For the very first time, we collaborated with another tea company to develop a tea blend and we could NOT be more excited to announce it to the world! Tea world, are you listening? We’ve got some major game-changing news for you…
In partnership with Tea Horse, a woman-led, Indigenous-owned company, we bring you Manoomin Maple tea! This unique and cozy black tea blend features roasted manoomin (meaning wild rice in Ojibwe) and a touch of maple, vanilla, and berries. It not only tastes good (trust us!!!), but it does good too.
We’re THRILLED to announce that 10% of all proceeds from Manoomin Maple will give back to the David Suzuki Institute to support Indigenous communities.
But first, let’s get to know Tea Horse
Tea Horse is a woman-led, Indigenous-owned company founded in 2017 by Denise Atkinson, who is Anishinaabe ikwe (meaning Ojibwe woman), and her partner, Marc Bohémier. Located on the traditional territory of the Anishinaabe Peoples in Northwestern Ontario, Tea Horse focuses on bringing people together through high quality teas made with one key ingredient: roasted manoomin.
“In Indigenous cultures, leaves, roots, flowers and grains are infused to make tea. As an Indigenous-owned tea company, our use of manoomin (wild rice) as a key ingredient in our tea blends honours and carries on the traditions of the Indigenous Peoples of North America.” – Tea Horse
Wanna hear it straight from Tea Horse? Listen to our Steeping Together Podcast episode featuring Denise and Marc!
A traditional Indigenous ingredient
Manoomin (pronounced muh-NOH-min) means “wild rice” in Ojibwe, while its literal translation is “the good seed.” This ancestral grain grows wild with no human manipulation. To say that the collecting of manoomin is no simple feat would be…well…an understatement. It’s hand-harvested by Tea Horse in the remote landscape of Northern Canada, where the wilderness and shallow waterways meet.
Together, we give back
Creating this blend with Tea Horse was the first part of our journey together. The second was teaming up with the David Suzuki Institute for a local give-back!
10% of proceeds from Manoomin Maple will support Indigenous communities through the “Reconciling Ways of Knowing” program, where conversations are facilitated between Indigenous Peoples (and their governments), and Canadians (and their governments), to work together to include Indigenous voices and knowledge.
“Partnerships are essential to build relationships and deepen our understanding of Indigenous knowledge, to work towards reconciliation.”
-Dr David Suzuki
Dr. David Suzuki embraces an Indigenous perspective on the environment and fully supports Indigenous-led businesses such as Tea Horse, as they pursue their unique connection to native ingredients. Dr. Suzuki applauds DAVIDsTEA for their commitment to this partnership and to working together with the Indigenous community.
At DAVIDsTEA, it is so important for us to share our tea love and amplify Indigenous voices and their businesses. We couldn’t be more fortunate to have this opportunity, and we look forward to the all the good that will come from a partnership so close to our hearts. Our team’s decisions are fuelled by our desire to make the world a better place, and this continues to guide us forward.
Stay tuned! Many more exciting partnerships to come…
