Tea is the most consumed beverage in the world after water. This wonderful beverage crop is grown main in tropical and sub-tropical regions. But no one would believe that tea can be grown in Belgium. As Helen Lyons reported to The Brussels Times, The first ever tea made in Belgium is now on supermarket shelves in Delhaize and Bio-Planet. Delhaize supermarket signed a contract with LocalTea earlier this year for the supply of Belgian-sourced tea.

The owner Johan Jansen started growing tea 13 years ago following a trip to China where tea was first discovered, and it took him eight years to develop the skill to breed a type of Camellia sinensis which would survive the European winter.

“I imported 130 genetic types from all over the world and started cross-breeding and distributing,” Jansen explains.

Jansen set out to spread the word, coming upon Raf Lombout, who grows amaryllis in his greenhouses for the pot-plant market.

Convinced by Jansen’s pitch, he has now set aside 2,000 square metres of his greenhouses for the growing of tea plants in tunnels, with the intention of growing more.

The company has now been in production for two years and the Tea by Me tea bags are on the shelves of 650 Dutch supermarkets.

The 60,000 plants already in place should be enough to produce 200,000 cups of tea. Jansen, meanwhile, has plans to expand his operation to France and Germany as well.

“Tea with Nipun” always brings you news and updates not only from main tea origins, but also from rare origins like Belgium.

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References

1. Main Source: https://www.brusselstimes.com/belgium/188896/first-belgian-tea-hits-supermarket-shelves/