Song Tea & Ceramics

What Song Tea & Ceramics does

Song Tea & Ceramics is a privately held retail company that sources and distributes premium loose-leaf teas and handcrafted ceramic tea ware to U.S. consumers and hospitality operators. Founded in 2013 by Peter Luong, the company operates as Song Tea Merchants, LLC (California), is headquartered and retails from a single studio at 2120 Sutter Street in San Francisco (open Thursday–Sunday, 12–5pm), and sells nationwide via a Shopify e-commerce storefront. The assortment spans more than 30 loose-leaf teas — including green, white, oolong, red, aged, matcha, and botanical categories — sourced primarily from China, Taiwan, and Japan, alongside a curated collection of handmade ceramics (teapots, gaiwans, servers, cups, bowls, trays) made by named Chinese, Taiwanese, and American ceramicists. Sub-brands include the Si Fang Cha (Private Room Tea) aged-tea series and the Song Collection gift tier.

The business runs three revenue streams: direct-to-consumer tea, ceramics, and gift-box sales through the retail studio and e-commerce site; a wholesale program supplying restaurants and cafes across the United States; and limited in-person experiences (tea tastings, classes, artist receptions) at the San Francisco studio. Unit pricing spans $28–$72+ for teas, $36–$188 for gift boxes, and $200–$4,200 for ceramics; the company offers complimentary U.S. shipping on orders at or above $90 and flat $8 shipping below that threshold. The wholesale program supplies notable accounts including Noma, SingleThread, Benu, Lazy Bear, Blue Bottle Coffee, Tartine Manufactory, Sightglass Coffee, Ritual Coffee, Equator Coffees, State Bird Provisions, The Progress, Nopalito, Cala, The Mill, and others, positioning Song as a reference tea program for Michelin-caliber hospitality venues.

Song is founder-led, with Peter Luong acting as primary tea buyer, host of masterclass events, and owner of the underlying LLC. The firm has no venture capital or institutional investment disclosed, no parent company, no subsidiaries, and operates with a small team of approximately six people. There is no mobile app, no public API, no AI/ML capability disclosures, and limited geographic ambition beyond the U.S. (with minimal Canada DTC shipping). Marketing is concentrated in content (educational 'About Tea' and 'About Ceramics' pages), organic Instagram (@hellosongtea), an email newsletter, and in-store events — consistent with a curation-and-brand-led boutique retail model rather than a scaled marketing operation.

Name

Song Tea & Ceramics

Legal name

Song Tea Merchants, LLC

Website

https://songtea.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Song Tea & Ceramics, founded in 2013 by Peter Luong, is a San Francisco-based retailer that sources and distributes over 30 premium loose-leaf teas from Asia and handcrafted ceramic tea ware via DTC e-commerce, a single retail studio, and a B2B wholesale program serving U.S. restaurants and cafes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Tea and Ceramics Retail

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920), Pottery, Ceramics, and Plumbing Fixture Manufacturing (327110)

SIC

Pottery & Related Products (3260)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Tea Shops (Loose-Leaf, Tea Bars) (THAFAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI), Tea Blending & Flavoring (AFAFADAG), Tea (Leaf, Bagged, Instant, Concentrates) (CRADAHAE)

Keywords

• Specialty loose leaf tea
• Handcrafted ceramic tea ware
• Premium tea retail
• Tea wholesale distribution
• Tea gift collections

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct Tea Sales: Sale of premium teas including Huangjin Cha, White Dragonwell, Huang Mudan, and Cai Cha varieties to consumers via e-commerce and retail store.
2. Ceramics Sales: Sale of handmade ceramic tea ware including teapots, cups, and sets priced from $200 to $4,200.
3. Wholesale to Hospitality: B2B wholesale supply of teas to restaurants, cafes, and other hospitality businesses throughout the United States.
4. Gift Boxes and Bundles: Pre-curated tea gift boxes and sets ranging from $36 to $188, targeting gift buyers and corporate gifting occasions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Song Tea & Ceramics sources and retails premium traditional loose-leaf teas and handcrafted ceramic tea ware through a Shopify e-commerce storefront, a San Francisco retail studio, and a wholesale program serving restaurants and cafes. The catalog includes more than 30 loose-leaf teas spanning green, white, oolong, red, aged oolong, matcha, and botanical tisanes, alongside teapots, gaiwans, servers, cups, bowls, and trays produced by ceramicists in China, Taiwan, and the United States, with ceramic prices ranging from $200 to $4,200. Complementary offerings include curated gift boxes, in-studio tea tastings and classes, and bespoke collaborations such as the Kashmiri Kehwa blend produced with Diaspora Spice Co.

Product overview

Song Tea & Ceramics offers a curated collection of exceptional quality loose-leaf teas and handcrafted ceramic tea ware. The tea collection includes over 30 varieties spanning green tea (Huangjin Cha, White Dragonwell, Huang Mudan, Cai Cha, Snow Jasmine), white tea (Arbor Baimudan, Wild Tree Yunnan White, Wild Gongmei, Gold Guanyin), oolong tea (April 23 Orchid, April 27 Amber/Gold, April 30 Amber/Gold, Lishan Winter Sprout, Shan Lin Xi Winter Sprout), red tea (A Different Eighteen, Ruby, Shuixian Red), aged oolong (1970s Vintage, Roaster's Vintage 1990s), matcha (Kirari 31, Seimei), botanical tisanes (Meadow, Marshmallow, Soba, Carrot), and tea gift collections. The ceramics collection features hand-thrown and hand-built teapots, gaiwans, servers, cups, bowls, and trays from Chinese, Taiwanese, and American ceramicists including Zhang Hao Yan, Pan Yi, and Wang Wen De. The company operates a San Francisco retail studio and offers wholesale programs for restaurants and cafes nationwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Si Fang Cha (Private Room Tea): A small series of exquisite teas for special occasions, inspired by the intimate supper clubs of the Song Dynasty.
• Song Collection

Products and services

• Tea Collection Over 30 loose-leaf teas sourced from China, Taiwan, Japan and other regions, including green, white, oolong, red, aged, matcha, botanical, and gift collections, sold to individual consumers and wholesale partners.
• Ceramics Collection Handcrafted ceramic tea ware sourced from China, Taiwan, and the United States, including teapots, gaiwans, servers, cups, bowls, and trays, priced from $200 to $4,200.
• Wholesale Program B2B wholesale partnership program supplying premium loose-leaf teas and ceramic tea ware to restaurants and cafes across the United States, including Michelin-level venues such as Noma, SingleThread, Benu, and Tartine Manufactory.
• Tea Tasting Events and Classes Rotating schedule of tea tastings, classes, pop-up bakery collaborations, and artist receptions hosted at the San Francisco studio, including Quiet Mornings masterclasses led by founder Peter Luong.
• Song + Diaspora's Kashmiri Kehwa Limited collaboration blend of Song's Wild Gongmei white tea with Diaspora Spice Co.'s saffron, cardamom, cinnamon, almonds, and licorice, based on a Mir family recipe from Kashmir.
• Kiln Cartographies Limited release of one-of-a-kind teapots and servers by Taiwanese potter Zhang Hao Yan, handcrafted and sold through Song Tea & Ceramics.
• The Song Collection 2025-2026 Curated gift collection of favorite Song teas assembled in a single box, positioned for personal and corporate gifting.
• A Box of Botanicals Gift box containing four caffeine-free botanical tisanes (Meadow, Marshmallow, Carrot, Soba) blended in the San Francisco studio.
• Aged Buddha's Hand circa 1982 40-year-old aged oolong tea from Taiwan with notes of crème brûlée, parsnip, and Flemish red ale, part of the Si Fang Cha private room tea collection.

Named customers40 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

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Diaspora Spice Co.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner for the Kashmiri Kehwa product line, combining Song Tea's tea expertise with Diaspora Spice Co.'s spice formulations to create a unique tea/spice collaboration product.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Adagio Teas: Online specialty tea retailer offering a wide catalog of loose-leaf teas, blends, and accessories with a focus on education and customization. Comparable to Song Tea as a DTC-first premium loose-leaf tea brand targeting enthusiasts, though at broader and lower price points than Song's curated assortment.
• Harney & Sons: Long-established premium tea brand selling loose-leaf teas, sachets, and gift collections through DTC e-commerce, wholesale to hotels and restaurants, and physical stores. Highly comparable to Song Tea across product category, premium positioning, hospitality channel, and gifting focus, though with a much larger catalog and brand footprint.
• Ippodo Tea: Japanese tea company selling premium matcha, sencha, gyokuro, and other loose-leaf teas through its New York storefront and global e-commerce. Directly comparable to Song Tea in premium DTC positioning, single-origin sourcing, and curated loose-leaf assortment, with similar emphasis on traditional Japanese/Asian tea quality.
• Smith Teamaker: Portland-based premium loose-leaf tea brand offering blends, single-origins, and tea ware through DTC and food service channels. Comparable to Song Tea as a premium tea retailer with restaurant/hospitality wholesale and a curated rather than mass-market assortment.
• Mariage Frères: French heritage tea house selling premium loose-leaf teas, blends, and tea ware globally through boutiques, e-commerce, and hospitality wholesale. Comparable to Song Tea in premium positioning, French/European analog to a Song-style tea-and-tea-wear curated experience, and overlap in hospitality and gifting channels.
• The Republic of Tea: Specialty tea brand selling loose-leaf teas, tea bags, and gift collections through DTC, retail, and foodservice. Comparable to Song Tea in premium loose-leaf assortment and gifting, though operating at much greater scale and with broader product breadth.
• Teavivre: Online-first Chinese loose-leaf tea retailer sourcing directly from growers across China. Comparable to Song Tea as a single-origin Chinese tea specialist selling globally through e-commerce at premium price points.
• Yunnan Sourcing: Online retailer specializing in single-origin loose-leaf teas, pu'er, and accessories sourced directly from Chinese producers. Comparable to Song Tea in premium Chinese single-origin curation and DTC e-commerce model, with overlapping customer base of tea enthusiasts.

Broad incumbents

• DAVIDsTEA: Public specialty tea retailer offering loose-leaf teas, accessories, and gift sets through DTC e-commerce and a large North American retail footprint. Comparable to Song Tea as a premium-positioned specialty tea brand, though operating at significantly larger scale and broader mass-premium price points.

Emerging players

• McNulty's Tea & Coffee Specialists: Independent NYC-based tea importer and retailer selling premium loose-leaf teas and tea ware, with strong restaurant and hospitality wholesale relationships. Comparable to Song Tea in curated premium loose-leaf assortment, hospitality channel, and physical retail + DTC hybrid model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/hellosongtea
• Xx.com/hellosongtea

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Song Tea & Ceramics