The Republic of Tea
American tea company
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Republic of Tea is a privately owned American tea company based in Larkspur, California.
in Novato, California, U.S.
 | |
Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Beverage |
| Founded | 1992 in Novato, California, U.S. |
| Founders | Mel Ziegler, Patricia Ziegler, Bill Rosenzweig |
| Headquarters | , U.S. |
| Products | Loose-Leaf Tea Tea Bags Tea-Related Products |
| Owner | Ron Rubin |
| Website | RepublicofTea.com |
History
The company was founded in 1992 by Mel Ziegler, Patricia Ziegler, and Bill Rosenzweig. The Zieglers co-founded Banana Republic and ZoZa.com.[1][2] In 1994, they sold the company to Ron Rubin.[3] Rubin's son, Todd Rubin, joined the company in 2007 and succeeded his father as president in 2015.[4] Ron Rubin currently serves as The Republic of Tea's Executive Chairman and Minister of Tea.[5]
The Republic of Tea designates its employees as "ministers", its customers as "citizens", and its retail outlets as "embassies".[6]
Practices
The Republic of Tea's products are distributed through retailers including Whole Foods Market and Williams Sonoma.[3]
The company sources several of its teas from biodynamic farms,[7] a form of alternative agriculture based on pseudo-scientific and esoteric concepts. It also produces Sonoma Teas, which are made from dried grape skins.[8]
In 2026, the company launched its first sparkling tea, a White Jasmine Sparkling Tea.[9]