Tea Biz Dan Bolton

| IN MEMORIAM – Dr. Francis T.P. Zee, retired Research Leader and Horticulturist with the US Department of Agriculture, is credited with reviving the Hawaii tea industry by inspiring small growers to produce specialty tea.
Twenty-five years ago, specialty tea was grown on fewer than five acres on the Big Island of Hawaii, a remnant of the thousands of acres cultivated on large estates that flourished at the turn of the century. Today, Hawaii produces more specialty tea than any state in the U.S. thanks to an enterprising US Department of Agriculture researcher and horticulturist, Dr. Francis Zee. Zee, who was 70, passed away on March 29 in Honolulu, Hawai’i.
Zee, a black belt in Kendo martial arts, was born in Hong Kong. He received his doctorate in horticulture at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where he began working with tea cultivars for commercial production. The failure of those attempting large-scale production led him to champion specialty tea grown in harmony with the unique terroir of Hawai’i and high-altitude farms like that founded by Eva Lee and her husband, Chiu Leong. Lee collaborated with Zee at their Volcano Village farm to develop locally acclimated rootstock at her nursery, producing 25,000 saplings primarily planted on Hawai’i farms but also in demand abroad.
In 2001, Zee explained to the Honolulu Star-Bulletin how cultivating specialty tea could transform the local tea industry. “This is just the beginning,” he said. “I believe many times these things start in the backyard. It has to become a hobby first," he said, highlighting the potential for growth and expansion of the local tea industry. Eva Lee reminisces about working with Zee and describes how his vision continues to shape the future of Hawai’i tea.


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Bought Leaf Factories Blames India Tea Board For Non-Support of Food Safety Compliance Requirements | Weather Impacts Tea Crop in Assam's Barak Valley |
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Lipton Sells All its Tea Gardens to Browns Investments | Kenyan Growers Swamped by Incessant Rains | Enhanced Enforcement of Sanctions Hampers Tea Trade
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HEADLINES – Lipton Sells All its Tea Gardens to Browns Investments | Kenyan Growers Swamped by Incessant Rains | Enhanced Enforcement of Sanctions Hampers Tea Trade
INDIA TEA NEWS – Bought Leaf Factories Blames India Tea Board For Non-Support of Food Safety Compliance Requirements | Weather Impacts Tea Crop in Assam's Barak Valley
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| GUEST – Eva Lee, CEO of Tea Hawaii & Co. and founding member of the Hawaii Tea Society
| IN MEMORIAM – Dr. Francis T.P. Zee, retired Research Leader and Horticulturist with the US Department of Agriculture, is credited with reviving the Hawaii tea industry by inspiring small growers to produce specialty tea.
Twenty-five years ago, specialty tea was grown on fewer than five acres on the Big Island of Hawaii, a remnant of the thousands of acres cultivated on large estates that flourished at the turn of the century. Today, Hawaii produces more specialty tea than any state in the U.S. thanks to an enterprising US Department of Agriculture researcher and horticulturist, Dr. Francis Zee. Zee, who was 70, passed away on March 29 in Honolulu, Hawai’i.
Zee, a black belt in Kendo martial arts, was born in Hong Kong. He received his doctorate in horticulture at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where he began working with tea cultivars for commercial production. The failure of those attempting large-scale production led him to champion specialty tea grown in harmony with the unique terroir of Hawai’i and high-altitude farms like that founded by Eva Lee and her husband, Chiu Leong. Lee collaborated with Zee at their Volcano Village farm to develop locally acclimated rootstock at her nursery, producing 25,000 saplings primarily planted on Hawai’i farms but also in demand abroad.
In 2001, Zee explained to the Honolulu Star-Bulletin how cultivating specialty tea could transform the local tea industry. “This is just the beginning,” he said. “I believe many times these things start in the backyard. It has to become a hobby first," he said, highlighting the potential for growth and expansion of the local tea industry. Eva Lee reminisces about working with Zee and describes how his vision continues to shape the future of Hawai’i tea.


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Tea has reshaped East Africa for 120 years, evolving from colonial dominion to a vibrant entrepreneurial endeavor producing a third of the world’s tea. Kenya’s 650,000 smallholders are the beating heart of Africa’s tea industry, which provides a livelihood for five million people in ten tea-growing countries.
In celebration of International Tea Day, the Purple & Specialty Tea Association of Kenya (PSTAK) will host its inaugural conference in the Nandi Hills on May 22-23. The event, endorsed by the Kenya Tea Board, spotlights Africa’s untapped potential in Orthodox tea production.
Representatives from 50 specialty producers in eight nations will attend educational sessions by tea experts, a competition for the best locally produced tea, and festivities. Sessions will be streamed online, enabling the entire global tea community to participate.
Conference Chairman Boaz Katah shares his enthusiasm for this long-awaited gathering.


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More Support For Small Tea Growers | Low Crop Volumes In Auctions This Year | IMD Predicts Light To Moderate Rain In The Coming Week
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