STiR coffee and tea magazine

STiR coffee and tea 7 Q A By Diana Jendoubi Bio: Kenneth Rimdahl began working with tea in 1993 when he opened the Tea Shop's first store in Madrid, Spain. After traveling to northern Thailand to source ceramic teapots and accessories, he discovered abandoned tea trees growing wild in the mountains around Chiang Mai. Seeing ancient tea trees surviving on their own and thriving in the surrounding biodiversity of the forests inspired him to create a forest- friendly tea company that works in harmony with the land. Ken's efforts to increase biodiversity and reforest northern Thailand have earned him a nomination for a 2024 People, Environment, Achievement (P.E.A.) Award. The 2024 P.E.A. Awards ceremony takes place in London on June 25th. Kenneth Rimdahl Kenneth Rimdahl is the founder and owner of Monsoon Tea Company based in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Photo courtesy of Monsoon Tea Company Kenneth Rimdahl: When I first saw the tea forests in northern Thailand about 22 years ago, I couldn't believe it. They were tea trees, but they were growing in the forest in a completely different way than I had seen in China and India. And I couldn't stop thinking about it. I went back to Spain and continued working for Tea Shop, but also began thinking about starting a forest-friendly tea company in Thailand. Which is what I did about 11 years ago. STiR: Were the trees you first saw originally used to make tea? Kenneth Rimdahl: No. They were originally planted to make hmiang. There are many hmiang plantations in northern Thailand because before, everyone ate it, so everyone could make money from it. However, it's a lousy business today because only some people in the mountains over 60 still eat it. There are so many areas where they no longer produce hmiang because they can't sell it, so they clear all the tea trees and surrounding forest to put in mono- crop plantations of corn or pineapple. Long before tea was a beverage, it was food and medi- cine. Camellia sinensis var. assamica trees are native to the humid forests and mountains of southeast Asia, a region that sweeps across northern India, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and southern China. The indigenous people who traveled the region originally used the larger leaves from c. sinensis var. assamica as food because of its rich nutrients and medicinal qualities. Eventually, the leaves were bundled and fer- mented to preserve and transport them more easily. Packed with antioxidants and antimicrobial properties, the fermented tea leaves became a vital part of the nomadic people's existence, and they began planting assamica trees wherever they migrated. The practice of eating fermented tea leaves still exists in Myanmar, where it is called laphet and hmi- ang in northern Thailand. However, the demand for hmiang in Thailand is slowly dwindling as younger generations no longer eat it. Farmers who used to earn a living making hmiang are forced to clear their land and surrounding forests to plant cash crops such as cassava, corn, or pineapple. Fortunately, there is a silver lining. Camellia si- nensis assamica leaves also make exceptional teas. For decades, old-growth assamica trees have been prized in Yunnan, China, for making the most coveted and expensive aged Pu-erhs. Connoisseurs world- wide are starting to appreciate the unique flavors and bold energy of these wild and ancient trees. With the help of businesses like Monsoon Tea Company, hmiang is also starting to make a come- back as Michelin-starred chefs and restaurants all over southeast Asia celebrate its bright, acidic tang and many health benefits. Hmiang and Camellia Sinensis Assamica I wanted to create a forest-friendly tea company that makes tea from the former hmiang plantations. Our company philosophy is to sell as much tea as possible to buy more tea from the farmers. But I only buy from them if they maintain the biodiversity around their tea plants or add biodiversity. This allows the farmers to earn money again and keep the biodiversity as they did in the past with hmiang. In this way, they become the protectors of the forest because that is where they get their income. That is the philosophy behind Monsoon Tea Company. STiR: Who are your biggest buyers? Do you sell more domestically in Thailand or Europe? Kenneth Rimdahl: Our biggest buyers are in Thailand. Now, we have eight shops domestically: five in Chiang Mai and three in Bangkok. We work a lot with hotels, cafes, and Michelin-starred restaurants all over Thailand and since 2023 we have had a showroom in Stockholm, Sweden

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