t leaf T

What t leaf T does

t leaf T is a privately-held, family-owned New Zealand tea company that sells premium loose-leaf teas, pyramid tea bags, herbal infusions, and tea accessories to individual consumers and to NZ hospitality businesses. The company operates a Shopify-powered direct-to-consumer e-commerce site plus two physical locations — a retail store in Wellington CBD and a processing/warehouse facility at Petone, Lower Hutt — with all tea hand-packed at the Petone site by a small team of approximately five employees. Its go-to-market combines D2C e-commerce with same-day dispatch and free NZ shipping over NZD $85, an in-person retail channel, and a wholesale/B2B channel serving cafes and restaurants in New Zealand; international shipping extends to roughly 20 countries.

The product portfolio spans 12+ specialty collections including Black, Green, White, Oolong, Matcha, Herbal, Rooibos, and Fruit teas, alongside a Wellness line (immunity, sleep, gut health, energy, anti-inflammatory, de-stress), NZ Botanicals featuring native mānuka and kawakawa, certified Organic teas, and the Zealong range. Price points run from NZD $3.25 for sample sachets up to NZD $113 for 1kg bulk packs, with pyramid-bag gift sets and Six Samplers (NZD $47) targeting gifting and discovery. The principal technical differentiation is the exclusive use of PLA (polylactic acid) pyramid tea bags, a plant-based, commercially compostable material sourced from sugar cane or corn and ultrasonically sealed.

Revenue derives from three streams: transactional D2C e-commerce sales, B2B wholesale to hospitality, and physical retail. A volume discount (Buy 4 identical foil pouches, get 25% off) and international tax-free pricing (15% off) serve as transactional incentives. The company is 100% New Zealand-owned and has no disclosed external funding, parent company, or subsidiary structure. International shipping to the United States was suspended as of September 2025.

Name

t leaf T

Legal name

t leaf T Ltd.

Website

https://tleaft.co.nz

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

t leaf T is a 100% New Zealand-owned, family-run premium tea retailer selling loose-leaf teas, PLA pyramid tea bags, wellness blends, NZ botanicals, and teaware to consumers via Shopify D2C, two Wellington-region stores, and a NZ hospitality wholesale channel.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Tea Retail

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYCRADAHAE

Tea (Leaf, Bagged, Instant, Concentrates)

Consumer Products & Retail/Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) Manufacturing & Brands/Non-Alcoholic Beverages (Coffee, Tea, Soft Drinks, Water)

Keywords

• Loose leaf tea
• Premium tea blends
• Pyramid tea bags
• Herbal infusions
• Tea accessories

Headquarters

HQ city

Lower Hutt

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct E-commerce Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales through their Shopify e-commerce platform. Customers purchase loose leaf teas, pyramid tea bags, and teaware in various sizes. One-time purchases with volume discounts (Buy 4 identical foil pouches, get 25% off).
2. Wholesale/B2B Sales: Wholesale channel for hospitality businesses including cafes, restaurants, and other commercial customers. The wholesale team works with businesses across New Zealand to provide tea products for their operations.
3. Retail Store Sales: Physical retail sales at Wellington CBD store and Petone warehouse location. Free store pickup available for online orders.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

t leaf T is a New Zealand-owned premium tea retailer that hand-packs and sells loose leaf teas, pyramid tea bags, and infusions sourced from around the world through direct-to-consumer e-commerce, two physical retail locations in the Wellington region, and a B2B wholesale channel serving cafes, restaurants, and hospitality businesses across New Zealand. The offering focuses on sustainable packaging (PLA compostable pyramid bags) and signature NZ-native botanical blends featuring mānuka and kawakawa.

Product overview

t leaf T is a New Zealand-owned premium tea and infusions retailer operating as a multi-category direct-to-consumer brand. The product portfolio centres on loose leaf teas and pyramid bag teas organized into distinct collections: Black Tea Blends (English Breakfast, French Earl Grey, New Zealand Breakfast, Chai), Green Tea, White Tea, Oolong, Matcha, Herbal Teas, Rooibos Infusions, and Fruit Teas. Specialty lines include Wellness Teas (targeting immunity, sleep, energy, and gut health), NZ Botanicals (featuring native mānuka and kawakawa), and Organic Teas. Convenience is offered through Pyramid Bags using compostable PLA material. The range is complemented by Teaware accessories (teapots, infusers, cups, canisters) and gift sets including Six Samplers ($47) for discovery purposes. Products are available in multiple formats: loose leaf foil pouches, bulk packs, pyramid bags, and sample sizes, with pricing starting from $3.25 NZD.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Loose Leaf Black Tea Blends Traditional and flavoured black tea blends including English Breakfast, French Earl Grey, Earl Grey Blue Flower, New Zealand Breakfast, Irish Breakfast, Malty Breakfast, and Darjeeling, sold as loose leaf pouches starting from $3.25 NZD.
• Loose Leaf Green Tea Green tea varieties including unflavoured and flavoured options such as the Tokyo Lime citrus sencha blend, sold loose leaf from $3.25 NZD.
• Loose Leaf White Tea Delicate white teas including Silver Needle, White Peony, Jasmine Silver Tip, Jasmine Princess, White Peach, and White Tropical Glow, sold loose leaf from $4.50 NZD.
• Matcha Powder Premium matcha powders sourced from Japan and China, available loose leaf and paired with matcha accessories.
• Loose Leaf Oolong Tea Partially oxidized oolong teas offering a flavour range between green and black tea, sold loose leaf.
• Herbal Tea Infusions Caffeine-free herbal infusions including Peppermint and Honeyed Chamomile with NZ Kawakawa, sold loose leaf from $3.25 NZD.
• Fruit Tea Infusions Caffeine-free fruit tisanes including Peach Apricot and Mango Magic blends, sold loose leaf from $3.25 NZD.
• Rooibos Infusions South African red bush rooibos teas, naturally caffeine-free with a smooth, sweet flavour.
• Wellness Tea Blends Functional tea blends targeting specific health needs including Anti-inflammatory, De-stress, Energise, Gut health, Immunity, and Sleepy teas.
• NZ Botanicals Tea Range Teas featuring native New Zealand botanicals including mānuka and kawakawa, with blends like Kawakawa Fire and New Zealand Breakfast, sold loose leaf from $3.25 NZD.
• Organic Tea Range Certified organic tea blends including Turmeric Chai Organic and Energise with Turmeric and Horopito.
• PLA Pyramid Tea Bags Convenient pyramid-shaped tea bags made from PLA (polylactic acid) plant-based material derived from sugar cane, ultrasonically sealed without petro-chemical plastics, commercially compostable and 100% non-GMO, available across most tea varieties in 20, 50, and 200 count foil pouches.
• Teaware and Brewing Accessories Tea brewing accessories including teapots (glass, ceramic, stainless steel, cast iron), infusers, tumblers, cups, tea canisters, matcha accessories, and travel mugs.
• Six Sampler Gift Sets Curated discovery gift sets containing six different teas in individual tins with 6-8 servings each, including Black Tea Blends, Green Tea Flavoured, Herbal, Fruit Tea, Rooibos, and New Zealand varieties, priced at $47.00 NZD.
• Gift Boxes Pre-curated gift box sets featuring various tea collections for gifting occasions, offered alongside Pyramid Four Packs and Cube Three Packs.
• Wholesale Tea Supply to Hospitality B2B wholesale tea supply to cafes, restaurants, hotels, and hospitality businesses across New Zealand, supported by a dedicated wholesale team that provides product selection guidance and ongoing support.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NZ CourierscoreOthersPrimary delivery partner for all New Zealand domestic shipments. Handles courier delivery across New Zealand with 2-3 business day urban and 4-6 business day rural delivery times.
• DHL ExpressminorOthersOptional international shipping partner for faster delivery to Australia, Canada, and United Kingdom. Available at checkout alongside NZ Post International.
• NZ Post InternationalminorOthersStandard international shipping partner for delivery to Australia, Canada, UK, and Rest of World destinations. International orders shipped tax-free.
• Cafes, Restaurants & Hospitality BusinessescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWholesale channel partners including cafes, restaurants, and hospitality businesses across New Zealand. The wholesale team works with partners to find the right tea selection and provides ongoing support.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• T2 Tea: Australian-origin premium tea brand with a similar DTC e-commerce plus physical retail model, broad flavored/black/green/white/herbal catalog, and gift set strategy. T2 is the most direct comparably-positioned competitor in the premium tea category.
• Tea Pigs: UK-based premium tea brand famous for its 'tea temples' (silk/mesh pyramid bags) and broad flavored tea catalog. Trades directly in the same premium loose-leaf and pyramid bag category with a strong DTC and wholesaler presence.
• Bird & Blend Tea Co. UK-based premium tea brand selling flavored, wellness, and novelty blends through DTC e-commerce plus physical stores. Comparable premium-positioned, multi-channel brand.
• Republic of Tea: US premium tea brand offering specialty blends including wellness-functional SKUs across DTC e-commerce and wholesale. Directly comparable assortment breadth and positioning.
• Camellia Sinensis: Canadian premium tea retailer with a curated catalog of single-origin and blended teas, sold DTC and through a physical tea house. Highly comparable in assortment depth and connoisseur positioning.
• Two Leaves & A Bud: US-based premium whole-leaf tea brand distributed DTC and through wholesale to cafes and restaurants. Closely aligned with t leaf T's wholesale-to-hospitality angle.
• Harney & Sons: US-based premium tea company with a comparable mix of loose leaf, sachets, and tea accessories, sold DTC and through hospitality/wholesale channels. The closest US analog to t leaf T's positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Whittard of Chelsea: Established UK heritage tea retailer offering a wide portfolio of loose-leaf teas, gift sets, and teaware across DTC, retail, and wholesale. Comparable in catalog breadth but more established and scaled.
• Ippodo Tea: Japanese premium green tea, matcha, and sencha house with global DTC shipping. Comparable in matcha and premium green tea offerings and in international shipping reach.

Regional players

• Zealong: New Zealand-grown oolong tea producer and brand. Already carried by t leaf T (Zealong teas collection), making it both a supply-side partner and a domestic tea competitor in the NZ premium tea market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/tleaft
• Instagraminstagram.com/tleaft
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/t-leaf-t

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 t leaf T