Rishi Tea & Botanicals
Milwaukee-based organic specialty tea importer. Founded in 1997 by Joshua Kaiser. One of the largest direct-trade tea companies in the United States.
Rishi Tea is among the most established American specialty tea operations. Joshua Kaiser founded the company in 1997 in Milwaukee after spending years working directly with tea gardens across China, Taiwan, Japan, India, and Sri Lanka. The direct-trade producer relationships Rishi developed in the 1990s and 2000s helped establish what "specialty tea" would mean for American consumers — comparable in significance to what Stumptown and Counter Culture did for specialty coffee.
The Milwaukee headquarters operates as both a wholesale supplier (to thousands of cafes, restaurants, and grocery stores) and a direct-to-consumer brand. The product range spans single-origin loose leaf, signature blends, organic herbal infusions, and matcha. Wholesale distribution through grocery (Whole Foods, regional natural food chains) and food service has made Rishi one of the most widely-available specialty tea brands in the US. The brand maintains the editorial credentials of a true specialty operation while operating at a scale that most direct-trade tea companies haven't reached.
Focus areas
Tea types carried
- Green
- White
- Oolong
- Black
- Pu-erh
- Herbal
- Matcha