For thousands of years, Indigenous communities have harvested medicinal plants for brewing teas—a practice that supports both personal and communal well-being. Today, one business is on a mission to revitalize—and innovate—on the Indigenous tea tradition. Tea Horse, founded in 2017 by Denise Atkinson and Marc Bohémier, is an artisan tea company offering specialty-roasted wild rice teas. The founders blend sustainably sourced teas with roasted manoomin, a wild rice that is both a spiritual and culinary staple to the Ojibwe Peoples. Through their unique, hand-crafted teas, Denise and Marc look to reach tea drinkers of all levels, while incorporating the richness of the Ojibwe culture and honouring their heritage.
A Distinctive Product: Wild Rice Tea
Known as the “caviar of grains”, manoomin is an ancient grain that grows naturally in North America’s Great Lakes Region and is one of the few grains indigenous to North America. For centuries, this wild rice was a fundamental component of Indigenous diets. Tea Horse’s proprietary roasting process transforms the traditional grain to create a unique flavour profile when blended with their teas. Tea Horse currently offers their manoomin wild rice teas in tea bags and loose leaf formats: the original ManoominCha™, a green tea infused with roasted wild rice; ManoominCha Dark™, a roasted green tea combined with roasted wild rice; Manoominaaboo™, roasted wild rice; and ManoominChai™, black tea infused with spices and combined with roasted wild rice.
A Certified Indigenous Woman-Owned Business
Tea Horse is certified as an Indigenous-owned and woman-owned company, and the designation highlights its dedication to the empowerment and support of Indigenous communities. Above and beyond the designation, Denise seeks out opportunities to support sustainable practices and incorporate cultural knowledge into the Tea Horse brand so that each product pays homage to the legacy of her ancestors. For example, the wild rice used in their teas is sourced directly from Indigenous harvesters and processed using minimal technology. By purchasing non-cultivated wild rice, the company supports Indigenous food sovereignty and minimal environmental impact.
Fostering Connection with Each Cup
Tea Horse’s location on the traditional territory of the Anishinaabe Peoples in Northwestern Ontario is an everyday reminder of their business mission: To share the Ojibwe culture through their exclusive tea blends. Denise and Marc are committed to product quality and cultural preservation, and aim to inspire wellness and an appreciation for Indigenous traditions through every cup of tea.
Tea Horse wild rice teas are available through their online store and through 21 retail locations across Ontario, Montreal and British Colombia. Discover the unique flavours of Tea Horse Indigenous teas and be a part of how Denise and Marc are honouring tradition, nature and innovation. here.
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