Written by: Abby de Riel

We are thrilled to share the launch of our tea blend, Wellness in the Cup, with Harney & Sons Fine Teas. This chef-crafted blend is a caffeine-free and naturally sweet infusion of honeybush, strawberries, kaffir lime, and cardamom. 

Earlier this year, the WITS Tea Team embarked on a journey to create a tea blend that could be a nourishing alternative for a quick pick-me-up before or after school. WITS Chefs Yohaira Antigua-Hylton, Kisha Figueroa Cromartie, Khadejah Kizer, Yamilet Limonta, Nykira Sasaki, and Janani Venkataramanan collaborated on tea ingredients to create this unique flavor profile. Keeping in mind a few constraints, such as this tea being caffeine-free (which limits some options in the tea world), the WITS Tea Team set out on the creative process. 

The WITS Tea Team settled on the tea’s profile first: a sweet, warming flavor that could replace a sugary beverage kids would otherwise drink. The base, honeybush, was an unintentional surprise during the testing process. Honeybush is a delicious black tea alternative from South Africa, with a sweet taste, floral aroma, and earthy undertones. WITS Chefs then picked strawberries as the naturally-sweet ingredient, choosing freeze-dried over fresh for a stronger flavor. Kaffir lime was added to the blend next based on its unique flavor profile, adding a strong citrus aroma often used in South Asian Cuisine. Finally, WITS Chefs added cardamom, a warming spice that would uplift the other ingredients in the tea. After brainstorming and many fun tea-tasting sessions — from ingredient pairing with zested oranges, cinnamon sticks, and more — these four ingredients remained the winners. 

In June, the WITS Tea Team visited the Harney & Sons facility in Millerton to taste the tea blend and make final adjustments to the flavor profile. Wellness in the Cup officially launched during the back-to-school season. 

Wellness in the Cup is available to purchase online and in-person at the Harney & Sons tea houses in SoHo, NYC, and Millerton, NY. A percentage of sales will go to Wellness in the Schools.