This Indigenous Tea Is Made With Artisinal Wild Rice

If you haven’t heard of Tea Horse, we’re here to fill you in. This Indigenous-owned and woman-founded artisanal wild rice tea company is known for its proprietary roasting process; this first-of-its-kind tea combines wild rice (Ojibwe: manoomin) and camellia sinensis to create innovative tea blends. We chatted with co-founder Denise Atkinson, an Anishinaabe ikwe (English: Ojibwe woman) from Red Rock Indian Band, to learn more. —Noa Nichol

Hi Denise! When and why did you launch Tea Horse? What niche were/are you aiming to fill?

My partner Marc and I launched Tea Horse as a brick and mortar premium tea shop and tea room in spring of 2017 in the Bay and Algoma neighbourhood of Thunder Bay. In 2019, we transitioned the company to an e-commerce store and began wholesale distribution with select local retailers. A serendipitous event occurred in 2019 that pivoted Tea Horse into becoming a beverage producer. A sample of tea arrived from one of our trusted suppliers and we noticed the tea resembled grains of wild rice. This sample of Kukicha “twig tea” sparked the idea to create a tea blend using wild rice as the foundational ingredient. Our ManoominCha “wild rice tea” offers consumers a uniquely North American tea experience.

What products do you currently offer, and what makes them unique? Plus, please describe to us your proprietary roasting process!

We offer four distinct flavours of our wild rice tea blends to the wholesale, retail and consumer markets. Our proprietary roasting process creates a rich, earthy, chestnut flavour to our blends. Our roasting process is a trade secret … I cannot reveal it 🙂

What’s the inspiration and motivation behind the brand?

I come from a long line of proud Anishinaabe Matriarchs who were the backbones of our family and community. They shared their wisdom, knowledge and culture through storytelling with a pot of tea always present. Tea is a central part of my life and culture, whether it is made from leaves, roots, berries, or flowers, it brings people together and nourishes the mind, body and spirit. I am honouring my ancestors by carrying on our traditions of storytelling and sharing the gifts of manoomin (wild rice) and tea.  

Of all your teas, which one are you sipping most right now?

ManoominCha, our original wild rice tea creation that combines the sweet, grassy notes of green tea with the aroma and nutty characteristics of wild rice.

teahorse.ca