Shalva Tea was founded in 2014 by David Ross. While earning his master's degree in Forestry from Yale University (where he focused on rain forest conservation in the tropics), David traveled to Israel after the devastating Mt. Carmel wildfires of 2010. There he spent a summer researching the causes and potential solutions to these kinds of fires, including land regeneration, which allows for a more healthy plant diversity and ultimately safer forests.
Through his fieldwork and research, David would stumble across an abundance of native aromatic herbs which he would bring home to drink as relaxing teas after a day in the field. As an avid forager and herbal enthusiast, who could not seem to find any locally made herbal teas in the supermarkets, an idea started "brewing."
David went on to complete his masters, only to return to Israel on a Fulbright scholarship to finish his research where he left off. On the side, he continued with his concoctions until he realized that making herbal tea was his new passion and vision. Around the same time, David became convinced that he wanted to live in Israel and in July of 2014, he finally made Aliyah to Israel.
After moving to Israel, David started his own tea company, with no prior experience in business, and began fulfilling his passion for creating amazing herbal teas. David's vision for the future is to make Shalva Tea a household item throughout Israel and to continue building and taking part in the work of restoration going on in the land of Israel.
As a committed environmentalist, David wanted his tea company to reflect his values, which explains the emphasis on native herbs. You won’t find ginger, cinnamon, black or green teas in Shalva Tea blends, all herbs from the Far East. In addition, the packaging is manufactured in Israel, rather than imported, while all ingredients are 100% natural (no added flavors or aromas). Each of the tea blends he creates is inspired by the area that the herbs come from.
David also believes in sowing back into the community. He partners with Shekel—an organization dedicated to the inclusion of individuals with disabilities in the community—to package some of his teas.