FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 20, 2015, Denver, Colo. – Teatulia Organic Teas is proud to be named one of the 25 Most Innovative Consumer Brands for 2015 by CircleUp incollaboration with Forbes.

Each year, CircleUp—an equity-funding marketplace committed to providing innovating entrepreneurs with the resources that they need to thrive—recognizes 25 of the most exciting and innovative consumer and retail brands in America.

According to the founder and CEO of CircleUp, Ryan Caldbeck, Teatulia was selected for the 2015 top 25 for “bringing us organic tea, while operating a social cooperative tea garden in Bangladesh—one of the largest in the world.”

“We are humbled that the business community recognizes the social impact consumer brands like ours are making on the world,” said Co-founder and CEO of Teatulia, Linda Appel Lipsius. “From the outset, our mission has been to produce great tasting tea while improving lives of the Bangladeshi community surrounding our tea garden.”

The CircleUp25 honors companies that are challenging convention, revitalizing dormant industries, pioneering entirely new industries, and improving people's lives. More than 150 founders, CEOs, and entrepreneurs selected this year’s winners from over 340 nominations submitted by the public. The CircleUp25 winners have demonstrated the courage, business acumen, and innovative spirit required to compete with industry Goliaths, and they have improved the consumer and retail industry as a result.

Some of Teatulia’s industry innovations and improvements include:

• Organic Practices: Teatulia owns its own organic tea garden, which was the first USDA-certified organic tea garden to be established in Bangladesh. Teatulia’s teas are cultivated using only natural farming methods, which results in great-tasting teas that are better for the land, its people, and the environment.
• Community Cooperative: The Teatulia Cooperative, or Kazi Shahid Foundation, has established revolutionary education, health, and cattle-lending programs for the people working in Teatulia’s tea garden as well as surrounding communities. All sales of Teatulia Organic Teas contribute to this mission.
• Sustainable Packaging: Teatulia helped to pioneer an Earth-friendly packaging solution for tea. Its innovative retail eco-canisters are recyclable, made from post-consumer waste, and use water-based inks and adhesives. Teatulia’s pyramid and round tea bags are compostable and made from corn silk or unbleached paper. And to reduce waste, the tea bags are free of unnecessary wrappers, strings, tags, or staples.
• Award Winning Teas: The retail industry has recognized Teatulia for its excellence in tea production and tea packaging, including: eight North American Tea Championship awards in multiple categories, a silver sofi Award from the Specialty Food Industry for outstanding hot beverage, and an iF Design Award for outstanding packaging.
• Certified B Corporation: Teatulia is one of the first Colorado tea companies to become certified as a B Corporation—a forward-thinking company committed to using the power of business to solve social and environmental problems.
• Rainforest Alliance Certified: Rainforest Alliance Certified farms and gardens support a healthy environment, promote the well being of workers and their communities, and ensure efficient growing methods.

Teatulia Organic Teas can be found across the country at specialty food markets, grocery stores, Target stores, fine-dining restaurants, colleges and universities, and hotels. Also available online at teatulia.com, the product selection includes black, green, white, oolong, and herbal teas that can all be enjoyed hot or iced.

About CircleUp25
Since 2013, the investor crowdfunding platform CircleUp has partnered with American business magazine Forbes to create an annual profile of the 25 most innovative consumer and retail companies that are changing the way we live our lives. The final 2015 CircleUp25 winners were chosen by an exclusive group of current (and former) consumer and retail CEOs and founders who, according to CircleUp, “are visionaries who have a finely honed sense of which companies will likely have a dramatic and lasting impact.”

About Teatulia Organic Teas
Teatulia is named for the region in Northern Bangladesh where its tea is grown. Teatulia sources its teas and herbs directly from its own USDA-certified organic garden in Northern Bangladesh and other like-minded gardens. The teas are cultivated using only natural farming methods, and garden-direct sourcing means the teas don’t sit in long-term warehouse storage or wait around to be blended by a third party. This results in great-tasting teas that are better for the land, its people, and the environment. Teatulia is mindful of how its actions impact worldwide communities and actively supports ethical organizations like the Rainforest Alliance and B Corporation. Teatulia is proud of its exquisite, clean and smooth-tasting teas that support education, business and health initiatives as well as demonstrate a thorough commitment to sustainability. For more information, visit teatulia.com or call 1.888.860.3233. Like Teatulia Organic Teas on Facebook at facebook.com/teatulia and follow us on Instagram at instagram.com/teatuliateas.

CONTACT
Chris Olsen, Marketing Director, 303.433.2980 x301, chris[at]teatulia[dot]com