I'm Andy Hayes, founder of Plum Deluxe and chief tea maker. Please allow me to walk you through the process I use to create the unique tea blends you'll discover being a Plum Deluxe tea drinker. While you may be envisioning lab coats and a giant factory with stacks of ingredients and curious equipment, the Plum Deluxe studio in Portland, Oregon is decidedly more low-key.
I start with an intention in mind - a great tea to sip while reading a book, the perfect tea for cheering on a holiday celebration, an ideal tea for serving after a big meal. I draw upon my intuition and years of experience to blend up 2 or 3 different "test teas."
Using ingredients from around the world, our flavors are often informed by our love for the Pacific Northwest. Examples of this can be seen in our limited-edition Portland Rose City Chai and the best-selling Oregon Breakfast Black Tea. Next, I steep, sip, review, adjust, repeat. Teas that pass muster often go out to a small group of "tea testers" for further evaluation. Only the best teas are hand-blended in larger batches for our Plum Deluxe customers.
We are a small, specialized, family-owned-and-operated business. You have my promise that everything we make is blended with love, positive intentions, and so much gratitude for you, our Plum Deluxe customer.
