Tea companies timeline

This is a list of key dates for tea companies.

12th century[]

1812 Andrew Melrose founded Melrose's tea company.
1835 A. C. Perchs Thehandel opened in Copenhagen, DK
1836 Thomas Ridgway founds a tea company - Ridgways
1839 Assam Co India Ltd founded
1840 Bewley's tea and coffee firm, established.
1845 Brooke Bond founded.
1849 Kalonimus Wolf (Kalman-Volf, Vulf Yankelevich) founded Wissotzky Tea Moscow, Russia.
1854 Mariage Frères founded
1860 Nambarrie founded.
1867 Kusmi Tea founded in St. Petersburg, Russia by Pavel M. Kousmichoff.
1869 Williamson Tea founded
1882 Teekanne, GmbH founded.
1884 Harrisons & Crosfield founded.
1886 Whittard of Chelsea founded.
1887 J. Lyons & Co. founded.
1690 Yamamotoyama Tea Company founded
1892 Salada tea begun by Peter Larkin
1893 Thomas Lipton founded the Thomas J Lipton Company, which eventually became Lipton Tea.
1896 Punjana Limited founded - later known as Punjana

1903 Typhoo tea founded.
1904 Mark T. Wendell Tea Company founded.
1907 Ringtons Ltd established.
1911 Marketspice founded.
1919 Betjeman & Barton French tea company founded.
1920 Heath & Heather established.
1923 Satemwa Tea Estates founded
In 1925 brothers Robert and Pierre Dammann, established the commercial enterprise known as Dammann Frères.
1929 BOH Tea Plantation founded.
1936 Drury's founded as Olmi Brothers Tea, changing its name 10 years later.
1961 Maheshwari Tea Company Pvt. Ltd. established.
1966 Peet's Coffee & Tea founded. August Ito En founded.
1974 Dilmah founded.
1972 Good Earth Teas founded. Snapple founded.
1978 National Tea Co Ltd founded. TeaGschwendner founded.
1979 Elmstock Tea Company founded by Hilary White,
1982 Kent Tea & Trading Company founded.
1984 Clipper Tea founded.
1985 Teekampagne founded.
1988 Sweet Leaf Tea founded
1989 Thomas Eck founded Upton Tea Imports
1990 Charles, Prince of Wales, sets up Duchy Originals. HVA Foods Ltd established as a tea exporting company.
1992 Mohani Tea Leaves Pvt. Ltd. founded. The Republic of Tea founded by Mel and Patricia Ziegler. The company was sold in 1994 to Ron Rubin.
1993 Palanquin founded. Ten Fu Group founded.
1994 Melvins Tea (K) Ltd, a limited liability company, incorporated.
1995 Jamaican Teas Ltd founded.
1997 Strand Tea Company founded

2000 Mighty Leaf Tea founded
The Real Tea Company founded.
2003 London Tea Company founded.Tea Forté founded. Old Florida Spice Traders, later The Spice and Tea Exchange founded by Clay Freeman In 2007 the company started to franchise the name.
2005 Chai Teahouse established. Tea Palace founded. Teahouse established. Two Leaves and a Bud founded. April Lancashire Tea founded. October Good Earth Teas acquired by Tetley US Holdings Ltd and Typhoo tea purchased by Apeejay Surrendra Group.
2006 November Teapigs founded.
2007 Canton Tea Co. founded. Capital Teas founded. Zen Tara Tea founded by Guy Munsch and Methee Thavornvongkajorn
2008 PekoeTea founded.
May 2009 The Metropolis of Tea Ltd incorporated: and dissolved May 2012
2010 Tiesta Tea founded
2012 Teavana acquired by Starbucks Corporation.
2017 Senbird Tea founded