Churchill's Fine Teas

What Churchill's Fine Teas does

Churchill's Fine Teas is a privately held, female-owned specialty tea retailer founded in 2002 and headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. The company curates and sells 285+ premium loose leaf teas sourced from global tea-growing regions, organized into three main collections — Purist (single-origin), Artisan House Blends (in-house signature recipes), and Blended & Flavored — across Black, Green, White, Oolong, Pu-erh, Herbal, Chai, Matcha, Rooibos, Yerba Mate, Purple, and Blooming tea categories. Supporting lines include teaware and accessories (teapots, cups, matcha ware, infusers), curated gift sets (the 12-tin Timeless Collection, Stories Collection, and limited editions such as the Founders' Liberty Tea Collection 1773 and Jane Austen's Jubilee Tea Collection), tea samplers, and pyramid tea sachets.

The business operates three distribution channels: (1) a Shopify-powered e-commerce storefront with nationwide shipping (free over $80) and the ROYALtea Rewards loyalty program powered by Bonloyalty; (2) two physical retail locations in Cincinnati — the Madisonville Tea Shop (6709 Madison Rd., flagship) and the Findlay Market Tea Shop (122 West Elder St.); and (3) a wholesale B2B program ("Communi-Tea Partners") supplying premium loose leaf tea to roughly a dozen Cincinnati cafes, restaurants, boutique hotels, and cultural venues including the Taft Museum of Art and Lytle Park Hotel. The ROYALtea Ritual subscription service, launched in 2025, adds a recurring-revenue layer on top of transactional e-commerce.

Customer acquisition spans tea enthusiasts (the primary segment), corporate and event buyers (private tastings $100 for 4-6 guests, corporate team-building events, gift programs), hospitality and food-service operators, and gift buyers for holidays and themed occasions. Marketing is content-led via The Journal (an owned editorial platform covering tea history, brewing, and wellness), an email newsletter tied to ROYALtea Rewards, organic social media across Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and others, and experiential marketing through in-store tea classes, tastings, and cultural event sponsorships. The company has been recognized as "The Best of Cincinnati" for 12+ consecutive years and has served 50,000+ unique customers over its operating history.

Name

Churchill's Fine Teas

Legal name

Churchill's Fine Teas

Website

https://churchillsteas.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Churchill's Fine Teas is a Cincinnati-based, female-owned specialty tea retailer founded in 2002, selling 285+ premium loose leaf teas, gift sets, and teaware via two retail stores, a nationwide Shopify e-commerce site, and a wholesale program serving Cincinnati hospitality venues.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Tea Retail

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (31192), Beverage Manufacturing (3121)

SIC

Beverages (2080), Wholesale-Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods (5190)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYCRAHAGAI

Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories)

Consumer Products & Retail/Grocery & Food Retail/Specialty Food Stores (Deli, Cheese, Gourmet, Bakery)

SECONDARYTHAFAKAD

Specialty Tea Shops (Loose-Leaf, Tea Bars)

Travel & Hospitality/Foodservice & Beverage (Restaurants, Cafes, Bars)/Beverage Shops (Juice, Smoothie, Tea, Non-Alcoholic Specialty)

SECONDARYAFAFADAG

Tea Blending & Flavoring

Agriculture & Food Production/Beverage Production/Coffee & Tea Processing (Roasting, Blending, RTD)

SECONDARYTHAFADAF

Tea Rooms & Tea Cafes

Travel & Hospitality/Foodservice & Beverage (Restaurants, Cafes, Bars)/Cafes & Coffee Shops

SECONDARYEDAAAGAH

Beverage & Mixology (Coffee, Tea, Wine, Cocktails)

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Personal Enrichment & Hobby Learning (Arts, Crafts, Music, Cooking)

Keywords

• Loose leaf tea
• Specialty tea retail
• Tea accessories
• Gift tea sets
• Wholesale tea supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Cincinnati

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Retail Tea Sales (E-commerce): Direct-to-consumer sales of loose leaf teas, tea accessories, and gift sets through the company website. Products are priced per ounce or as curated gift sets and samplers. Includes tea-by-subscription (ROYALtea Ritual).
2. Retail Tea Sales (Brick-and-Mortar): In-store sales at two Cincinnati locations: Madisonville Tea Shop (primary) and Findlay Market Tea Shop. Customers can purchase teas, accessories, and attend tea experiences.
3. Tea Experiences & Events: Revenue from tea classes, private tastings, corporate team-building events, and celebrations. Offerings include private guided tea tastings (4-6 guests, $100), private tea parties (8-18 guests), corporate events, and themed social events.
4. Wholesale B2B: Supplying premium loose leaf tea to cafes, restaurants, hotels, and wellness spaces. Partner venues include Taft Museum of Art, Lytle Park Hotel, Salazar, SleepyBee, Greenhouse Cafe, Bees BBQ, and others.
5. Gift Sets & Specialty Collections: Premium curated gift sets including the Timeless Collection (12-tin gift sets priced $69.95-$74.95), Founders' Liberty Tea Collection 1773 ($32.95), Jane Austen's Jubilee Tea Collection ($24.95), and seasonal/limited edition offerings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Churchill's Fine Teas is a specialty tea retailer curating and selling over 285 premium loose leaf teas sourced from renowned global tea-growing regions, organized into Purist single-origin, Artisan House Blends, and Blended/Flavored collections. The company also offers teaware, accessories, curated gift sets, tea classes and tastings, the ROYALtea Ritual subscription, and a B2B wholesale tea supply program serving hospitality venues.

Product overview

Churchill's Fine Teas operates a multi-channel specialty tea retail operation with over 285 premium loose leaf teas organized into three main collections: Purist (single-origin pure teas), Artisan House Blends (in-house signature blends), and Blended & Flavored (flavored tea creations). The product portfolio spans Black, Green, White, Oolong, Pu-erh, Herbal, Chai, Matcha, Rooibos, Yerba Mate, Purple, and Blooming tea varieties. Supporting offerings include Teaware & Accessories, limited-edition themed gift sets (Timeless Collection with 12-tin boxes, Founders' Liberty Tea Collection, Jane Austen's Jubilee), Tea Samplers, Tea Bags/Sachets, and gallon iced tea pouches. The company operates two Cincinnati retail locations (Madisonville and Findlay Market), an e-commerce subscription service (ROYALtea Ritual), a B2B wholesale program supplying partner venues, a ROYALtea Rewards loyalty program, and tea classes/tastings experiences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ROYALtea Rewards: A rewards program named ROYALtea that celebrates tea culture, curiosity, and everyday rituals with earning of 'tippys' and tiered VIP benefits.
• Timeless Collection
• Stories Collection
• Artisan House Blends
• Purist Teas
• Blended Teas

Products and services

• Loose Leaf Tea Collection A curated catalog of 285+ premium loose leaf teas spanning Black, Green, White, Oolong, Pu-erh, Herbal, Chai, Matcha, Rooibos, Yerba Mate, Purple, and Blooming varieties, sourced from renowned global tea-growing regions and sold to tea enthusiasts and wholesale customers.
• Artisan House Blends In-house crafted signature blends combining premium teas with botanicals, spices, florals, and fruits, created in small batches by Churchill's tea specialists with distinctive flavor profiles and storytelling.
• Purist Tea Collection Single-origin, pure teas without added flavors, including Purist Black, Green, White, Oolong, Pu-erh, Herbal, Matcha, Organic, Rooibos, Yerba Mate, and Tea Bag/Sachet varieties for purists seeking pure tea character.
• Blended & Flavored Loose Leaf Teas Timeless favorites and artisan creations combining premium tea leaves with fruits, florals, spices, herbs, and natural flavors for vibrant, approachable cups.
• Timeless Collection Gift Sets Premium 12-tin gift box collections featuring curated teas with elegant presentation, including British Favorites, Holiday Favorites, Spiced Chai, Health and Wellness, Green Tea Explorer, Seasons of Tea, Steeped in Stories, Winston Churchill's Parlour, World of Earl Grey, and Churchill's Signature Selection, priced $69.95-$74.95.
• Teaware & Accessories Teapots, tea sets, cups, mugs, matcha ware, travel sets, infusers, filters, storage, and utensils to complete the tea ritual, with teapots priced $17.95-$64.95, cups/mugs $6.95-$42.95, and travel sets $39.95-$49.95.
• Tea Classes & Tastings Guided tea tastings, classes, private events, and corporate team-building experiences held at Cincinnati locations, including private tastings (4-6 guests, $100), tea parties (8-18 guests), corporate events, and themed social events at $15-$45 per person.
• ROYALtea Ritual Subscription Personalized tea subscription service offering recurring deliveries of favorite teas from the 285+ premium tea selection, supporting daily tea rituals on a monthly billing cadence.
• Wholesale Tea Program Wholesale tea supplier program (Communi-Tea Partners) supplying premium loose leaf tea to cafés, restaurants, hotels, and wellness spaces, including partner venues such as Taft Museum of Art, Lytle Park Hotel, Salazar, SleepyBee, Greenhouse Cafe, and others in the Cincinnati area.
• Jane Austen's Jubilee Tea Collection 2026 limited-edition gift set featuring seven premium loose-leaf teas inspired by Jane Austen characters, with the exclusive signature blend Jane's Strawberry Promenade (Earl Grey with wild strawberry), priced $24.95.
• Founders' Liberty Tea Collection – 1773 AMERICA250 commemorative 7-tea gift set featuring five historic Boston Tea Party teas (Bohea, Congou, Souchong, Young Hyson, Singlo) and two Liberty-inspired herbal blends, with historical insert guide, priced $32.95.
• Tea Samplers Curated sampler collections including English Tea Garden, Wedding Bells, Tea with the Queen, Churchill's Greatest Hits, Breakfast Tea Club, and Surprise Steeps trio, priced $12.95-$44.95.
• Tea Bags & Gallon Iced Tea Pouches Premium biodegradable pyramid tea sachets and gallon iced tea bag pouches (3-count, $13.75-$15.75) for convenient brewing at home or in foodservice settings.

Quantifiable outcome

• Served 50,000+ unique customers
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Jane Austen Festival Village Faire / Heritage Museum (Cincinnati)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026Churchill's Fine Teas is the presenting sponsor of the Jane Austen Festival Village Faire at the Heritage Museum in Cincinnati (April 25-26, 2026). This partnership includes the creation of the Jane Austen's Jubilee Tea Collection, a limited-edition 2026 gift set featuring seven premium loose-leaf teas inspired by Austen heroines, with a portion of proceeds supporting the festival.
• Taft Museum of ArtminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChurchill's Fine Teas supplies premium loose leaf tea for service at the Taft Museum of Art venue, providing tea service as part of the museum's hospitality offerings.
• Lytle Park HotelminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChurchill's Fine Teas supplies premium tea for hospitality service at Lytle Park Hotel, a boutique hotel in Cincinnati.
• SalazarminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChurchill's Fine Teas supplies premium loose leaf tea for service at Salazar restaurant.
• SleepyBeeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChurchill's Fine Teas supplies tea for cafe service at SleepyBee, a Cincinnati cafe establishment.
• Greenhouse CafeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChurchill's Fine Teas supplies premium tea for cafe service at Greenhouse Cafe.
• Bees BBQminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChurchill's Fine Teas supplies tea for restaurant service at Bees BBQ.
• ALLEZ barminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChurchill's Fine Teas supplies tea for bar service at ALLEZ bar.
• Bean BarleyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChurchill's Fine Teas supplies tea for service at Bean Barley coffee shop.
• The Madison Place CoffeeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChurchill's Fine Teas supplies tea for coffee shop service at The Madison Place Coffee.
• Charis Coffee CreameryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChurchill's Fine Teas supplies tea for service at Charis Coffee Creamery.
• Urbana CoffeeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChurchill's Fine Teas supplies tea for service at Urbana Coffee.
• Harriet Beecher StowhouseminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChurchill's Fine Teas supplies tea for hospitality service at Harriet Beecher Stowhouse.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Twinings: Established global CPG tea brand with broad retail distribution. Competes in the same category but at much larger scale across grocery and mass-market channels rather than the specialty loose-leaf niche.
• Stash Tea: Long-established premium-ish tea brand with broad retail distribution, including bagged and loose-leaf offerings. Comparable on category but at much greater scale and lower specialty positioning.
• Celestial Seasonings: Mass-market herbal and specialty tea brand owned by Hain Celestial. Competes broadly in the tea category with grocery-distributed bags rather than the specialty loose-leaf and curated blend positioning.

Direct peers

• Smith Teamaker: Portland-based specialty loose-leaf tea brand with curated blends, retail tearoom, and direct e-commerce. Directly comparable as an artisan premium loose-leaf tea company with brand-led storytelling.
• Republic of Tea: Specialty tea brand with broad catalog of loose-leaf and bagged teas, direct-to-consumer e-commerce, and gifting collections. Comparable on assortment breadth, premium positioning, and subscription/club offerings.
• The Tea Spot: Independent specialty loose-leaf tea brand with curated blends, e-commerce, and wholesale to cafes/hotels. Closely matches Churchill's on curated premium catalog, in-house blending, and B2B hospitality channel.
• DAVIDsTEA: Specialty tea retailer with e-commerce, retail stores, and a tea-of-the-month club. Comparable on multi-channel specialty tea model with curated blends and a younger, gifting-oriented customer base.
• Adagio Teas: Online specialty loose-leaf tea retailer with hundreds of SKUs, a subscription/club program, and signature blends. Closely comparable to Churchill's on product, customer segment (tea enthusiasts), and DTC e-commerce business model.
• Harney & Sons: Family-owned premium loose-leaf tea brand selling direct-to-consumer online plus wholesale to hotels, restaurants, and museums. Directly comparable curation scale, wholesale-to-hospitality channel, and premium gifting collections (sachets, tins).

Others

• Adagio Wholesale / B2B Tea Suppliers (e.g., TeaSource, Upton Tea Imports): Wholesale tea suppliers serving cafes, restaurants, and retailers. Comparable on the B2B wholesale layer of Churchill's Communi-Tea Partners program and on the broader tea supply ecosystem Churchill's sources from.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ChurchillsTeas
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/churchills-fine-teas
• Instagraminstagram.com/churchillsteas
• Xx.com/kathleenteakern

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Churchill's Fine Teas