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Respect for nature
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Direct trade
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Unmatched quality
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Community support
Mogok Tea
"Making tea has made me a better person, if I had to choose to do anything, any time of the day, I would choose to make tea. It has given me a new family, even though I am far away from home."
Two hundred kilometres north of Mandalay, deep in the mountains of Myanmar, lies Mogok, a town long renowned as the source of rubies and sapphires. For generations, gemstones were mined here and traded through Mandalay to international markets in Bangkok and Hong Kong. The mining brought wealth but left a heavy toll: forests vanished, rivers were polluted, and communities depended on dangerous labour with little security.
In the midst of this landscape lies the Five Trees Estate, named after five ancient trees standing at its entrance beside a Buddhist temple and its small shrines, a place where the community gathers. On this estate, the family of Phyu Thwe began a new story: Mogok Tea, a micro-tea factory producing organic teas as a sustainable alternative to mining.
From London back to Mogok
Phyu Thwe left Myanmar to study in the United Kingdom and built a career there as an accountant. From London, she watched her birthplace struggle with the grip of mining and poverty. That distance sharpened her resolve. She wanted to create income and opportunity without further depleting nature.
With the support of her family, she founded Mogok Tea. Its logo shows a great tree filled with birds, inspired by a message from her mother: “Be the tree that gives shelter to many.” With the factory, Phyu set out to provide work and stability while showing her community that real alternatives to mining exist.
Tea with character
Myanmar has a long tradition with green tea, used both as a drink and in food, especially in laphet, the fermented leaves served in salads. Outside the country, however, its teas remained underappreciated. Phyu wanted to prove that Mogok could produce teas with quality and character.
At the Five Trees Estate, she worked with The Scottish Tea Factory and tea consultant Beverly Wainwright, creating three distinctive teas:
- Black Ruby, a powerful black tea with deep notes
- Tiny Temple, a bright green tea
- Tree Spirit, a delicate white tea
The Mogok tea gardens cover 180 hectares, with 100 hectares of old bushes still harvested and 80 hectares newly planted. All leaves are hand-picked and processed, producing about 25 kilograms per month. Small-scale by design, Mogok Tea focuses on craftsmanship, biodiversity, and respect for nature.
International recognition
These efforts soon attracted attention. At the Leafies Awards of the UK Tea Academy, Mogok Tea received three distinctions:
- the Tea for Life Award for social impact
- a gold medal for Black Ruby
- a commendation for Tiny Green Temple
With these honours, Mogok Tea established itself internationally as a producer with a story that reaches beyond taste alone.
Mission of Mogok Tea
The work of Mogok Tea rests on four pillars:
- Producing organic tea of high quality in balance with nature
- Developing processes that protect the environment
- Improving the quality of life of workers and their families
- Educating the community in tea as an alternative to mining
Life between war and disaster
The context is harsh. Since the military coup in 2021, Myanmar has been torn by civil war. Resistance groups now control large parts of the country, including Mogok since the summer of 2024. For producers, this means roadblocks, unsafe transport, and limited access to markets.
Then on March 28, 2025, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 struck near Mandalay. Bridges collapsed, hospitals were damaged, and thousands of lives were lost. In Mogok too, homes and workshops were destroyed and lives cut short. Humanitarian aid was slow to arrive, hindered by fighting in the region.
Resilience in hard times
Despite war and earthquake, Mogok Tea endures. Production dropped to 15 to 20 kilograms per month, yet the factory keeps running. For the community, it represents more than income. It is a sign of hope for a different future.
The five ancient trees at the estate’s entrance have become a symbol of resilience. Around them, and at the temple, the community gathers for rituals, conversations, and tea ceremonies. Tea from Mogok is more than a product: it is a way to preserve identity and unity in times of uncertainty.
Looking ahead
Phyu Thwe hopes to expand production once safety and infrastructure allow. She is seeking partnerships with distributors in Europe and niche markets that value ethical and sustainable choices. International interest continues to grow, precisely because Mogok Tea is more than tea. It is a project that educates, protects nature, and creates perspective in a region long defined by exploitation.
Challenges remain immense. The civil war shakes the future of the entire country, and the earthquake left scars that will last for years. Yet Mogok Tea already stands as a symbol of endurance. It shows that small-scale farming, rooted in community and respect for nature, can open a path to a more sustainable and humane way of life.
