Goodbye Highwire Tea, Hello Something New

When Robert, Eric and I took the leap and purchased Peaberry’s Coffee & Tea in 2011, we started what soon became Highwire Coffee Roasters.

We initially struggled with what to call our company and consciously decided not to follow the old “...& Tea” naming tradition so popular in a previous generation. That convention made tea seem like an add on. We never liked the idea of tea being an afterthought, and we never approached it that way.

I've overseen our tea program from the beginning, and I'm proud of what we built.

I inherited a full line of teas, and immediately set about making changes to suit my tastes. Each of those changes upset someone who lost a favorite, but little by little I gained the trust of people like you through the teas we offered. Highwire Tea has been an evolution and learning process, and it has been satisfying to see our teas find fans. I’ve had a great time sourcing teas I love and sharing them with people who also enjoy them.

Eventually though, selling our tea under the umbrella of a coffee roaster meant that it didn’t have the chance to fully establish its own unique voice and audience. We have so many ideas and areas to explore. Our tea deserves its own name, its own identity, and dedicated staff.

Now it’s time to do something about it. We’ve been working on this plan for a long time and we’re ready to take the leap.

At the end of this month, Highwire Tea will come to an end.

In its place we’re building a new tea company from scratch. The same people who have been behind Highwire Tea are creating the new company, and will bring the same level of care and skill to the selection and service of the tea, except that tea will be their entire focus.

If you like what you’ve tasted from us before, I believe you’re going to love our new offerings. Your old favorite might be leaving, but trust that there is something amazing in this new line-up for you.

Thank you for believing in our tea and choosing to enjoy it. While I’ll look back fondly on Highwire Tea, I’m so excited to unveil what we’ve been working on for the last couple years. In a way it’s something I’ve been working on for the last 20-something years I’ve been a tea lover. I hope you’ll join me on this next phase of the journey.

 Please take note of these upcoming dates: 

• For wholesale customers, the last date to order Highwire Tea is Sunday June 19th  
• For retail customers, we will continue to sell the Highwire Tea we have through June 30th
• July 1 will be the launch of our new tea company

 Stay tuned, as our exciting announcement will be coming soon!

Rich Avella

Highwire Tea