Category Archives: Interviews

7×7 San Francisco’s Interview with David

David Lee Hoffman photo by Joe Vaughn

All the Tea in China – If Tea is the last frontier, then David Lee Hoffman is our fearless leader. By Sara Deseran – Photos by Joe Vaughn

David Lee Hoffman photographed by Kurt Prassé

A Life in Tea – For three decades David Lee Hoffman has been spanning the globe in search of fine teas. – By Karen Foley

The Tea Trade Interview

IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF FORTUNE

Not since the legendary 19th century Scottish adventurer Robert Fortune has a Westerner journeyed to

China to buy tea directly. American David Lee Hoffman speaks about his travels for Silk Road Teas.

“There’s a serious problem in China. China has eight million tea farmers.”

“The solution is to start feeding the soil, it’s very simple.”

“If they have a better quality tea, they will get a much higher price for it, and if they can grow it

organically, they get still an even greater price.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: To study tea cultivation and acquire tea in China’s hinterlands without official

blessings or even speaking the language is an exploit few have attempted since botanist Robert

Fortune immediately after the Opium War. Following sometimes literally in those footsteps, my friend

David Lee Hoffman is another intrepid visionary whose contributions will prove historically

significant, and of benefit, to China and all tea lovers.

James Norwood Pratt

TT`: How did you get your start in tea?