ABOUT BREWING BLACK

STEEPED IN UBUNTU

One of the most influential stories in history begins with a simple question: “Who is my neighbor?” In response, Jesus shares the parable of the Good Samaritan, an enduring call to love and care for one another. Across Africa and the global African diaspora, this spirit has long been lived out through community, hospitality, and shared cups of tea, rooted in the philosophy of Ubuntu: “I am because we are.”

Brewing Black was created to celebrate the beauty, brilliance, and flavor of Black culture across the diaspora; from African, South American and Caribbean-inspired blends to jazz-era–inspired packaging and tea names drawn from Black American culture. Each cup is a reminder of a truth passed down through generations: your neighbor is only a teacup away.

BREWED IN CULTURE

As a Zimbabwean-owned, woman-owned small business, Brewing Black reimagines iconic drinks from across the African diaspora (Africa, the United States, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean) through the lens of tea. From sorrel and chorote to red drink and tropical island flavors, each blend transforms beloved cultural beverages into thoughtfully crafted tea experiences using high-quality African teas, bold black teas, soothing rooibos, rich herbal blends, and globally inspired ingredients. Our mission is to unite the diaspora through flavor, creating blends that evoke memory, spark connection, and offer moments of restoration (preferably shared with a neighbor, of course).

OUR VALUES

01.
CULTURAL UNITY ACROSS THE DIASPORA
We honor the shared roots and diverse expressions of Black culture across Africa, the Caribbean, and the Americas. Every blend is crafted to celebrate connection, belonging, and the collective story of our global community.
01.
CULTURAL UNITY ACROSS THE DIASPORA
We honor the shared roots and diverse expressions of Black culture across Africa, the Caribbean, and the Americas. Every blend is crafted to celebrate connection, belonging, and the collective story of our global community.
02.
UBUNTU-GUIDED COMMUNITY
At Brewing Black Tea Co., Ubuntu (I am because we are) guides how we are building toward a model of community investment rooted where we live. This includes volunteering tea-tastings and donating teas to Regality Inc - a non profit that serves young girls in Michiana, and committing a portion of future profits to support local grassroots organizations. We invite our community to grow with us by finding creative, meaningful ways to care for the people around them, one cup and one act of presence at a time.
02.
UBUNTU-GUIDED COMMUNITY
At Brewing Black Tea Co., Ubuntu (I am because we are) guides how we are building toward a model of community investment rooted where we live. This includes volunteering tea-tastings and donating teas to Regality Inc - a non profit that serves young girls in Michiana, and committing a portion of future profits to support local grassroots organizations. We invite our community to grow with us by finding creative, meaningful ways to care for the people around them, one cup and one act of presence at a time.
03.
AUTHENTIC INGREDIENTS, INTENTIONAL FLAVOR
We choose high-quality, thoughtfully sourced teas and botanicals that reflect the richness and complexity of our cultures. Each blend is designed with intention, honoring tradition while creating new experiences for today’s tea drinker.
03.
AUTHENTIC INGREDIENTS, INTENTIONAL FLAVOR
We choose high-quality, thoughtfully sourced teas and botanicals that reflect the richness and complexity of our cultures. Each blend is designed with intention, honoring tradition while creating new experiences for today’s tea drinker.
04.
CELEBRATION OF DIVERSITY & HERITAGE
Our brand exists to uplift, celebrate, and center the joy adorning Africa and its diaspora. Through flavor, design, and storytelling, we embrace the beauty, resilience, and creativity of Black culture: turning every cup into a moment of pride, identity, and affirmation.
04.
CELEBRATION OF DIVERSITY & HERITAGE
Our brand exists to uplift, celebrate, and center the joy adorning Africa and its diaspora. Through flavor, design, and storytelling, we embrace the beauty, resilience, and creativity of Black culture: turning every cup into a moment of pride, identity, and affirmation.

MEET OUR FOUNDER

Rutendo Valerie Jairosi is the Zimbabwean founder of Brewing Black, a graphic designer, poet, and Shona children’s book author whose work is deeply rooted in storytelling, culture, and community. Inspired by the philosophy of Ubuntu - “I am because we are” - she created Brewing Black to celebrate the flavor and connectedness of the global African diaspora by reimagining iconic beverages from Africa, the Caribbean, Central and South America, and the United States into bold, culturally rooted tea blends. Through her work across design, literature, and tea, Rutendo explores how art, language, and flavor can preserve memory, spark conversation, and bring people together.

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