Our Story
"Shalva" (שלווה) is an ancient Hebrew word for peace, calmness, and serenity.
"ShalvaTea" sounds like the Hebrew שלוותי, which translates to "my shalva", or "my serenity".
All of our herbal tea blends are naturally caffeine-free and made with freshly picked herbs ~ never any added flavors or colors ~ allowing for a pure shalva experience with each cup.
ShalvaTea™ was founded in 2014 by David Ross. While earning his Master in Forestry from Yale University, where he was focusing on rainforest conservation, David took a U-turn and traveled to Israel to research the causes of the devastating wildfires in Mt. Carmel.
Throughout his fieldwork, David stumbled across an abundance of native aromatic herbs, bringing them home to drink as relaxing teas after days in the field. As an avid forager and herbal enthusiast who could not find any locally made teas in the supermarkets, an idea started brewing...
David went on to complete his masters, only to return to Israel on a Fulbright Fellowship to finish his research where he left off. On the side, he continued with his concoctions until he realized that this was his real passion, and herbal teas his new direction. In 2014, David moved to Jerusalem, and ShalvaTea™ was born!
As a committed "nature guy", David often leads plant walks in the Jerusalem hills to help educate people about the benefits of local herbs.
He wanted his tea company to reflect these same values, which explains the emphasis of native herbs in all ShalvaTea blends. That's why you won’t find black or green teas in ShalvaTea™ blends, as these come from the Far East.
Perhaps most importantly, the pyramid teabags, while they might look like plastic, are actually made out of a processed corn fiber and are bio-degradable. That's good for the environment, but it also means you won't be having any plastic in your cup of tea.
Similarly, all of our paper-based packaging is recyclable, and printed and manufactured locally in Israel. All ingredients are 100% natural, never with any added flavors or aromas.
Today, ShalvaTea™ is sold in hundreds of locations across Israel, including select restaurants, cafes, health-food stores and speciality shops. It is also sold worldwide direct from our website.
Press
-
Heart of Israel: ShalvaTea - Get a Taste of Israel
"He views his passion for foraging as a way to connect to the land. He gets to know the plants and herbs of the land, takes classes in identifying plant species, and loves to bring home his findings."
-
Breaking Israel News: ShalvaTea Celebrates Flora from the Torah
"...as a committed environmentalist, David’s company reflects his values, focusing on native herbs, locally manufactured packaging, and natural ingredients."
-
JTA: How a Norwegian-American immigrant is helping calm Israelis’ nerves
"ShalvaTea’s blends come in both loose leaf and tea bag form and include herbs not commonly found in teas, such as zaatar (hyssop), zootah (White Micromeria), olive leaf, sumac, carob pod and cactus flower."
-
J'aime: Nice to Meet You - ShalvaTea - Local Tea
"Towards the end of July a young guy with a Scandinavian look came into the store and interested me in a new product...I don't remember how hot it was outside, but the packaging was so pretty that I instantly wanted some tea..."
-
Mishpacha Magazine Profile: ShalvaTea
"The tea is perfectly balanced and the za'atar adds a layer of warmth and body, rare to find in a tea. Each unique flavor blend is delicious and exactly what I need to get through a long winter day."
-
Jerusalem Post, Beverage Scene
"The idea of harmony infuses every aspect of Shalva Tea. The boxes are produced locally and the packaging is recyclable...'This is a local, recyclable, [natural] product. That’s the kind of company I want to have.'"
-
Yale University, Alumni Spotlight: David Ross
"During his studies, he got to explore Israel’s wilderness from the Golan to Eilat. It was during this journey that he fell in love with the local plants and flowers and found that many could be used to craft exceptional teas."
-
Kol Ha-Ir (Jerusalem Weekly)
"It's important to note that Ross came to Israel under the framework of studying forestry...'[While conducting my research], I was inspired by the local nature and soon began to realize that it's possible to make tea with many of the native herbs.'"