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  • Introducing Joshua Kaiser

    Joshua Kaiser founded Rishi Tea in 1997 after recognizing that the traditional handcrafted teas he grew so fond of during his travels in Asia were rarely available elsewhere.

    Joshua felt that North American consumers would embrace artisan tea as they did single origin coffee and fine varietal wine if they were given access to it at reasonable prices.

    Joshua enlisted a well-traveled and longtime friend Benjamin Harrison as partner. The two, along with help from friends, worked in a 400 square foot windowless space in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward district, hand-blending original botanicals blends and individually packaging premium teas imported from origins that Joshua frequented.

    The space was soon outgrown and Rishi Tea moved into the burgeoning Bay View neighborhood. While the production facilities expanded, Rishi Tea preserved its founding principles including unique hand-blending techniques, meticulous hand-packaging and strict quality control. Today, the Rishi team has grown into a passionate group of tea lovers who serve as guides for our customers into the world of premium tea.

      Patience: Judging Tea Quality

      With Joshua Kaiser

      Multiple infusions show a tea’s true colors

      Cupping: Judging Tea Quality

      With Joshua Kaiser

      Five senses at work

      Cooking with...

      Think Outside the Cup

      With Chef Cynthia Gold

      Enjoy tea as a cocktail.

      Beyond the Kitchen

      Tea Explorer

      With Joshua Kaiser

      Seeing the world one tea leaf at a time.

      The Art of Tea

      With Joshua Kaiser

      “The beauty in tea is it will never be the same. It will always reflect the dynamics in nature and the human element of processing.”
      – Joshua Kaiser