There are few simple pleasures in life that are as beautiful as savouring a warm, well-brewed cup of tea. The duo behind Passion Tea Gardens, Monika Gorzna and Talah Monther M Almutiq, tell Farah Baig about how the brand makes tea rituals a reality for all.
Given the growing popularity of the ceremonial way of drinking tea, the process of brewing a warm cuppa can seem like a daunting task for some. The premium tea brand Passion Tea Garden bridges the gap between ceremonial tea drinking and convenience so all can enjoy this soothing experience.
“I was always aware of the health and beauty benefits of tea. So, when I moved to Bahrain 22 years ago and couldn’t find good tea, I travelled in search of some,” says Passion Tea Garden Managing Director and Tea Master, Monika Gorzna.
Her quest took her to Sri Lanka, India and China, and when the idea to start a tea brand came about, she decided to go one step further and address a market gap. “Baristas are well trained when it comes to coffee but tea is neglected. So, I don’t just supply the tea but rather train the team on different brewing techniques and create an experience tailored to the venue,” she says.
“With Passion Tea Gardens, people can enjoy a delicious cup of tea at several restaurants across Bahrain and even create their own tea ritual at home,” she adds.
Passion Tea Garden Partner, Talah Monther M Almutiq, joined the business in August 2023; together the duo is taking the brand to refreshing heights. To experience Monika’s love for tea and encourage Talah’s connection with tea, they visited Darjeeling and explored four different tea gardens – two of which they ultimately collaborated with.
“It’s interesting because I was initially advised to stop drinking tea as I was seeing adverse effects. This trip changed that as I realised that it is the way you brew tea that matters. In Darjeeling, we tasted hundreds of blends of tea and I was perfectly fine,” says Talah. “To brew the perfect cup of tea, you need to add the right amount depending on your selection and steep it for three to five minutes.”
A curated selection of nearly 50 flavourful blends of tea sourced directly from tea gardens – the result of tea exploration trips – sets Passion Tea Gardens apart from regular brands. “To discover different teas, we learn the farming techniques, how they grow and explore tea drinking cultures. Currently, we find that any blends with Jasmine are very popular apart from our best seller, Natural Beauty,” says Monika.
While flavoured teas are growing in popularity, Monika believes that pure teas are delicious on their own. However, Talah has brought her own influence to the brand. “I love chocolate and so we worked on the idea of a chocolate tea with real cocoa and stevia. People can enjoy this blend guilt-free while savouring its true flavour as it doesn’t have added sugars. People love it and the feedback has been amazing,” says Talah.
“I’m encouraging Talah to explore more flavours now. It’s refreshing for the brand and I’m excited to see what comes next!” says Monika enthusiastically.
Apart from their corporate offering, the brand offers gift boxes and custom blends depending on individual needs including those to promote wellness or aid with health concerns.
Passion Tea Gardens will soon be launching an e-commerce website, and can currently be found at select retailers and ordered online through Instagram
@passionteagardens.
