In Pursuit of Tea
New York direct-trade tea importer founded by Sebastian Beckwith in 1999. One of the longest-running premium curators in American specialty tea.
In Pursuit of Tea is one of the longest-running premium curator operations in American specialty tea. Sebastian Beckwith founded the company in 1999 — predating most contemporary specialty tea brands — with a direct-trade sourcing model and a commitment to small-producer relationships across China, Taiwan, Japan, India, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam.
The catalog emphasizes natural processing where possible (minimal intervention; authentic regional production) and single-origin lots over blends. Beckwith's long-term producer relationships have produced consistent access to lots from established farms across multiple decades — the kind of supply-chain stability that newer specialty operations are still developing. The brand serves both retail customers and a substantial wholesale base of restaurants, hotels, and other specialty retailers nationally.
Focus areas
Tea types carried
- Green
- White
- Oolong
- Black
- Pu-erh