A HOUSE OF EXCELLENCE
The search for Excellence is the Imperative of our house. It is based on a philosophy of sincerity and quality which regulate our global approach.
The selection process is entirely and personally supervised by Guillaume LELEU, tea master, tea-taster and ‘nose’ of THEODOR house. We choose to privilege the establishment of lasting partnerships with gardens who are respectful of our Imperative, for a direct supplying according to the paces of harvests, always in small quantities. Thus, we are able to guarantee the freshness as well as the steady quality of our teas. Finally, Independent quality controls and systematic tracking of our supplies enable us to ensure our Imperative of Excellence safely and with transparence.
AN ECO-FRIENDLY INITIATIVE
THEODOR’s Excellence also enshrines through its eco-friendly values which are expressed every day, by respecting both human beings and the environment:
- Our ‘food processing’ follows the framework of HACCP methods, enabling us to identify food dangers and risks.
- Our teas are frequently and randomly controlled through samples which are analyzed by specialized laboratories.
- We choose a large number of teas which are certified organic, without always being labelled.
- We always try to use ‘recycled’ and/or ‘recyclable’ products.
- We demand that our partners respect the Imperatives and commitments which are at the core of our values.
MADE IN FRANCE
Creator filled with history and rooted in its land of origin, THEODOR has made the choice of a ‘Made in France’ global approach. Our production workshops are located in Bonnières sur Seine, in the Yvelines, in an exceptionally well-preserved industrial architecture of the 19th century. In 1934, the SINGER factory, flagship of the local economy, established itself in those same buildings, enabling the whole region to earn a living until the end of the ‘Glorious Thirty’ period. Between the Seine River and the railway connecting Paris to Le Havre, THEODOR now occupies over 5000 m² of this industrial site of exception, where you can still see the remains of the real harbor it used to be. The House first settles in former fitting workshops where specialized workers used to scrutinize each machinery meticulously, to adjust dispensers and tensions and execute the embroidery tests. Then it has spread to the undercutting and stretching machinery zone. As a twist of fate THEODOR now perpetuates the soul of such a beautiful factory filled with past stories, while breathing new life into it thanks to so many flavors coming from elsewhere.
AN ALMOST COMPLETELY HANDCRAFTED FABRICATION
Every year, we receive about 100 tons of tea in all its forms and from all around the world (China, Japan, Ceylon, Korea, Africa, or even Brazil and Argentina …). The tea is then packed in our workshops or used as a base for the House creations. The largest part of our production is made of bulk products, intended to be sent to retailers and resellers, however, THEODOR also produces from 200 to 250,000 tins annually, so prettily decorated with a satin ribbon applied by hand, as well as 5 million teabags.
Despite these numbers, THEODOR wants to perpetuate an almost fully handcrafted work with a production process sparsely industrialized, consisting of several small workshops, devoid of any assembly line, deliberately using the expertise of precious and specialized ‘small hands’, like in the old days.
