A worker owned cooperative, buying directly from producers rather than the commodities market, often from co-ops and other groups that are democratically run. Nur Natur P.O. Box 2180, Gilbert, AZ 85299-2180. Sells organically grown green, black, herbal, and fruit tea purchased directly from producers, and pays a premium to producers to support social programs on the estates. Most sources, including all organic estates, have signed on to fair trade agreements or are small, family-owned gardens. Tea price includes a social premium which goes to social development projects on tea estates.
Tea is packed locally in Calcutta to provide urban employment.
Workers are provided with free housing, health care and community development facilities. Upper Rung Stash Tea P.O. Box 910, Portland OR 97207. Provides free schooling and housing to estate workers and families on the Ambootia tea estate in Darjeeling, where two of the six flavors come from. These companies do not have a code of conduct or a requirement in their purchasing orders prohibiting child labor. Because they buy and blend tea from many different estates and change their sources often, it is difficult to verify specific labor conditions for different companies.