People, the Earth
and Tea
Our CSR commitments
The origin of every premium nunshen tea rests on responsible sourcing, in close collaboration with producers and at the heart of the most beautiful gardens.
Aware of the challenges that sourcing presents, notably due to the remoteness of the tea gardens, we are committed to sourcing and offering our teas with the greatest respect.
Responsible sourcing, close to our producers
Sourcing is carried out by Carine Baudry, Sourcing and Creation Director of Maison nunshen. Meeting the producers is at the heart of our priorities, in order to build a relationship of trust and uncover the rare gems of the small secret gardens of the tea world.
The sourcing approach is based on a deep respect for the producer and their work. nunshen thus favours direct sourcing in order to preserve a relationship of trust, ensure the traceability of the teas and also ensure fair pay for the true guarantors of quality.
In certain situations, we support our producers and their production. This is the case, for example, with the Mekong Tea project in which Carine Baudry worked on assignment as an international expert within the technical team.
The project’s ambitions?
- Support small-scale farmers
- Strengthen the tea sector sustainably
- Facilitate organic and fair-trade certifications
- Showcase the producers’ know-how and the richness of their tea plants
This Laotian project came into being in 2019 and is today supported by the GRET, the Lao Ministry of Agriculture and the French Development Agency.
We are also keen to preserve the terroir and the tradition of local tea growing. Indeed, the gardens we select are preferably human-scale and the working methods respectful of the plant’s rhythm.
Maison nunshen’s flavoured teas are crafted by Carine Baudry, Sourcing and Creation Director. Part of the manufacturing is managed and controlled in our warehouse in Wissous. We call on partner European manufacturers for large batches, equipped with the right tools to meet our quality standards.
All the plants and spices come from France or neighbouring countries.
PLANNED AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT:
Creating a locally sourced range of infusions
Support on other projects to transform farming practices.
Our organic approach
Organic and responsible farming practices are strongly favoured, and a large part of the nunshen range is thus certified organic. As of 1 January 2024, 45% of the nunshen range is certified organic by Ecocert, compared with 0% five years ago.
A large part of our flavoured teas hold organic certification. Those that are not labelled are made up of 100% organic tea base and a natural flavouring.
Once a year, the Ecocert body takes samples from our teas to ensure that no pesticides are used.
We have no wish to turn nunshen into an exclusively organic brand. Indeed, we do not wish to impose a certification that is not accessible to some producers.
The certification process is sometimes too heavy and too costly for the size of some of the gardens nunshen collaborates with. It is therefore not an imperative in the brand’s specifications.
Maison nunshen wishes to collaborate with producers who have a respectful and responsible approach to their cultivation, sometimes going as far as biodynamics. We also sometimes support and finance certain productions towards their organic transition.
Whether our teas are organic or not, we systematically prioritise their quality. All our products are thus subject to organoleptic quality controls as soon as a batch arrives. Our teams are also trained in the HACCP method in order to guarantee the safety and wholesomeness of the teas and infusions prepared and packaged by us.
Responsible transport methods,
a minimised carbon footprint
Sea transport is favoured in order to limit the environmental impact of the supply chain.
Some small tea batches such as first flushes should ideally be enjoyed fresh. In that case we call on air transport to bring them in quickly and include them in our range shortly after harvest. Pooling shipments is systematically favoured whenever batches are of the same origin.
PLANNED AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT:
- Rely more on sea transport by pooling batches
- Locate the packaging of muslin sachets in France
A controlled composition, a guarantee of tea quality
The infusions and recipes are made of plants, spices, natural flavourings and whole-leaf teas. Whole leaves are a true mark of quality, of aromas and of respect for the producer’s work. The flavourings present in nunshen creations are also all natural.
nunshen has in-house a perfect knowledge of ingredients and a know-how in creating recipes and food-and-tea pairings. Carine Baudry is indeed the only tea specialist to hold the status of Nose, which adds an entirely new sensory approach to the sourcing and the creations of the Maison.
Reducing the environmental impact of packaging
The preparation of orders and the packaging of nunshen loose-leaf teas is managed in-house at the warehouse located in Wissous, in the Paris region. With a view to reducing waste, the teams reuse order-shipping cartons as much as possible.
Since early 2024 we have controlled the printing of tea-pouch labels in-house so as to use only the amount of paper needed.
The muslin teas are packaged in Morocco for reasons of know-how linked to organic-cotton muslin. Cotton muslin sachets allow a reduction in the use of plastic. With the exception of the tag (a label we recommend cutting off), our muslin sachets are biodegradable.
The brand strategy is focused on the continuous improvement of nunshen tea and accessory packaging, with the ambition of a conscious and responsible use of resources. Maison nunshen also wishes to develop the recyclability of packaging and containers, while preserving the barrier qualities expected of tea packaging (air, water, light, aromas) in order to ensure a superior tasting quality.
As the tea and all the ingredients present in the tea, infusion and rooibos creations are natural, they can be repurposed through composting.
PLANNED AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT:
- Modify the muslin sachet’s tag to make it fully compostable
- Integrate the tea and muslin sachets into the collection and recovery circuit
Mindful and responsible consumption
All the instructions needed to prepare the tea are present on the packaging, as well as on the labels, in order to obtain an infusion at its best, but also with the aim of using the right amount of water, tea and energy by regulating the water temperature.
nunshen also offers cold infusions on certain references, thus avoiding the environmental impact linked to heating water.
As a Fine Tea Manufacture, Maison nunshen offers high-quality teas that can be brewed two or three times without altering the taste and flavours of the teas.
PLANNED AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT:
- More communication and advice on cold brewing
- More communication and advice on double infusion
Industry commitments
Maison nunshen has for several years been a member of the 1% for the Planet movement. Each year we thus donate a portion of our turnover to a social or environmental-interest association of our choosing. We collaborate with the organisation Charity Water, a non-profit NGO that promotes access to drinking water for inhabitants of developing countries.
nunshen has also been a member of the Alliance for the Preservation of Forests since 2023 — an organisation whose purpose is to help the brand improve the traceability of its teas and monitor and prevent any act of deforestation linked to their cultivation.
PLANNED AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT:
- Joining Réseau Vrac to progress and support the movement
nunshen, a human-scale brand
Maison nunshen is above all a small team of ten passionate employees based in France. Backed by the company EVS Professionnel, our brand today offers its clients a dedicated point of contact as well as bespoke support.
From supporting small producers to proposing food-and-tea pairings for white-tablecloth restaurants, it is the expertise of our Sourcing and Creation Director Carine Baudry that supports each of the nunshen partners on a daily basis.
Beyond the great establishments, nunshen wishes to support anyone wishing to open up to the world of tea, listening to you to advise on your projects and the evolution of your needs.