La Via del Te

What La Via del Te does

La Via del Tè is an Italian specialty tea company founded in 1961 and headquartered in Impruneta, Florence, operating under the legal entity SNAK S.r.l. The company sells premium teas (black, green, white, Oolong, Pu Erh, Rooibos, Matcha, and herbal infusions), signature themed collections, accessories, and gift boxes through owned e-commerce storefronts (laviadelte.it, laviadelte.com, laviadelte.fr), a network of physical boutiques across Italy, and international shipping to more than 30 countries. It also runs in-house tea tasting courses, an afternoon tea experience product, and a corporate/B2B sales channel (Area Aziende) alongside customizable wedding favors (bomboniere). The company has 11-50 employees and is led by Paolo Carrai as President and CEO.

The core technology and production capability centers on proprietary Tea Blending art combined with Italian-grown tea cultivation at the Premosello plantation on Lake Maggiore, Europe's second-largest tea plantation with 20,000 Camellia Sinensis plants producing hand-harvested, chemical-free Italian teas (Aria, Assolo, Notturno). Signature collections (Firenze, Giardini Segreti, Le Signore delle Camelie, I Profumi del Tè, Tea Travels, Costellazioni, Colonial, Selezione Grand Crus) are built on this blending expertise, supported by IFS Food V8 certification and a 2021 Miglior E-commerce recognition.

The business model is direct-to-consumer retail plus wholesale/B2B and experiences. Unit pricing spans budget (€3-7), mid-range specialty (€6-13), premium single-origin and Italian teas (€20-50+), bulk 1kg wholesale (€109-137), and gift boxes with accessories (€24-€68). Customer segments include Tea Enthusiasts, Gift Buyers, Italian Origin Seekers, and Accessories Buyers, served via a hybrid segmentation approach spanning Italian retail, online international shipping, and corporate sales.

Name

La Via del Te

Legal name

SNAK S.r.l.

Website

https://laviadelte.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

1961

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

La Via del Tè is an Italian specialty tea retailer founded in 1961, selling premium teas, signature themed collections, accessories, and gift boxes via e-commerce, physical boutiques across Italy, and international shipping to 30+ countries, with a unique vertically integrated Italian-grown tea plantation at Premosello.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Tea Retail

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Tea (Leaf, Bagged, Instant, Concentrates) (CRADAHAE), Tea Blending & Flavoring (AFAFADAG)

Keywords

• Specialty tea retail
• Artisan tea blends
• Tea accessories
• Italian-grown tea
• Gift tea boxes

Headquarters

HQ city

Impruneta

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tea and Infusion Products: Direct sale of premium teas including black, green, white, Oolong, Pu Erh, Rooibos, Matcha, tea flowers, and herbal infusions. Products available in various formats: loose leaf, filters, tins, and gift boxes.
2. Tea Accessories: Sale of tea accessories including teapots (Tisaniere Camilla), cups, infusers, storage jars, thermal bottles, tote bags, notebooks, and gift items.
3. Gift Boxes and Packages: Pre-packaged and customizable gift boxes featuring curated tea selections, particularly for weddings (bomboniere) and special occasions.
4. Experiences and Courses: Tea tasting courses and company visits offered at their facility for the first time to the public.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

La Via del Tè is an Italian specialty tea retailer that sells premium loose-leaf teas, tea filters, herbal infusions (tisane), tea flowers, and matcha across all major tea categories (black, green, white, Oolong, Pu Erh, Rooibos) sourced from major producing countries and grown domestically at the company's Premosello plantation on Lake Maggiore. Beyond teas, the company sells branded tea accessories (porcelain Tisaniere Camilla teapots, stainless steel infusers, decorative storage tins, thermal bottles, tote bags, notebooks), curated gift boxes for occasions such as weddings (bomboniere), digital and physical gift cards, and in-company tea tasting courses plus Afternoon Tea experiences.

Product overview

La Via del Te is an Italian specialty tea retailer offering a comprehensive portfolio of tea products and accessories through its e-commerce platform. The core offering includes various tea types (black, green, white, Oolong, Pu Erh, Rooibos, Matcha, herbal infusions) sourced from major tea-producing countries. The company distinguishes itself through signature collections including Il tè italiano (Italian-grown teas from Premosello), Le Signore delle Camelie (women-inspired blends), I Profumi del tè (Mediterranean blends), Firenze (Florentine art collection), Giardini Segreti (garden-themed blends), Tea Travels (world tea traditions), and Grandi Origini (single-origin premium teas). The accessory line features Tisaniere Camilla porcelain teapots, stainless steel infusers, decorative tea tins, thermal bottles, and camellia-patterned tote bags and notebooks. The company also offers gift cards, curated gift boxes, and in-company tea tasting experiences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tea Collection: Gift box collection with assorted tea filters
• Colonial
• Tea Travels
• Firenze
• Giardini Segreti
• Le Signore delle Camelie
• I Profumi del Te
• Il Te Italiano
• Selezione Grand Crus
• Selezione Benessere
• Golden Jubilee
• Costellazioni
• Mondo Matcha

Products and services

• Tè nero (Black Tea)

Quantifiable outcome

• Ships to over 30 countries worldwide
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Dammann Frères: Historic French tea house specializing in loose-leaf teas, flavored blends, and tea accessories, with retail stores and B2B/hotel channel sales. Directly comparable to La Via del Tè on blending expertise, gift/gift-box merchandising, and European specialty retail.
• Whittard of Chelsea: UK heritage specialty tea and hot chocolate retailer with own boutiques, broad loose-leaf portfolio, and strong gifting/occasion marketing. Comparable to La Via del Tè on heritage positioning, themed collections, and gift-box-led revenue.
• T2 Tea: Australian specialty tea retailer with strong boutique retail presence, signature themed collections, and international e-commerce. Directly comparable to La Via del Tè on experiential retail, signature sub-brands, and gift-led merchandising.
• Tea Forte: US-based premium tea brand known for artisanal pyramid infusers, signature blends, and upscale gifting. Comparable to La Via del Tè on premium positioning, design-led packaging, and gift/occasion focus.
• Mariage Frères: French specialty tea retailer and blender founded in 1854, operating boutiques worldwide and shipping internationally. Closely comparable to La Via del Tè in product mix (loose-leaf teas, signature blends, accessories), boutique-led GTM, and premium positioning.
• Harney & Sons: US family-owned specialty tea company with proprietary blending, own retail stores, broad e-commerce, and wholesale/hospitality distribution. Comparable to La Via del Tè on blending expertise, multi-channel GTM, and DTC-led premium positioning.
• Kusmi Tea: Premium French-origin tea brand with a broad flavored-blend portfolio, retail stores across Europe, and strong international e-commerce. Comparable to La Via del Tè as a multi-channel, brand-led specialty tea operator in the European market.

Broad incumbents

• Fortnum & Mason: Iconic British heritage retailer with a strong tea category (own blends, gift hampers) sold via flagship store and global e-commerce. Comparable to La Via del Tè on heritage positioning, gift-led hampers, and premium tea merchandising within a broader portfolio.
• Twinings: UK-based global tea brand with mass-market and premium lines distributed across grocery, foodservice, and own-brand channels. Comparable as a broad incumbent operating across all major tea categories with far greater scale than La Via del Tè.

Regional players

• Tea Shop (Portuguese Tea Shop): Portuguese specialty tea retailer operating its own boutiques and shipping across Iberia and selected European markets. Comparable to La Via del Tè as a Southern European specialty tea retailer with own brand and physical retail presence, though geographically focused on Iberia rather than Italy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

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 La Via del Te