Yogi Tea: Feel Good, Be Good, Do Good

At Yogi Tea, they believe that the purpose of business is to serve.

They practice what they preach on the daily, by serving up not only amazing cups of hot tea, but also serving people around their Oregon headquarters and around the globe through their business model and charitable work. From helping Nepalese orphans secure homes to providing developmentally challenged American adults with employment opportunities, they work to make the world we live in a better, brighter place for us all

History of Yogi Tea

The Yogi Tea story begins in 1969 with Yogi Bhajan, venerated teacher of holistic living. Beyond being the year that man first landed on the moon, 1969 was also the year that Yogi Bhajan came to America and started teaching yoga. Along with wisdom and knowledge of Ayurveda, healthy living principles, and herbs, he also shared his specially spiced tea. This simple practice of sharing tea with his students eventually blossomed into the Yogi Tea Company in 1984. Slowly, packages of dried spices began to pop up in natural foods stores throughout Southern California and Europe. By 1986, Yogi Tea had spread across households all throughout America. Yogi tea has now become so popular that today, people all around the globe can raise cups of delicious spiced tea to Yogi Bhajan.

Social Mission

With its cross-nation dissemination, Yogi Tea’s founding mantra also spread: Feel Good, Be Good, Do Good. Their dedication to quality, sustainability, and social responsibility is evidenced by their status as a B Corp — a designation given to companies committed to benefiting society as well as their shareholders.

Here are some of Yogi’s partnerships which demonstrate their commitment to social good:

– Rainforest Alliance: Yogi purchases exclusively Organic Rooibos Leaf from Rainforest Alliance-certified farms, which support workers rights and well-being, natural resource conservation, and wildlife and environmental protection.

– Food for Lane: Yogi has worked with local partner Food for Lane to distribute over 1,100,000 servings of tea to local food banks which serve people in need.

– Pearl Buck Center: Pearl Buck’s ties with Yogi run deep —two decades deep, in fact. Pearl Buck’s clients, adults with developmental disabilities, work at Yogi’s packaging facility to develop vocational skills.

– The Kumari Project: The founder of the Kumari Project was born in Nepal, but adopted by a former Yogi employee in America. Yogi supports the Project in its efforts to create a safe, long-term home for Nepalese orphans.

– Nature Fund: Several of Yogi Tea’s spices are grown as part of Nature Fund’s reforestation program in Madagascar.

Nirvanic Product: Honey Lavender Stress Relief

Honey Lavender Stress Relief has long been a fan-favorite at Yogi, and it’s generated some early traction at Thrive as well — one of our customers even noted that “They should fill the [office] water cooler with this tea!”

It’s a soothing combination of all-natural ingredients including: Lemon Balm Leaf, Passionflower Plant Extract, Organic Chamomile, and Lavender Flower. Our customers have noted that it’s perhaps best enjoyed while immersed in a nice, warm bubble bath, after a rough meeting at work, or cozied up under the covers in bed.

So if you’re feeling stressed from work, want to relax after a long week, or just want to make sure you get a good night’s sleep, Honey Lavender Stress Relief might be just the thing for you — find it at Thrive today, along with other Yogi favorites like Peach Detox, Ginger, or Kava Stress Relief.

Photo credit: Paul Delmont