With a pinch of Asia in every bag of its tea, Two Leaves and a Bud straddles continents, oceans, and languages. But for founder Richard Rosenfeld, the distance between downtown Basalt and the plantations of India is precisely the reason that his tea company is "All in this Together". We recently spoke with the RFOV business member to learn how an intercontinental community can fit into a single cup of tea.
"I've lived in this valley for 35 years, all the while traveling regularly to places like Assam. And just like you can't live here without knowing people in the ski industry, you can't live there and not know people in the tea business! When I started Two Leaves and a Bud, the purpose was simple: to deliver the perfect cup of tea to every person of any culture. And with that mission in mind, our focus has always been first and foremost on the tea and the tea-pickers. Our name literally describes what gets plucked with every pinch of a tea plant – two leaves and one bud! And we make sure that those are the only ingredients in our tea bags. Most of our products are certified organic and GMO-free; all our workers are paid fair wages; all our sachets are compostable. If we didn't consider how to keep all the members of our community healthy – from pickers to employees to drinkers – we would never have become as successful as we are today. That's community-powered stewardship in action, and that's why we support RFOV. By ensuring that everyone has a stake in the process, we can fit our whole community into a single cup of tea."
Thanks Two Leaves and a Bud for your many years of support! Limited varieties of tea can be purchased in-person at Skip's Market and Cici's Cafe in Basalt, City Market, and Whole Foods. Richard notes that the entire line of teas can be found online at twoleavestea.com.
