Brazil is a vast beverage market with a well-established tradition of tea and herbal infusions. Coffee and yerba mate dominate, but at-home tea is projected to generate $8 billion in sales this year, and restaurant, delivery, and takeaway tea sales will add $6 billion more. Growth is powered by evolving health and wellness trends that favor diverse and distant teas and blends. Conversations among young, urban consumers seeking healthier lifestyles now center on origins, styles, and functionality. Low-calorie, preservative-free beverages are associated with relaxation and well-being.

This week, editor Aravinda Anantharaman interviews veteran importer and retailer Elizeth van der Vorst. Her business, Amigos do Chá (Friends of Tea), is located near São Paulo, the hub of specialty tea, a market she has served for 30 years.

Bio: Elizeth van der Vorst has been a Brazilian tea importer since 1994. Her company, Amigos do Cha, embodies her love of tea and its power to bring people together. Elizeth has been our friend at Tea Journey for several years. Among other things, she feels a deep love for India, particularly Darjeeling. In 2022, Elizeth and her husband Gerard made their maiden trip to India, that was years in the planning. She has returned yearly and plans to lead a tour group from Brazil, South America, and Europe to India in 2025. Elizeth speaks about her love for India and why she can’t wait to bring tea lovers here.

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