Rishi Tea & Botanicals
Rishi Tea & Botanicals is an independently operated, direct-trade specialty tea importer and blender founded in 2001, selling organic loose leaf teas, sachets, matcha, concentrates, sparkling botanicals, and teaware direct-to-consumer via rishi-tea.com and through independent retail and foodservice wholesale partners in the United States.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersMilwaukee, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Rishi Tea & Botanicals does
Rishi Tea & Botanicals is an independently operated specialty tea importer and blender founded in 2001 and led by founder and CEO Joshua Kaiser. The company sources ingredients through direct-trade relationships with artisan growers in China, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Southeast Asia, and South Asia, with over 95% of ingredients certified organic. Its product portfolio spans loose leaf teas (including single-origin Garden Direct micro-lots), pyramid sachet tea bags, matcha and botanical powders, ready-to-use tea concentrates, sparkling botanical RTD beverages, and complementary teaware bundles and accessories. The assortment is organized across multiple merchandising axes - form, tea type, origin, taste profile, and mood - and features proprietary blends such as Turmeric Ginger, Masala Chai, Earl Grey Supreme, Schisandra Berry Sparkling, and London Fog Concentrate.
Rishi generates revenue through two parallel channels. The primary channel is direct-to-consumer e-commerce through its owned storefront at rishi-tea.com, with pricing ranging from approximately $10 for entry-level sachet boxes to $110 for premium single-origin Garden Direct loose leaf teas and $390 for limited-edition teaware sets. Concentrates and sparkling botanical RTDs are sold at $25.50 and $48 per unit respectively. The secondary channel is wholesale/B2B distribution to independent retailers, cafes, and restaurants, supported by a wholesale inquiry page and a public store locator directing consumers to physical retail partners. Customer service operates Monday through Friday, 9AM-5PM CST, consistent with US-based operations.
The company's go-to-market is anchored in content-led brand building, including the Rishi Journal blog covering tea education, recipes, origins and travel, and brewing guides; a Tea Finder Quiz; and an organic social presence on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn, supplemented by earned media in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Real Simple, and PureWow. The company has reached over 175,000 tea consumers cumulatively, operates as a private, independent entity with no disclosed institutional backing or parent company, has no public API, no mobile app, and no disclosed revenue, headcount, or funding figures.
Rishi Tea & Botanicals firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Rishi Tea & Botanicals
- Legal name
- Rishi Tea & Botanicals
- Website
- https://rishi-tea.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Rishi Tea & Botanicals is an independently operated, direct-trade specialty tea importer and blender founded in 2001, selling organic loose leaf teas, sachets, matcha, concentrates, sparkling botanicals, and teaware direct-to-consumer via rishi-tea.com and through independent retail and foodservice wholesale partners in the United States.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Rishi Tea & Botanicals industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Tea and Botanical Beverages
- NAICS
- Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920), Flavoring Syrup and Concentrate Manufacturing (31193), Other Specialty Food Retailers (44529)
- SIC
- Food And Kindred Products (2000), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Tea Blending & Flavoring (AFAFADAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Botanical/Herbal & Adaptogen Functional Beverage Production (AFAFAFAF), Natural Extracts & Botanical Concentrates for Beverages (herbal, spice, aromatic extracts) (AFAFAGAJ), Specialty Tea Shops (Loose-Leaf, Tea Bars) (THAFAKAD)
Keywords
Where Rishi Tea & Botanicals is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Milwaukee
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Rishi Tea & Botanicals business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Direct E-commerce Tea Sales: Rishi Tea & Botanicals generates revenue through direct-to-consumer online sales of its tea products via its e-commerce storefront. Products are sold in multiple formats (loose leaf, sachets, matcha powders, concentrates, sparkling botanicals) and across multiple price points, ranging from budget-friendly sachet options to premium garden-direct single-origin teas.
- Wholesale Distribution: Rishi Tea & Botanicals supplies teas and botanicals to retail partners through a wholesale channel, allowing independent retailers and cafes to carry Rishi products. A wholesale inquiry page is available on their website.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Loose Leaf Tea — Single Pack |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sachet Tea Bags |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Matcha & Powdered Teas |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Tea Concentrates |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sparkling Botanicals |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Teaware & Bundles |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels8 records
Rishi Tea & Botanicals product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Rishi Tea & Botanicals is a specialty tea importer and blender that curates, blends, and sells organic teas, matcha, botanical powders, tea concentrates, sparkling botanicals, and tea accessories. Products are sourced via direct-trade relationships with artisan growers and sold primarily through its own e-commerce storefront and a wholesale channel for retail and foodservice partners.
Product overview
Rishi Tea & Botanicals is a direct trade, organic tea company offering a diverse portfolio of tea products across multiple formats. The product line centers on loose leaf teas (including single-origin Garden Direct selections), sachet/pyramid tea bags, matcha and powdered teas, tea concentrates, and sparkling botanical beverages. Core offerings include black teas (Earl Grey Supreme, Golden Yunnan, China Breakfast), green teas (Jasmine, Sencha, Genmaicha, Jade Cloud), white teas, oolong teas, pu'er and dark teas, botanical/herbal blends (Turmeric Ginger, Chamomile Medley, Lavender Mint), and matcha varieties (Barista Matcha, Teahouse Ceremonial Matcha, Garden Direct micro-lot matchas). The company also offers complementary product bundles (starter bundles, sampler collections) and teaware accessories. All products emphasize organic certification and direct trade sourcing with over 95% certified organic ingredients. The portfolio is organized by tea type (black, green, oolong, white, pu'er, botanical, chai, matcha), format (loose leaf, sachets, powders, concentrates), taste profile, and mood/benefit.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Earl Grey Supreme
Companies that use Rishi Tea & Botanicals
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Rishi Tea & Botanicals technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Rishi Tea & Botanicals partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Rishi Tea & Botanicals competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Tea Forte: Premium specialty tea brand offering artisanal blends, pyramid sachets, and ready-to-drink formats. Comparable in premium positioning, gift/bundle strategy, and hospitality/wholesale channel exposure.
- The Republic of Tea: Independent specialty tea brand offering premium loose leaf, sachet, and functional herbal teas through DTC e-commerce and wholesale. Directly comparable in target customer (health-conscious tea enthusiasts), product format breadth, and premium pricing.
- Ippodo Tea: Japanese specialty tea company offering premium matcha, sencha, and gyokuro through DTC channels globally. Comparable in Japan-sourced single-origin positioning, matcha category leadership, and premium pricing.
- Adagio Teas: Direct-to-consumer specialty tea retailer offering loose leaf, sachets, and custom blends with a focus on single-origin sourcing. Closely comparable in e-commerce-first go-to-market and single-origin/garden-direct product narrative.
- Harney & Sons: Family-owned specialty tea blender and retailer offering loose leaf, sachets, and iced teas with a similar DTC-plus-wholesale model. Comparable in artisanal positioning, premium price points, and breadth of tea types including botanical blends.
- T2 Tea: Specialty tea retailer (now under Unilever) offering loose leaf, sachets, and gift sets through DTC and retail stores. Comparable in curated botanical blends, design-led branding, and premium gifting positioning.
Broad incumbents
- Celestial Seasonings: Mass-market herbal and specialty tea brand owned by Hain Celestial. Comparable in herbal/botanical tea category leadership but operates at far greater scale with mainstream grocery distribution, contrasting with Rishi's premium DTC focus.
- Bigelow Tea: Family-owned incumbent tea company with broad mainstream distribution across grocery, hospitality, and food service. Comparable in herbal and flavored tea categories but at vastly different price points and scale.
- Twinings: Global legacy tea brand under Associated British Foods offering black, green, and herbal teas across grocery and foodservice. Comparable as a category reference point, but operates with far broader distribution and lower price points.
Emerging players
- MatchaBar (now Mteh Matcha): Specialty matcha-focused brand offering premium matcha products and RTD matcha beverages through DTC and retail. Comparable in the matcha category and premium positioning, particularly relevant for Rishi's matcha and concentrate lines.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Rishi Tea & Botanicals social profiles
Digital presenceRishi Tea & Botanicals financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Rishi Tea & Botanicals leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Rishi Tea & Botanicals funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Rishi Tea & Botanicals M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Rishi Tea & Botanicals
What does Rishi Tea & Botanicals do?
Rishi Tea & Botanicals is a specialty tea importer and blender that curates, blends, and sells organic teas, matcha, botanical powders, tea concentrates, sparkling botanicals, and tea accessories. Products are sourced via direct-trade relationships with artisan growers and sold primarily through its own e-commerce storefront and a wholesale channel for retail and foodservice partners.
Is Rishi Tea & Botanicals a public or private company?
Rishi Tea & Botanicals is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Rishi Tea & Botanicals founded?
Rishi Tea & Botanicals was founded in 2001. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Rishi Tea & Botanicals based?
Rishi Tea & Botanicals is headquartered in Milwaukee, United States, in the North America region.
How does Rishi Tea & Botanicals make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Direct E-commerce Tea Sales are the primary driver. The others are wholesale Distribution.
Who are Rishi Tea & Botanicals's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Tea Forte, The Republic of Tea, Ippodo Tea, Adagio Teas, Harney & Sons and T2 Tea. Broad incumbents are Celestial Seasonings, Bigelow Tea and Twinings. MatchaBar (now Mteh Matcha) is listed as an emerging player.
Does Rishi Tea & Botanicals have an API?
No public API is recorded for Rishi Tea & Botanicals.
What industry is Rishi Tea & Botanicals in?
Rishi Tea & Botanicals's product category is Specialty Tea and Botanical Beverages. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAFADAG, Tea Blending & Flavoring, with a secondary code of AFAFAFAF, Botanical/Herbal & Adaptogen Functional Beverage Production. Its NAICS code is 311920 and its SIC code is 2000.