More than just tea

Before the year 2000, tea cultivation and harvesting in Bangladesh was persistently centered in the Chittagong and Sylhet regions. However, that year Kazi & Kazi Tea effectively transformed this practice by inaugurating the first organic tea garden of the countryin the underdeveloped regions of Panchagarof the northern most districts – Tetulia, nestled against the Himalayas to the North and the Brahmaputra and Ganges Rivers to the south. By doing so, Kazi & Kazi introduced a sustainable source of income for an underprivileged community and environmental enrichment to virgin lands, and became the first substantially produced 100 percent single-estate organic tea of the country.

Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries in the world and it would be impossible to alleviate poverty without creating jobs and investment. But highly extractive models of investment might also not help the poor in a true manner. 

Thus, the business philosophy of Kazi & Kazi Tea was "to produce great tea by supporting the natural and the social environment", the innovative prime thought of not only becoming the only 100 percent organic tea producer in the country, rather an endeavour with the aim of giving back to the nature as well as to the community, instead of any typical business orientation of profit seeking motive only.

Kazi&Kazi has become unique in the industry since true Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is actually at the heart of its business model; and in relation to everything it does, is a manifold of co-operative propagation. The key focal point was to develop an enterprise which integrates environment, people and society in an effective sustainable way; and with incessant effort Kazi & Kazi Tea has set an example on how to transform parched barren land into a lush garden paradise, along with uplifting the lifestyle and the socio-economic base of an entire community through cooperative approach of cattle lending and education programs. 

The company has been offering a plethora of social benefits, something rare to avail in any developing country like Bangladesh. In addition to literacy classes for its female employees, Kazi & KaziTea has introduced an IT lab and a school to enrich the educational experience of local children. It also offers herbal medicines to local residents, sanitation technologies to communities, and sports equipment to young children. 

Today, Kazi & Kazi is a composite tea estate, having a tea garden, dairy, herbal plantation, and other agricultural products – all grown organically. There is noadd-on of toxic fertilisers, pesticides, food additives such as artificial flavour/colour, or any other harmful inputs to their teas produced. 

Only organic manure obtained from the cows under their owndairy co-operativeis used as the input to their tea production. Itappliesa single, natural means to control agricultural pests and weeds – implying that all teas and herbs are encouraged by the tender tone of Mother Nature. Thus it is not just a flow of business activities rather thatof giving back to the nature and to the community as well. 

Photo courtesy: Kazi & Kazi Tea