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Black Tea

Kumaon Black | Fannings

$0.00

Our most affordable entry into the farmer-owned factory we co-own with local Kumaon farmers. Same Kumaon Black leaf, milled to our finest grade for tea bags and kombucha brewing. Smooth and balanced with notes of caramel and bittersweet cocoa.

Preparation

0.5 Tbsp/2.5 g | 8 oz | 210° F | 4 min

Tasting Notes

Caramel and bittersweet cocoa

Origin

Kumaon, North Indian Himalayas

Tea Makers

Champawat Tea Makers

Flavor & Aroma

Kumaon Black is a full, balanced, and grounding everyday drinker. The thick sweetness of caramel and punchiness of cocoa make it versatile. This tea can be brewed strong or light without becoming harsh. It drinks well on its own or with a splash of milk.

Origin Story

Tucked into the Himalayan foothills just west of Nepal, Kumaon is one of India's lost tea regions. Tea was planted here in the mid-1800s, and for most of the next century, the region thrived. However, with World War II and the rise of Indian origins closer to ports, over time, most Kumaon gardens were abandoned.

Only one family stayed.

The Birkbecks quietly continued growing tea through decades, selling it locally. When we began working in Kumaon in 2015, the third-generation son, Desmond, was at the helm. We worked with the Birkbecks and local farmers to build a different path forward for Kumaon, culminating in the launch of the farmer-owned Kumaon Tea Factory in 2025. Kumaon Black is our flagship: a high-elevation black tea from a region reintroducing itself to the world, with quality and ownership aligned at last.

  • Origin Story
  • Production

Tea Makers

Desmond Birkbeck comes from the only family that stayed in tea after the British pulled out of Kumaon in the 1920s. Desmond grew up on his family’s tea garden named Chirapani, which means “split water” and is named for the waterfall at the top of their tea garden.

Desmond proudly tells the story of writing to the Tea Board of India when he was 14 years old, requesting that his family’s tea garden be able to sell into the Kolkata auctions. Now he is a leading force in his village and the Kumaon region, working to use tea to uplift local tea farmers.

Impact

Kumaon Black is the backbone of a collection built around a single idea: quality and farmer ownership reinforcing each other. In 2025, we launched India's first farmer-owned specialty tea factory with local Kumaon farmers. Co-owners (90% women) sell their harvest at up to 5x commodity prices and share in long-term factory profits.

We also donate 1% of everything we sell -- across our entire catalog -- directly to the Kumaon factory and farmers, helping fund regenerative agriculture trials, smooth seasonal cash flow crunches, and more.

Our Packaging

Our commitment to sustainability means we offer our teas in several types of packaging:

Tins

Durable and reusable, made from 100% recyclable steel. Labels are not recyclable but made from 50% hemp and 50% post-consumer waste.

Bulk Bags

Tough, resealable stand-up pouches with storing moisture and oxygen barriers. Not recyclable due to a 3-layer structure that serves as a food-safe barrier to keep your tea fresh as long as possible.

Pyramid Tea Bag

Recyclable stand-up pouches with tea bags, strings, and tags made from 100% sugarcane PLA, commercially compostable and degrades into organic matter. For best results, use a commercial compost facility.