TAZO to Become a Regenerative Brand by Transitioning its Tea Portfolio to a Regenerative Organic Approach

For TAZO, making strides to becoming a regenerative company means rethinking how the brand conducts business to leave the world better than we found it, one cup of tea at a time

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., Aug. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, TAZO announces a multiyear transition plan of its tea portfolio to a regenerative organic approach. TAZO is taking the principles of regenerative—a centuries' old agriculture approach that gives back to soil health, the ecosystem, and the people who rely on the land—and applying them to the way the brand operates its business, from how TAZO sources ingredients and packaging to where it directs charitable giving and how it treats farmers and workers along the brand's supply chain.

As a first step in TAZO's regenerative organic transition, the brand is unveiling reformulations of four of TAZO's original best-selling blends: ZEN™, Awake® English Breakfast, Chai, and Darjeeling. These first-ever TAZO Regenerative blends are:

• USDA Organic Certified
• Made with Fair Trade USA Certified™ ingredients
• Made with Rainforest Alliance Certified teas
• Made with ingredients grown with verified regenerative organic agriculture practices that help conserve nature and protect biodiversity, such as use of cover crops, monitoring soil health and providing wildlife and pollinator habitat on farms

"TAZO has always been a brand that challenges the status quo, and this regenerative organic transition is no exception," said Laraine Miller, President, ekaterra Americas. "For too long, 'business as usual' has been killing our planet. It's time for every company, including the entire tea industry, to overhaul their means of production to combat climate change and help people and planet thrive."

One core focus of TAZO Regenerative is the Fair Trade USA certification across ingredients, which helps protect the environment and helps ensure that farmers and workers are treated equitably and receive fair wages.

"When you see our Fair Trade USA Certified™ label on a TAZO tea box, you can trust that it was made according to rigorous standards that protect the livelihoods of people growing the tea and the environment," said Paul Rice, Founder and CEO of Fair Trade USA. "Fair Trade helps ensure responsible practices and safe, healthy working conditions on the farms where TAZO products are grown, like gender equity for workers and community development funds to address local needs as decided on by the farmers and workers themselves."

TAZO is currently working toward getting its full range of products Regenerative Organic Certified™ and is a proud ally of the Regenerative Organic Alliance in its pursuit of increased soil health, improved animal welfare, and economic stability and fairness for farmers and workers around the world.

"We are thrilled to work with TAZO on their Regenerative Organic Certified™ journey," said Elizabeth Whitlow, Executive Director of the Regenerative Organic Alliance. "TAZO's dedication to invest in their supply chains and support farmers to implement practices to increase soil health and assure fairness to farm workers is completely in alignment with our mission: to heal a broken system, repair a damaged planet, and empower farmers and eaters to create a better future through regenerative organic agriculture."

Available now nationwide, TAZO Regenerative organic teas taste amazing—from the invigorating mix of green tea, spearmint, and lemongrass in TAZO Regenerative Organic ZEN™, to the rich, bold black teas, ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, and cardamon in TAZO Regenerative Organic Chai, TAZO tea experts thoughtfully dreamt up vibrant blends that'll stimulate the senses and inspire new possibilities.

To celebrate the launch of TAZO Regenerative, the brand created a video ad that shows how TAZO is taking a regenerative approach to its business – with a production that used a local crew, natural light, native plants and compostable materials. For every view of the video ad on TAZO's TikTok account, TAZO will donate $1 up to $250,000 to Rodale Institute, a non-profit and global leader in regenerative organic agriculture for 75 years. TAZO's donation will support education, research and farmer training and transition support to regenerative organic agriculture.

This donation is just one part of TAZO's year-one commitment of approximately $1.475 Million to 1% for the Planet, through which TAZO will direct 1% of its sales to mission-aligned organizations this year and every year moving forward.*

TAZO's long-term ambition is to transform not only its products, but also the brand's entire business operations, to a regenerative approach that challenges what the tea industry can do and gives back to people and the planet. The pillars of this transformation include:

• Helping to replenish the planet and its resources: TAZO is working to protect nature, including ultimately getting to net-zero emissions and helping support biodiversity, improve soil health, and protect waterways. 
• Helping to build resilient communities: TAZO invests in solutions that support and are led by communities disproportionately impacted by the climate crisis. A top priority are the people growing TAZO's tea, herbs, and spices.

In coordination with sustainability consulting firm Pure Strategies, TAZO evaluated its environmental and social impact to create the following goals:

1.     Human Rights & Fair Trade: Respecting the ingredients and those who grow them

• By 2026: Ensure 100% of ingredients meet our responsible sourcing and fair-trade standards
• By 2029: Ensure that direct suppliers and farm workers in our supply chain receive a living wage or income

2.     Empowerment in Agriculture: Investing in the lives of tea growers and trailblazers

• By 2026: Support training and programs to help a minimum of 250,000 smallholder farmers have better lives

3.     Nature: Nourishing our natural resources

• By 2023: Ensure our priority materials (e.g., tree fiber, sugar, tea) are sourced from suppliers that have eliminated deforestation from their supply chains
• By 2026: Protect, enhance, or regenerate more land, forests, and oceans than needed for our business 
• By 2029: Ensure our tea and key ingredients, together comprising at least 80% of TAZO's ingredient volume, meet our regenerative agriculture standards

4.     Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: Steeping our business in justice

• By the end of 2022: Fully examine our business and set measurable targets to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion across our workforce and direct suppliers (new goals to be developed after this interim target met)

5.     Packaging: Taking out the trash

• By 2025: 100% reusable, recyclable, or compostable packaging  
• By 2026: 100% of our packaging to be made from recycled content or sustainably sourced renewable material 
• By 2026: 30% reduction in TAZO's use of packaging materials

6.     Climate: Racing to zero

• We are committed to setting and submitting science-based targets for greenhouse gas emission reductions for validation by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)
• By 2026: Achieve carbon neutral operations and be on the path to science-based net-zero emissions
• By 2030: 45% absolute reduction of scopes 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas emissions as compared to the 2020 base year

7.     Mission: Giving to those who get it

• At least 1% of sales donated to mission-aligned organizations each year

Learn more about TAZO's commitments and products at www.TAZO.com/Regen. Follow along for updates on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and Twitter.

*TAZO is a proud member of 1% for the Planet, meaning that 1% of TAZO's sales go directly to non-profit partners who are all working to further our regenerative ambition – including organizations like The Recycling Partnership, Rodale Institute, Regenerative Organic Alliance, American Forests, WE ACT For Environmental Justice and Intersectional Environmentalist.

About TAZO
TAZO exists to challenge the status quo in order to better society. Founded in 1994 by Steven Smith, TAZO has a rich history of pushing taste and blend boundaries in the specialty tea segment, with its core values rooted in supporting a sustainable and equitable future for all. Carefully crafted with the most delicious tea leaves, spices, and botanicals, TAZO's portfolio includes hot and iced tea, concentrates, k-cup pods, bottled tea, and tea bags. For more information, including where to purchase, please visit TAZO.com.

About ekaterra
ekaterra is the biggest tea business globally, with products sold in more than 100 countries. With a vision to grow a world of well-being in the tea category, ekaterra owns a portfolio of more than 30 world-class purpose-driven brands, including Lipton, PG Tips, TAZO, Brooke Bond and B-Corp certified Pukka and T2. With 11 production sites on four continents and tea estates in three countries, we are continually working to make our supply chain more sustainable. This starts with helping to improve the lives of the people who pick our tea leaves and how we blend and package our products, through to reducing the environmental impact tea production has on the planet. For more information, please visit ekaterratea.com.

About Rodale Institute
Rodale Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to growing the organic movement through rigorous research, farmer training, and consumer education. Widely recognized as a founder of the modern organic movement, Rodale Institute has been a global leader in regenerative organic agriculture for 75 years.

About the Regenerative Organic Alliance
The Regenerative Organic Alliance (ROA) exists to make regenerative organic farming the highest standard for agriculture around the world.  We promote farming practices that restore and build soil, ensure animal welfare, and end unfair living and working conditions for farmers and farmworkers. By doing so, we're creating long-term solutions to some of the biggest issues of our time, including climate change, factory farming, and fractured rural economies. Learn more at Regenorganic.org.

Contact: Daniela Grava / Edelman
[email protected]

SOURCE TAZO