Starting Up a Social Enterprise in Myanmar

The Lost Tea Company

The Lost Tea Company was founded in 2016 with the idea of achieving more recognition for Burmese teas. What started as a project to sell processed leaves (both fermented and dried) to expats and tourists, has developed into a business that now predominately exports to the UK, but are also currently looking at areas of growth for product lines in Myanmar.

The Lost Tea Company have an office in Pindaya, southern Shan State, where they concentrate on quality control and product development. The tea is farmed in the hills surrounding the town, where they work with a collective of smallholder farmers who possess exceptional tea growing knowledge. Their expertise in tea has been refined over many generations of living and farming in the area.

Over time the Lost Tea Company have developed relationships with the farmers who agree to supply their high quality tea leaves. Their close and direct contact with the farmers and support of their ethos means that The Lost Tea Company is a small scale, sustainable and unique supplier.

'We work hard with the suppliers to ensure that the tea leaves are organic and we have recently signed up for Fair For Life, a project that not only guarantees fair and stable prices but also a responsible supply chain', Harry Carr-Ellison, Founder, The Lost Tea Company.

Harry will discuss the importance of social responsibility and a close working relationship with suppliers, and how it is possible as a foreigner to succeed in setting up a international SME in Myanmar without considerable financial backing.

Date: Thursday 24th October

Time: 8:30am until 10.30am

Venue: British Chamber of Commerce Myanmar Office

Cost to Members: $5

Cost to Non-Members: $10

Cancellation Policy

If you are no longer able to attend, please cancel your place at least 48 hours in advance as the event only has limited places. The Chamber reserves the right to invoice all no-shows for the entry fee which will need to be settled prior to attending another British Chamber event.