The Republic of Tea
 | |
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Beverage |
| Founded | 1992 in Novato, California, U.S. |
| Founders | Mel Ziegler, Patricia Ziegler, Bill Rosenzweig |
| Headquarters | , U.S. |
| Products | Loose-Leaf Tea Tea Bags Tea-Related Products |
| Owner | Ron Rubin |
| Website | RepublicofTea.com |
The Republic of Tea is a privately owned American tea company based in Larkspur, California.
History
The company was founded in 1992 by Mel Ziegler, Patricia Ziegler, and Bill Rosenzweig. The Zieglers co-founded Banana Republic and ZoZa.com.[1][2] In 1994, they sold the company to Ron Rubin.[3] Rubin's son, Todd Rubin, joined the company in 2007 and succeeded his father as president in 2015.[4] Ron Rubin currently serves as The Republic of Tea's Executive Chairman and Minister of Tea.[5]
The Republic of Tea designates its employees as "ministers", its customers as "citizens", and its retail outlets as "embassies".[6]
Practices
The company sources several of its teas from biodynamic farms,[7] a form of alternative agriculture based on pseudo-scientific and esoteric concepts. It also produces Sonoma Teas, which are made from dried grape skins.[8]
In 2026, the company launched its first sparkling tea, a White Jasmine Sparkling Tea.[9]
References
- ↑ "'Wild Company: The Untold Story of Banana Republic' by Mel and Patricia Ziegler". Retrieved 2018-09-25.
- ↑ Schawbel, Dan. "The True Story Behind the Banana Republic Brand". Forbes. Retrieved 2021-10-07.
- ↑ Say, My. "The 'Zentrepreneur': The Republic Of Tea Could Be Worth $125M, But Its Exec Is Still Not Selling". Forbes. Retrieved 2018-09-25.
- ↑ "40 Under 40 2016: Todd Rubin leads a premium tea empire at The Republic of Tea". www.bizjournals.com. 2016-03-10. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
- ↑ Hunt, Amy De La (2025-09-01). "Beverage industry icon Ron Rubin shares life lessons in his new book". St. Louis Magazine. Retrieved 2026-04-20.
- ↑ Levin-Epstein, Amy (2012-01-25). "Morpheus, Pea Brain, Big Cheese: 13 crazy corporate titles". CBS News. Retrieved 2018-10-04.
- ↑ Chhabra, Esha (2017-03-05). "Biodynamic farming is on the rise – but how effective is this alternative agricultural practice?". the Guardian. Retrieved 2018-10-04.
- ↑ Carpenter, Murray (2015-12-01). "Cascara 'Tea': A Tasty Infusion Made From Coffee Waste". NPR.org. Retrieved 2018-10-04.
- ↑ "The Republic of Tea introduces its first sparkling tea". Tea & Coffee Trade Journal. Retrieved 2026-05-05.