Tarakona, Maori for dragon, is a mythical creature revered as representative of the primal forces of nature and the universe. They are associated with longevity, strength and wisdom, often said to be wiser than humans and believed to possess supernatural power. 

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A couple of avid travellers and tea afficionados, Kenneth and Pearl, visited and fell in love with the remote tea regions in Yunnan, Zhejiang and Fujian. Tea farmers became friends. Kenneth and Pearl decided they wanted to help these tea farmers bring their extraordinary teas to the world.

 

Coming home to New Zealand, they couldn't stop thinking about those beautiful regions and the exceptional teas they could only find in those regions. And thus the idea of bringing exceptional teas from small remote tea plantations to the world was born.

 

Keeping the time honoured traditional, artisanal methods of pan roasting and steaming hand picked buds and leaves alive, Tarakona sources only the finest quality single estate teas produced in small batches by hand.

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Our Tarakona team is passionately searching and exploring, sourcing the best and bringing pure luxury to different shores, touching as many lives as we can. It's amazing how sharing a pot of tea can break down barriers and bring people together. Many cultures serve tea to guests to welcome and honour them into their home. We hope our choice picks will bring warmth and friendship to those who share our spellbinding teas.