Jimmy Medhora

Jimmy began his tea journey in 1983 while still in college as an assistant tea taster with Jokai Tea Ltd. His early years revolved around learning the art of producing teas, tasting, and sales within India. By 1987 having the required experience he joined Assambrooke as a full- fledged tea taster till he moved on in 1997 to a brief tenure in South India with the SSK Exports group which dealt in buying and blending for the export markets.

In early 2001 he moved on again to join Madhu Jayanti International Ltd based out of Kolkata where he fine-tuned his global tasting/blending and trading experience. Besides leading his team as General Manager-Tea and Exports in buying operations for the group companies which included Harris Tea in the USA and Jayrus in Russia he was also a pioneer for creating and launching herbal teas out from India to the European markets, a first by anyone in such substantial volume. His Experience with buying and sourcing for the tea bag and Private label business lead here to Typhoo from early 2010 as General Manager- Tea and Technical.

How do you like your tea?
A Typical cup of Assam 2nd flush tea strongly brewed tea with two scoops of sugar.

What’s your first memory of tea?
Recollect as a child the typically brewed tea in a pot, covered with a tea cosy and brewed precisely by my grandparents for 3 minutes before being poured out into bone china tea cups with just a dash of milk and no sugar.

Alan Hargreaves

Alan began his tea journey in 1987 with the Ridgways Tea Company based in Liverpool, his early years involved extensive tasting of all major tea growing regions and training on how to blend all varieties of teas into various blends.

In 1990 he started a new challenge and joined another local company Gold Crown Foods Ltd (Mantunna tea) again based in Liverpool. In 1996 He became senior tea buyer & blender and was responsible for all major purchasing including tea, coffee, and fruit & herb, while carrying out his daily blending duties.

Alan joined Typhoo in 2006 and became senior buyer / blender and to this day has an endless passion for this fantastic product.

Alan insists that you should never double boil water as so much love and attention goes into making the perfect blend.

How do you like your tea?
With two tea bags in a cup strong but quite milky, no sugar.

What’s your first memory of tea?
One of my earliest memories of tea is that my parents made tea in the old traditional way, in a tea pot covered with a tea cosy, and to this day they still make it the same way. Anytime I go to my parents house you can guarantee that the tea pot will always be hot with a fresh brew inside.

Razi Khan

Razi began his career in 1999 with Williamson Magors Tea Company in India, learning planting and manufacturing of CTC / Orthodox type of Tea based in Assam / Dooars and Darjeeling.

He relocated to Kolkata in 2001 and joined Carritt Moran & Company Pvt Ltd who were the 2nd largest tea brokers in India, were he fine- tuned his tasting teas, and was selling teas in the auction as well as privately.

When it was time to move on, he relocated himself with Harris Tea Company (USA) in 2006 based in Kolkata where his tasting and buying skills came to the fore front and where he learnt the art of buying / blending Black as well as Green teas and speciality products. Needless to mention that he has travelled extensively to most of the tea growing areas of the world whilst working at Harris.

After an interim period at GPI (Godfrey Philips Ltd) India, he moved over to Typhoo in 2010 and is presently enjoying his role as a buyer / blender as well as assisting in technical and supply chain.

How do you like your tea?
He likes his Green Tea with Oolong being his favourite one though every morning, afternoon and evening he drinks Typhoo Tea without any milk and sugar.

What's your first memory of tea?
My first memory of Tea was after I had joined Harris tea and visited PNG and Vietnam, this was the best inspiration for continuation in Tea.

Tony Barkataki

Born in a tea garden in Assam, perhaps it was natural that he would be interested in tea. He pursued a career in tea and is the third generation of his family to do so with now over 9 years of experience in the tea industry incorporating production, marketing, auctioning and tasting.

He began his career in the year 2000 with Williamson Magor & Company at Namdang Tea Estate in Assam as an Assistant Manager -this is where he learnt production & manufacture of tea. After three years he joined J. Thomas & Company, the world’s oldest and largest tea broking company. Here he trained extensively in tasting and spent the next six years honing & polishing his skills as a taster.

During the month of August 2010 he joined Typhoo tea as the buyer & blender for Fruit/Herbal/specialty teas.

How do you like your tea?
I prefer my tea without milk or sugar- just with a splash of lime!

What’s your first memory of tea?
Having the good fortune of growing up in a tea estate- I always enjoyed going to the factory with my father and really liked the smell of tea being manufactured. This stuck with me all throughout my formative years; I guess I was just born into it!