Ep 243 | Assam Matcha Debuts | Caffeine Labels Favor Tea | Jasmine Harvest at Risk

Ep 243 | Assam Matcha Debuts | Caffeine Labels Favor Tea | Jasmine Harvest at Risk

From Tea Biz by Dan Bolton

July 10, 2026 · 46 min

About this episode

The episode discusses Assam's entry into matcha production, the implications of caffeine labels for tea, and the risks to the jasmine harvest, featuring an interview with Luong Shen about building community through tea.

Assam Enters Commercial Matcha Production | Caffeine Labels Could Work in Tea’s Favor | Floods Threaten the World’s Largest Jasmine Harvest | Newsmaker - Luong “Flowing River” Shen, Co-founder of Drishti House PLUS | When Tea Becomes More Than a Product: Building Ritual, Community, and Trust Without Losing Authenticity Tea is often described in terms of origin, cultivar, elevation, and craft—but another dimension is harder to quantify and increasingly central to how people engage with tea today: presence. Across the specialty market, we are seeing a shift. Not just toward better tea, but toward more intentional ways of experiencing it - spaces designed for slowing down, for attention, for connection. The language of ritual and mindfulness is everywhere. But that raises a critical question for the industry: what is real, and what is simply being repackaged? Today's guest operates directly inside that tension. Flowing River - also known as Luong Shen - is a poet, ceremonialist, and co-founder of Drishti House in Santa Barbara, Calif. It is a space built not around consumption, but around shared presence, where tea becomes a medium for conversation, reflection, and community. He is…

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