweeping up the floor at the end of the day. It’s a simple setup and that’s how we like it. We aren't looking to change much about how we operate because the current way has worked for years. Just a handful of us making sure the tea gets where it needs to go without any fuss.