Ederli came from Brazil to "workaway" with us last week, and we heard all about his family tea business back home in the South of Brazil, producing tea. So while he was with us we arranged for him to meet and tour two of the local tea factories in Yalova: Akdem & Evcay, both of which kindly hosted Ederli and sent him away with a heap of great ideas - and samples! He's a graduate in Business Administration, and after completing this trip, is expected to return home and take over the reins of the family tea business, so the experience of seeing "our" tea production will be invaluable.
Ederli's company grow Mate tea, and here in Yalova theycombine it with various herbs to make a number of different herbal & health teas. Both Akdem & Evcay blend and produce fruit, spice and herbal teas, as well as a range of other products made from the same ingredients. They travel the country collecting herbs and spices from the wild, and the Yalova model forest is one of their primary resources. The products are collected in the villages, and a comission agent is responsible for the local organisation, and sending to the factory for processing. Bulk orders are made up for the herbalists, and tea-bags for sales through the supermarkets. Buy them and try them for yourself!
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