Tea is the most popular drink in the world after water, with billions of cups poured every day. Even so, many of the people who grow it struggle to earn a living from it. Prices rise and fall with global markets and the weather, and growers absorb most of those swings.

If you manage a functional beverage set or build a private label kombucha program, this matters more than you might think. Tea is one of only three ingredients the whole category depends on. Where it comes from affects the flavor in the bottle, how steady your supply is, and what your label can credibly claim.

So here's the tea on our tea.

What does Fair Trade certification mean for tea growers?

Fair Trade certification gives tea growers something the market rarely does: stability. Certified producers receive a guaranteed minimum price, plus a premium that workers themselves decide how to spend. Often it goes to schools, healthcare, or clean water.

The standards go further than price. They protect workers from discrimination and harassment, and they help growers adapt to a changing climate. Through the Global Living Wage Coalition, Fair Trade also helps set living wage benchmarks for major tea regions, including Kenya, India, Sri Lanka, and Malawi.

That's why FedUp Foods sources only Fair Trade certified tea.

Why does third-party certification matter for private label kombucha?

Any company can say it sources responsibly. Shoppers know that, and so do retailers. Sustainability language is everywhere, and trust in it is wearing thin.

Certification is what separates a promise from proof. Fair Trade certified farms and suppliers are audited by independent third parties against clear standards for wages, working conditions, and environmental practices.

For our private label partners, that has practical value. When your brand is on the bottle, you shouldn't have to take our word for what's inside it. The Fair Trade seal means someone outside our walls has already done the validation.

Who grows the tea in FedUp Foods kombucha?

Our tea comes from two partners, Freshstate and 3 Mountains. Both are fully Fair Trade and Organic certified, and both treat sourcing as a relationship, not just a transaction. Here's a closer look at each.

Freshstate Organic Tea & Botanicals: traceability from garden to bottle

Freshstate Organic Tea & Botanicals is an award-winning importer and wholesale bulk supplier of premium organic teas and botanicals—and a long-standing category leader in introducing transparency and regenerative agriculture to the tea trade. Its model is simple and rare in a commodity market: buy directly from growers and keep every step traceable.

That commitment starts with Freshstate’s founder, Chris, a pioneer of traceability in the tea trade. Before his work at Teatulia, tea was routinely warehoused through multiple layers of middlemen. Chris paired his marketing expertise with strong relationships with farmers to connect buyers directly with ethical growers, proving a transparent supply chain was possible. Built on those direct relationships cultivated over more than two decades, Freshstate ensures more value stays with the communities doing the farming, partnering with growers who support fair wages, safe working conditions, and local initiatives like healthcare, clean water, and education.

Beyond ethical sourcing, Freshstate plays an essential role for craft beverage producers by specializing in tea grades developed specifically for commercial extraction and fermentation. For us, that combination of performance and full traceability is the point: when a buyer asks where the tea in their kombucha came from, and why it brews so reliably, we have an answer we’re proud of.

“We are truly so lucky to work with a partner through whom we can actually make a difference.  It's been an inspiring 10 year relationship, and I'm proud to work with FedUp Foods on every level!”

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Shared Chris Olsen, Founder of Freshstate

3 Mountains Tea Collective: tea as a catalyst for change

3 Mountains Tea & Botanicals began with one person and one country. After a year living and working in Rwanda, founder and CEO Sara Stender Delaney wanted to connect Rwandan growers with American buyers, using tea as what she calls "a catalyst for change." That idea grew into a certified woman-owned tea company based in Asheville, North Carolina.

Today 3 Mountains sources directly from growers in Rwanda, Kenya, Malawi, and South Africa. Its whole catalog is Fair Trade certified and USDA Organic, and Regenerative Organic certification is underway with its partners in Malawi.

The impact is easy to see. One Rwandan partner factory alone employs about 7,000 farmers and factory workers, and through their extended families, 3 Mountains estimates the work supports roughly 100,000 community members.

Their commitment goes beyond the purchase order. 3 Mountains provides seed funding, business training, and mental health support to the cooperatives it works with, especially women-led cooperatives in Rwanda. Through the Sustain program, Rwandan women learn entrepreneurship skills and receive funding to start their own businesses. Delaney's philosophy is self-reliance, not charity: "people really want to take care of themselves; they want to earn their own money."

Two partners, one shared belief: great tea and fair treatment go together.

Why does tea sourcing matter for kombucha quality?

Great kombucha comes down to three things: tea, SCOBY, and sugar. With a list that short, every ingredient carries a lot of weight. The tea's origin matters just as much as its quality.

Choosing partners like Freshstate and 3 Mountains is one of the most direct ways we can use our purchasing power for good. It lets us make premium kombucha for our partners while supporting the people and land behind every leaf.

Building or growing a private label kombucha program? Let's talk about what Fair Trade and Organic certified tea can do for your brand. Send us a message to start the conversation with our team.