Kettl began from a sincere desire to make the finest teas of Japan available to customers worldwide. In 2010, after working for Japan's largest green tea company, owner Zach Mangan took a solo month-long trip throughout Japan and realized that the freshest and most delicious products stay within the domestic market. The supply chain in Japan is short and customers more often than not drink fresh, local tea. Driven by a simple desire to shrink the international supply chain and connect these incredible teas with a wider audience, Zach and his wife Minami began a two-year process to develop relationships with several of Japan's most notable tea producers. Generally, the best teas come from rural, isolated areas of Japan where small yield and high demand make procuring them difficult. Zach saw this as an opportunity and challenge worth undertaking. Now in its 15th year, Kettl curates and offers the most diverse catalog of Japanese tea available in the United States with an unwavering commitment to quality from producers who have become our dear friends.