Where can I purchase loose leaf tea Wholesale?

[Brendan N]

I am looking for a wholesale supplier of Loose leaf tea where I can mix my own teas and re-sell at trade shows and online. I am looking for high quality tea that is GMO free and has the proper certifications. I would prefer a Canadian Wholesaler. Thanks!

[Pat Wooden]

esources.co.uk/international-suppliers/11/canada/

[Tree Marrimy]

try china anxi tea
there are bulks of tea at very low price
good luck

[cazort]

This is a tricky industry, but it is growing. There are a lot of new companies starting up, including Canadian ones. While this shows that it's a good market to get into, it also shows that there's a lot of competition. Companies can be a bit cagey about where they source their teas; it's a bit of a protected trade secret, but with some digging, you can learn a lot. Are you active on twitter?

It's been my experience that the best tea companies source their own teas to some degree, even if they use wholesalers for certain of their teas. Also...if you're going to get into blending, you really need to carve out a niche. There are so many companies that just sell private label tea repackaged from a wholesaler as-is, and unless you have considerably-above-average business sense, you're just going to be another little fish in a big sea. You need to put a unique spin on things if you're going to succeed as a blender: unique flavors, presented in a novel way, reaching an untapped market. It's great that you are looking to go an all-natural (non-GMO) route. This is easy with tea, as tea is not genetically engineered so it's just additives you need to watch. There are so many companies out there that are already leading in sustainability, so the bar is set pretty high, but I think things are moving in this direction so if you're committed to sustainability (and not just by picking organic + fair trade but also looking to buy from smaller farmer-owned cooperatives, use sustainable packaging, and do other things to set yourself above) you will attract additional attention.

I run a tea rating and review website, while it's oriented primarily to tea drinkers, you might find it to be a valuable informational resource; I've put a lot of effort into researching different brands and providing information about their suppliers, when possible. You may also get a sense of how people are responding to various newly launched companies and their teas by reading reviews.

I also attached a link to one wholesaler, I think US based and I honestly don't know much about them but they seem to be oriented somewhat along the lines of what you were thinking.

Also...if your operation is small...you might even consider buying from a company that also does retail. A number of companies, such as SpecialTeas, sell wholesale. You don't necessarily need to buy from a dedicated wholesaler. Sometimes I think even some primarily retail companies (like Upton Tea Imports) have prices on certain teas that put some wholesalers to shame. If your operation is small, these companies might be worth looking at.

I've attached several links that I hope you will find useful!

Good luck!