Masala chai simply means ‘spiced tea’. So, alongside the base of Assamese black tea, the masala (spices) adds depth and powerful flavour to your cuppa.
Our journey to sourcing incredible spices took us to Kerala in Southern India, the land of flavour and fragrance.
We were on the lookout for the highest quality ingredients but also an ethical supplier that values sustainable practices and empowers their local community rather than looking for fast profit.
In the depths of Wayanad, Tommy, the owner of an organic farm and founding member of ‘The Fair Trade Alliance Kerala’ quickly became an inspiration to us. Immediately stating that his farming practices were all about ‘slow money’, letting the land take its natural course. It didn’t take long for us to fall for his farm...
Tommy’s organic farm resembled nature in its rawest form - a tropical jungle.
We discovered our spices growing in harmony with the surrounding biodiversity - thriving ant hills, scattered spider webs, coffee plants and marigolds together with birds, leopards, wild elephants, chickens and even the odd family cow. It was as if we were walking deep within the jungle and at any moment a tiger could jump out…
This is organic farming at its best. We fell in love with the quality of the spices, set within this magical natural ecosystem.
For us, the notes of cardamom, black pepper, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and cinnamon in each and every cup of Amala Chai transports us back to Tommy’s farm. We hope these amazing spices in your cup will bring this experience to you too.
We were most impressed with how the farm works as a collective under the Fairtrade Trade Alliance Kerala.
The FTAK’s top priority is food security - ensuring that each household within the farming community has enough food for the whole family.
The community of farmers have a stable wage that’s protected when global markets fluctuate, and have access to seed banks allowing them to diversify their crops in times of hardship.
It’s clear that the community is at the heart of Tommy’s farm. The secret to the success of the land is the people who work on it.
All the farming families are encouraged to promote age-old multicultural cultivation to boost crops and protect the land.
We were inspired by meeting a female ginger growing collective, empowered through FTAK to use their expert knowledge to grow amazing quality ginger and provide support to their families. This is just one example of how the FTAK is empowering rural farmers and making a difference from the bottom up.
In a region where male supremacy has dominated for decades, we just loved to hear these stories and it was a strong factor in why we have decided to partner with them.
