{{Short description|Brand of tea}} {{Infobox Company|name=Kusmi Tea|logo=Kusmi_Tea_logo.png|type=Private|website={{URL|kusmitea.com}}|founder=Pavel Kousmichoff|num_locations=80|industry=Food|founded={{Start date and age|df=yes|1867}} in Saint Petersburg, Russia|hq_location_country=France|hq_location_city=Paris}}
'''Kusmi Tea''' is a brand of tea, headquartered in Paris, France. Originally founded by Pavel Kousmichoff in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1867, the brand moved to Paris, at the onset of the Russian Revolution, in 1917.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.kusmitea.com/int/our-brand.html|title=Kusmi Tea Our Brand Our History|website=Kusmi Tea|access-date=26 January 2024}}</ref> The brand is currently owned by Groupe Orientis.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=http://www.orientis.fr/nos-marques/kusmi-tea/|title=Kusmi Tea|website=Groupe Orientis|access-date=2 January 2018|archive-date=3 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180103133510/http://www.orientis.fr/nos-marques/kusmi-tea/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
== History == The founder of Kusmi Tea, Pavel Kousmichoff (from whom the brand gains its name) left home at the age of 14 to work for a tea merchant in St. Petersburg, Russia.<ref name=":0" /> Kousmichoff worked with the tea merchant until his marriage in 1867, when Kousmichoff was given a small tea house by the tea merchant.<ref name=":0" />
Under Kousmichoff, the business prospered and grew in popularity, by 1880 becoming a favourite of the Russian nobility.<ref name=":0" /> By 1901, the firm had expanded the business to a chain of about 10 tea houses. In 1907, Kousmichoff's son Vyatcheslav opened a shop at 11 Queen Victoria Street, London.<ref name=":0" /> In 1908, on the death of his father, Vyatcheslav took over the reins of the family business.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://blog.teadog.com/2008/08/07/kusmi-tea-a-brief-history/|title=Kusmi Tea: A Brief History|date=7 August 2008|website=Teadog|access-date=2 January 2018|archive-date=16 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180816162147/https://blog.teadog.com/2008/08/07/kusmi-tea-a-brief-history/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
The business continued to prosper under Vyatcheslav, and by 1917, at the onset of the Russian Revolution the business had grown to encompass a chain of 51 tea houses across most major cities in Russia.<ref name=":1" /> With the outbreak of the revolution, the Kousmichoff family fled to France, opening an outlet at 75 Avenue Niel, Paris; this location operated as a tea house through the early 21st century, until it was closed to the public and converted to a training studio for company staff and partners.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=https://luxurylifestyleawards.com/experience/kusmi-tea-exclusive-tastes-and-aromas-that-last-for-centuries|title=Kusmi Tea: Exclusive Tastes and Aromas that Last for Centuries|date=25 September 2019|website=Luxury Lifestyle Awards|access-date=26 January 2024}}</ref> In the move to Paris, the Kousmichoffs re-branded to the shorter "Kusmi Tea."<ref name=":1" />
In 2003, the business was bought by Groupe Orientis.<ref name=":2" />
The firm currently operates 80 stores, including 60 in France itself, while the tea is distributed in 35 countries.<ref name=":2" />
== References == {{reflist|colwidth=40em}}
== External links == * [https://www.kusmitea.com/ Official website]
Category:1867 establishments in the Russian Empire Category:Tea brands Category:Food and drink companies based in Paris Category:Food and drink companies established in 1867 Category:Tea companies of France