STiR coffee and tea 27
We regularly monitor tea for traces of plant protective substances, and maintain an
extensive database for rigorous research and reporting."
Olav C. Ellerbrock, senior partner of Hälssen & Lyon, one of Hamburg's most
prominent and venerated tea companies, and whose grandfather, J.C.F. Ellerbrock,
was a founding member of Deutscher Teeverband, reminisces…
"I was told that when the Hamburg tea merchants traveled to Bonn in the early
days by train, they each sat in separate compartments to avoid having to communicate
with each other; they viewed each other as fervent competitors, rather than cherished
colleagues," said Ellerbrock.
"Dismayed by this, when I became chairman of Deutscher Teeverband in 1974,
I felt it was imperative to engender a spirit of collegiality throughout the tea com-
munity," he said. "To foster harmony amongst our members, we met regularly at the
Axel Koehnken, left and partner
Mathias Kloth
A TeeGschwendner outlet
