While we big city hipsters walk around with our noses buried in our cell phones as much as we do searching for our next dose of Starbucks, imbibing tea seems to be more of an ancient and relaxing, even medicinal approach to de-stressing from life. I had the good fortune of talking to Mélisse L’abeille co-owner/creator with her partner John of the Steep For The Trees, Inc. brand of tea. Founded just last year, the couple was determined to own/establish their own business while they were still in their 20’s, as much wanting to give back to a foundation that planted trees. Finding the “Trees That Feed Foundation” to contribute proceeds to, John and Mélisse offer their wonderful teas while making contributions to help end hunger in the Caribbean and abroad with their tea sales.

Why tea? If anything it seems coffee culture is on the rise (especially in the U.S.). How and why did you guys get into making tea?

John and I had spoken about many business ideas over the course of a year. They ranged from a bakery to a comfort restaurant called “Pugs on Couches.” We wanted to have a company that was able to give back when it could and have a minimal environmental impact. Tea seemed the most sustainable and relevant type of business to get into, and one that would have a minimal environmental impact. We also knew that tea would never go out of style.

Can you explain the ingredients or at least the company’s ethos when it comes to how you make the tea and what it is made of?

Our company was founded on the principles of sustainability and giving back. We only carry the finest quality teas for our patrons. Our principles of environmental sustainability are at the core of how we present ourselves to tea enthusiasts. We take pride in every aspect of our company and would not do anything to jeopardize the trust we have gained from our patrons.

Have you seen one tea fall off in popularity while another rises, can you market for this?

Throughout the last year, Steep for the Trees has kept a rotating stock of popular and new teas. This allows our customers the chance to always have something new and exciting. After all, variety is the spice of life!

Describe your different flavors and what inspired them.

We do carry several traditional blends, herbal and fruit blends, as well as inspired blends. Our 1st inspired blend, Sweet Mabel, is a memorial blend for our pug. Part of the proceeds will be going towards a charitable foundation for dog cancer awareness.

Tell me about that global organization you are involved in and how exactly you are involved.

Our company exercises our ethics in two main ways. The first way is that all of our packaging materials are either biodegradable, compostable, or recycled/recyclable, no exceptions. The second is our quarterly donations to the Trees That Feed Foundation. It is their mission to promote awareness of, and teach farmers how to cultivate fruiting trees to help feed their communities. ‎For the time being, our participation is limited to donations and word of mouth. We hope to be able to do more in the future.

Find and order John and Mélisse’s tea here: https://www.facebook.com/SteepfortheTrees/

Find out more info about Trees That Feed, here: http://treesthatfeed.org/