Tea brand Tazo has announced a multi-year transition of its tea portfolio to a regenerative organic approach. The plan will involve a novel approach to agriculture, how the company sources its ingredients, where it directs charitable giving, and how it treats farmers and workers along the brand’s supply chain.
 
As a first step, TAZO will transition four of its original blends (Zen, Awake English Breakfast, Chai, and Darjelling) to reformulations which are USDA Organic Certified, made with Fair Trade USA Certified ingredients, made with Rainforest Alliance Certified teas, and made with ingredients grown with verified regenerative organic agriculture practices.
 
Regenerative agriculture practices entail the use of cover crops, monitoring soil health, and providing wildlife and pollinator habitat on farms, in order to conserve nature and protect biodiversity.
 
"Tazo has always been a brand that challenges the status quo, and this regenerative organic transition is no exception," said Laraine Miller, president, Ekaterra Americas. "For too long, 'business as usual' has been killing our planet. It's time for every company, including the entire tea industry, to overhaul their means of production to combat climate change and help people and planet thrive."
 
Fair Trade USA certification across all ingredients ensures that ingredients not only have environmental benefit, but also that workers are treated equitably and receive fair wages, according to Paul Rice, founder and CEO of Fair Trade USA.
 
“When you see our Fair Trade USA Certified label on a Tazo tea box, you can trust that it was made according to rigorous standards that protect the livelihoods of people growing the tea and the environment,” Rice said. “Fair Trade helps ensure responsible practices and safe , healthy working conditions on the farms where TAZO products are grown, like gender equity for workers and community development funds to address local needs as decided on by the farmers and workers themselves.”
 
Tazo is working to have its full range of products Regenerative Organic Certified, and is an ally of the Regenerative Organic Alliance, which seeks to improve soil health, animal welfare, and economic stability and fairness for farmers and workers globally.
 
"We are thrilled to work with Tazo on their Regenerative Organic Certified journey," said Elizabeth Whitlow, executive director of the Regenerative Organic Alliance. "Tazo's dedication to invest in their supply chains and support farmers to implement practices to increase soil health and assure fairness to farm workers is completely in alignment with our mission: to heal a broken system, repair a damaged planet, and empower farmers and eaters to create a better future through regenerative organic agriculture."
 
Tazo launched a video ad showing how the brand is taking a regenerative approach to its business, and for every view on its TikTok account, it will donate a dollar up to $250,000 to Rodale Institute, a regenerative organic agriculture nonprofit. The donation will support education, research, and farmer training and transition support to regenerative organic agriculture.
 
This donation is part of the brand’s year-one commitment of approximately $1.475 million – the brand is donating one percent of its sales to mission aligned organizations this year and every year moving forward as part of 1% For the Planet.