How new teas are transforming Turkey’s tea region

Perched on a steep mountain in northeastern Turkey, the village of Haremtepe seems like an isolated island, surrounded by an endless sea of lush green tea fields that stretch as far as the misty horizon allows.

Dozens of local tea pickers, nearly invisible among the dense greenery of the hillside, work swiftly and skillfully to gather the dewy leaves, filling large fabric sacks that hang over their shoulders before the next rain arrives.

‘This place is unique,’ says Kenan Çiftçi, owner of a tea plantation and café in the village, which is set on a dizzying slope. ‘Typically, tea is grown in equatorial regions. But here, thanks to the local microclimate, with its abundance of sun and rain, tea flourishes.’

Across Rize, a fertile province on the Black Sea known for its humid climate, heavy rains, and stunning landscapes, most of Turkey’s tea is grown, making it the world’s largest tea-drinking nation.

While the Brits and Chinese are often in the spotlight for their tea traditions, Turkey (or Türkiye, as it's now known) has some of the highest tea consumption per capita in the world. On average, each Turk drinks about four kilograms of tea annually – that’s roughly four cups a day for the country’s 85 million people, according to the International Tea Committee.

‘A true delight for the senses’

Brewed in a traditional samovar-like vessel called a çaydanlık, Turkey's strong black tea is usually served in small, tulip-shaped glasses and enjoyed at regular intervals. The brewing method, a slow ‘double-boiling’ process involving two stacked kettles, reflects the laid-back rhythm of Turkish life, where tea preparation is a leisurely affair.

‘Drinking tea is not just about flavor; it's also a social ritual,’ says Hüseyin Karaman, rector of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University in Rize. Earlier this year, the university opened a Tea Library that holds 938 books dedicated to the drink. ‘Tea is the bond that unites everyone in our society.’

From the tranquil landscapes of the Black Sea to the relaxed Kurdish tea gardens of eastern Turkey, and the trendy cafes of Istanbul, tea is integral to Turkish life. It’s shared with guests, sipped during social gatherings, enjoyed first thing in the morning, savored after meals, or even leisurely drunk over a game of backgammon.

The tradition of drinking çay is deeply woven into Turkish culture, says Karaman. It traces back to the days of the Silk Road, when roadside inns or caravanserais would have tea houses to greet weary travelers. Evidence of tea cultivation in the Ottoman Empire goes as far back as the 16th century.

During the reign of Abdülhamid II, the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1876 to 1909, tea was introduced across the empire, though initial efforts were hindered by unsuitable climates. It was later discovered that the Black Sea region’s climate was ideal for tea, leading to the establishment of Turkey’s first tea factory in Rize in 1947.

‘Tea production on a large scale is a relatively recent development,’ Karaman adds. ‘But it spread rapidly and became deeply ingrained in the culture. Now, it feels as though tea has always been a part of our lives.’

The Tea Revolution

Although Turkey is responsible for producing up to 10% of the world’s tea, with 275,000 tons processed in the past year, the vast majority is consumed within the country. The main type remains the traditional black tea, cultivated in Rize's expansive 767 million square miles of plantations. Harvesting takes place between May and October, and the leaves are withered, rolled, fermented, and dried through a time-honored process.

Yet, change is on the horizon for Turkish tea. New producers, like Lazika, a Rize-based startup founded in 2016, are beginning to challenge long-standing practices and innovate in the industry.

Focused on working with smallholder farmers, the company specializes in organic green and white teas. They often incorporate local ingredients like yayla flowers from the nearby Kaçkar Mountains, which not only enhance the flavor but, as some locals believe, offer medicinal benefits.

Emre Ercin, the founder, notes, 'Turkish tea has been focused on traditional flavors for generations. There’s little variation. We want to bring a change to that.'

There's a growing demand for innovation: Lazika processed just seven tonnes of hand-picked tea in 2021, but this year production has surged to an impressive 25 tonnes.

The company has also opened a café in Istanbul to showcase its teas, with plans for more locations. 'Our customers are developing a taste for something new,' Ercin explains. 'It just takes a little time. People’s eyes are opening to new possibilities.'

Taking a different approach, Aytul Turan, who co-manages the women-run Tea Chef company in Rize, began crafting handmade teas after her visit to China in 2017.

She explains, 'I strive to create the finest tea by carefully processing fresh, hand-harvested leaves, ensuring no damage to the plant and maintaining the integrity of the product.'

'It’s a deep passion,' she adds.

Together with her colleague Yasemin Yazıcı, she now hand-harvests premium white tea leaves, processes them herself, and also crafts handmade green, black tea, and even Japanese-style matcha.

'I have a profound passion for tea production,' says Turan. 'We, the younger generation, recognize that it’s our responsibility to understand, improve, and innovate the legacy of Turkish tea.'

Even at Çaykur, Turkey’s state-owned tea company, which employs over 10,000 people across 45 factories, innovation is a key priority.

In Çaykur’s laboratories, scientists in white coats work tirelessly, experimenting with new technologies and techniques to enhance the flavor and consistency of the tea. They monitor everything from pH levels to the color of the brew. For specific blends, a ‘2.5 leaf’ method is employed, picking only the bud and two youngest leaves of the plant, which many consider to produce the finest taste.

'We’re always striving to achieve new levels of quality,' says Muhammet Çomoğlu, who works at the Rize Tea Research and Application Center (ÇAYMER). 'For Turks, tea is an essential part of everyday life.'

As Turkish tea evolves and diversifies, its ability to unite people remains unchanged. A monumental 30-meter-high building, shaped like a giant Turkish tea glass and featuring a bazaar, observation deck, and plans for a future museum, was unveiled in Rize this year as a tribute to the nation's beloved drink.

'Life without tea is no life at all,' says Hasan Önder, the manager of the bazaar. 'We must honor this essential part of Turkish culture, celebrating it among ourselves and sharing its delightful story with visitors.'