Young Mountain Tea began with a vision, right from the start – to help create a sustainable future for Himalayan tea farmers in India and Nepal. By working with farmers in remote mountain regions, many of them women, and by donating 1% of all sales to support farmer-owned tea processing facilities, Young Mountain Tea is contributing to a better quality of life for farmers and their families. The BIPOC-owned company, operating in Springfield, distributes a variety of Himalayan teas sourced for their quality and sustainability. These single-origin teas are unblended and unflavored and are made from the leaves of a single plant, Camellia sinensi. “From our rich, aromatic black teas that hail from Assam and Darjeeling to our strong, vibrant green teas from tea makers in Nepal and the Nilgiris to our delicate, complex, white Kumaon, the full diversity of tea is represented,” says company owner Raj Vable. The son of Indian immigrants, Raj grew up in Michigan. During his childhood, he often visited his grandparents who still lived in India. As a University of Oregon student, he worked in rural India. After graduation, upon earning a Fulbright fellowship, he traveled to the Himalayan regions, where he started Young Mountain Tea. “Our company’s work is about bridging the two worlds that my family spans – rural India and the Pacific Northwest,” Raj says.

Living in Bend, Oregon has allowed Max and his father, Jim to embrace the outdoor sports that many residents and visitors enjoy. Along with their passion for adventure, comes a love for craft beverages and functional ingredients like CBD. So, when the duo noticed that there were no functional CBD drinks on the market that are specifically designed to support active lifestyles, the two got to work creating their own. In 2014, after much experimentation, Ablis CBD was born and quickly became one of the fastest growing CBD beverages on the market. Their product line has since expanded to include muscle rubs and concentrates that are all made with THC-free, hemp-derived CBD. “We have a passion for the outdoors, we engage in all the Pacific Northwest activities, and with that comes a certain level of health and wellness. We wanted to create something you can enjoy on the trail that’s good for you and not packed with sugar,” Max says.