History of tea in India be the "norm", with China tea a minority taste. Until the 1970s and the rise of instant coffee, Indian tea had almost sole command of the hot drinks market. Its rivals were cocoa, coffee and savoury drinks such as Bovril and Oxo. In the early 1820s, the British East India Company began large-scale production of tea in Assam, India, of a tea variety traditionally brewed by the Singpho people. In 1826, the British East India Company took over the region from the Ahom kings through the Yandaboo Treaty. In 1837, the first English tea garden was established at Chabua in
The Republic of Tea The Republic of Tea The Republic of Tea is a privately owned American tea company based in Novato, California that makes and sells more than 300 varieties of teas throughout North America. The Republic of Tea is known for packaging its loose teas and tea bags in tall, cylindrical tins. It was one of the first companies to offer varieties such as rooibos red tea, white tea, and tea seed oil to American consumers. The company was founded in 1992 by entrepreneurs Mel Ziegler, Patricia Ziegler, and Bill Rosenzweig. The Zieglers are also known for co-founding Banana Republic and ZoZa.com.