Buyer FAQ

You can start with a single sack of about 100 lb (roughly 45 kg) from our U.S. stock, depending on what is available. For larger volumes, we offer single pallets through community containers, and full 20-foot or 40-foot containers.

• Local stock: 1 sack, about 100 lb (45 kg). Best for R&D, trial runs and small batches.
• Community container: 1 pallet or more. Best for growing production lines.
• Full container: 20-ft or 40-ft. Best for established production and the best per-kilo price.

We import full containers from origin and share the space among several buyers. That lets you order as little as one pallet while still getting container-level freight costs.

Yes, for teas in our U.S. stock. These are currently available by the sack:

• Steamed green tea, broken leaf (Organic and Fair Trade)
• Black tea, OP1
• Black tea, CTC
• Silver Needle white tea

Stock changes with each shipment, so contact us to confirm what is on hand.

Yes. Once your account is set up, we can hold more stock here for you so you can draw down orders as you need them.

Sacks from U.S. stock ship fastest. For pallets in a community container, order about 4 months before you need the tea. For a full container, we ask for 6 months' notice, though it can move faster depending on the season. Ocean transit alone typically takes about 60 days.

Most companies place purchase orders the summer before the year they need the tea. That gives time for plucking, processing and shipping, and helps lock in supply.

Yes. Our gardens pluck year-round, with the largest harvests in the rainy season.

Yes. Annual contracts give you consistent supply and locked-in rates.

Yes. Samples are available on request for every variety we carry, shipped directly from the garden. They are production-grade, so your R&D team tests the same tea you would receive in a full order.

Fill out the Request Catalog and Samples form. We send our full line sheet with pricing, specs, flavor notes and certifications for every grade.

Every order is quoted individually, based on the tea, volume and timing. Larger volumes and annual commitments get better per-kilo pricing. Pricing for 20-foot containers is discussed on your first call.

We arrange terms with each account. New accounts typically pay a deposit when the purchase order is placed, with the balance due on delivery.

Black (orthodox, CTC, specialty and decaf), green (steamed and roasted), white, oolong, red and green rooibos, honeybush, and botanicals: lemon verbena, spearmint, lemongrass, hibiscus and moringa.

We specialize in climate-resilient, high-elevation gardens in Africa, chosen to help buyers diversify away from origins under growing climate pressure.

Yes. We source a malty African black tea with the bold, full body Assam is known for. We can send a side-by-side sample so you can compare it with what you use now.

Yes. We supply steamed African green teas as an alternative to Japanese sencha.

We specialize in whole leaf and CTC tea, which gives you better flavor, a cleaner label and a traceable origin story. If your process needs an extract, we can have one made from our tea through a processing partner.

Yes: rooibos, honeybush and our botanicals are all caffeine-free.

Yes. Custom grades and cultivar blends are available on request.

Yes. Every lot comes with a certificate of analysis from a third-party lab, covering EGCG, antioxidant levels, heavy metals and pesticide residue.

USDA Organic and Fair Trade options are available, depending on the product. Regenerative Organic certification is underway at select partner gardens.

Yes. Our partner factories hold ISO 22000 food safety certification.

Yes. Every lot is traceable to its source, and we provide origin documentation with each order.

Mostly, yes. Skilled workers pick only the best leaves and buds, which gives a cleaner, more consistent product than machine harvesting.

Yes. 3 Mountains is a certified woman-owned business and works closely with women-led cooperatives.

Yes. We manage everything from the garden to the port, overseas freight, and delivery to your facility, with one point of contact.

Container orders ship from origin in Africa. Teas we hold in stock ship from the U.S.

Yes. We track HTS codes, duty rates and trade policy changes, and give you full landed cost before you commit.

Your account is managed by our U.S.-based, English-speaking team, with partners on the ground at our gardens in Africa.

Established commercial buyers: beverage manufacturers (RTD, kombucha, functional drinks), co-packers, tea blenders, and formulators and R&D teams. Applications include iced tea, kombucha, loose tea and sachets, and alcohol.

We work with companies that are already producing or have a product ready to launch. If you are still exploring the idea of starting a tea or beverage business, we are not the right fit yet.

No. We sell bulk and wholesale volumes to businesses only.

Yes. Our advisory services cover choosing the right tea, dialing in brew and extraction settings, co-packer introductions, and scale-up planning.

1. Inquiry: tell us what you are making, your volumes and any certifications you need.
2. Catalog and specs: we send our line sheet with pricing.
3. Samples: your team tests production-grade samples.
4. COAs and documentation: you review lab results and origin paperwork.
5. Contract and ship: we lock in pricing and volumes and handle delivery to your dock.

We provide seed funding, business training and mental health support to partner cooperatives, especially women-led cooperatives. One partner factory alone supports about 7,000 farmers and workers.