Trustea gathers momentum, plans to expand into retail tea certification

Currently, its operations are limited to the bulk tea level, the stage when packeteers and blenders buy either directly from the planter or at auctions

Trustea, a domestically developed sustainability certification programme funded by Tata Global Beverages, Hindustan Unilever and others, is mulling the idea of certifying teas sold to consumers on sustainability and quality parameters.

This is aimed at catering to the growing preference of buyers opting for ethically sourced teas and other branded commodities. This way, it will help in back-end sustainability for the tea sector and plantation companies, believes Trustea. While also opening a revenue stream which will help it arrange for own funds and not depend solely on grants from founding partners. Trustea, from being a certifying organisation, is evolving into a