Green Tea History
Although it originated centuries ago and far across the world, tea is a beloved drink in the United States, and Salada Tea has done much to increase its popularity and make it accessible to everyone.
The story of green tea dates back to 2737 BC. Legend states that the Chinese Emperor, Shennong, discovered the delightfully aromatic beverage by mere accident when a tea leaf blew into his boiling water.
Over the centuries, green tea became a widely consumed beverage among Asian countries, including China, Japan and India. Two oxidation methods for green tea were discovered, which led to an evolution of the flavor and appearance. The first, Japanese Style ‘steaming method' was introduced during the 8th century, followed by the the Chinese Style ‘Pan Fired' method in the 12th century. Both processes are still in use today.
Though green tea is just beginning to grow in popularity among the Western world, it has been celebrated as cultural tradition for hundreds of years through the Japanese tea ceremony.
In it's early days, tea was a high commodity, priced around $30 to $50 per pound (roughly equal to 200 tea bags). During the 1800's, tea clippers raced from China to London and other ports. The first clipper to arrive with its cargo fetched the highest prices. Largely because of this new, efficient method of transportation, the supply of tea became more plentiful and thus less expensive, allowing all to enjoy the tasty beverage.
In most recent years, green tea has exploded in popularity, especially among the Western world, due to it's renowned health benefits. Though research is still in the early stages, the ritual of tea is one to be enjoyed and savored!
SALADA'S CONTRIBUTION TO TEA
When Peter C. Larkin founded Salada Tea in 1892, tea was sold loose in chests and its character was wildly inconsistent. An innovator with an instinct for the needs of customers, Mr. Larkin developed a system of selling tea in foil packages to ensure a consistently high grade of tea that was easily shipped and sold. The result was North America’s first packaged tea, a revolution in the way tea was consumed. Salada continued its tradition of innovation when, in 1930, it bought the patent for the heat-sealed paper fiber tea bag, another new concept in tea production. Although it originated centuries ago and far across the world, tea is a beloved drink in the United States, and Salada Tea has done much to increase its popularity and make it accessible to everyone.
