An Infusion of Passion
La Chartreuse Tea Manufacturing Co. Ltd is a local tea producer and distributor driven by six decades of passion and experience infused by the founder, Kressoon Bokhoree, and enhanced by the techniques and expertise deployed by his successors.
History
The story of La Chartreuse began in 1954, when Kressoon Bokhoree took employment with the former factory of the same name, then under British management. He was only 13 years old at the time and gradually acquired hundreds of hectares of tea-growing land in the misty heights of the island.
The tea sector suffered major setbacks over the years, leading the Government, which owned most factories through the Mauritius Tea Factories Co. Ltd, to disengage from production in the mid-1990s. The Bokhorees were determined to maintain their foothold in the industry and La Chartreuse Tea Manufacturing Co. Ltd was incorporated on 13 January 1999. They also built a new factory, which started commercial operations in January 2000. The first products manufactured were launched on the market on 18 April that same year.
Driven by a commitment to quality, La Chartreuse Tea Manufacturing Co. Ltd received ISO 9000:2001 certification for tea production, packaging and distribution in 2004. As part of a continued diversification strategy, a range of new products have been introduced over time, including teabags, flavoured teas and green tea.
Now part of a larger business group with a presence in retail and property, La Chartreuse Tea Manufacturing Co. Ltd holds a leadership position with a 48% share of the local tea market. The Company has also developed niche markets abroad – in France, China and other countries where the Mauritian diaspora has settled.
Our Factory
With the tea industry moving into another phase, La Chartreuse Tea Manufacturing Co. Ltd opened a new 500m² production unit in early 2000 at Montée La Peyre, Nouvelle France with 75 factory and field workers.
At the time, the annual production of chopped leaves was around 18,000kg. Over the last 20 years, the factory’s surface area has expanded to around 3,700m² with a production capacity of 750 tonnes of black tea. The number of workers has also grown to 200.
La Chartreuse Tea Manufacturing Co. Ltd is the only factory in Mauritius to produce black tea using the cut, tear and curl (CTC) method – the tea produced through this process is suitable for teabags, strongly flavoured and quick to infuse. Managed by a young and highly motivated team, and using the latest technology to produce superior quality tea, it has now developed into the largest tea factory in Mauritius.
Our Tea Plantation
La Chartreuse Tea Manufacturing Co. Ltd currently processes around 3,750,000 kg of fresh green leaves annually. They are obtained from Camellia sinensis plants, originally from the province of Assam in North-East India and China. The factory owns 110 acres of land and there are some 1,000 planters with a total land area of 650 acres who supply it with leaves. The ultimate aim is to produce at least half of the leaves used.
Only the most delicate newborn green leaves are plucked from mature century-old bushes, which grow in plantations located in a pollution-free region. The tropical climate of Mauritius allows growth of pesticide-free green tea leaves, which contain a high concentration of polyphenols, a powerful antioxidant.
La Chartreuse Tea has been acknowledged by reputed institutions like African Tea Brokers Ltd and London Smithett Laboratories as the best Mauritian tea for its taste, colour, aroma, and freshness.
Our Experts
Our business is built on integrity, honesty and fair dealing, and we expect our people to live these values every day. As well as being committed to respecting human rights, we embrace cultural and social diversity throughout our workforce, our customers and the communities where we work.
Asvin Kumar BOKHOREE
Chief Executive Officer, Chartreuse Group
Hemraz Hanoomanjee
Executive Director, Chartreuse Group
Great Tea for a Great Tasting Experience
Visit Us
Montée La Peyre, Nouvelle France 51306
Republic of Mauritius
Call Us
(230) 677 1212
Email Us
info@chartreuse.mu