Angustifolia fireweed, popularly called fireweed, is a unique plant, the beneficial properties of which are taken care of by nature itself. It is rich in B vitamins, ascorbic acid, iron, calcium, potassium, bioflavonoids and tannins.

A drink made from the leaves of this plant has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, normalizes sleep and tones the body. In addition, fireweed does not contain caffeine, therefore it is considered an excellent alternative to Indian tea, to which it is in no way inferior in taste. Considering the growing consumer demand for natural products, the production of fireweed tea can be considered as a relevant business. In this article we will talk about how to organize it.

How to make money producing fireweed

Fireweed grows freely in the wild. Its most common habitat is the coniferous forests of the European part and Siberia. The plant can be found on dry sandstones, in clearings and forest edges, near crops and near water. Its interesting feature is that it is the first to populate forest and field areas after fires.

Considering the wide distribution of fireweed in nature, you can collect it by hand yourself, prepare it using improvised means and sell it in small batches. Having a certain skill, a picker can extract about 20-25 kg of tea leaves in one day. However, these are too small volumes to talk about serious profits.

Another option is to purchase raw materials from residents of villages and hamlets by prior agreement, then process and sell them yourself. But there are also disadvantages here: lack of control over the collection of leaves can lead to a violation of technology, as a result of which the raw material will lose its beneficial properties and taste.

The best option is to grow fireweed tea (own or rented) with subsequent processing and sale. Only by organizing a full-cycle enterprise can you obtain high-quality products in sufficiently large volumes that will provide a high income.

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Production technology

Fireweed reproduces both by seeds and vegetatively. Seeds are collected in September. Each stem is capable of bearing from 20,000 to 40,000 seeds. The seeds are planted in grooves no more than 1.5 cm deep, sprinkled with soil and watered from a watering can. The optimal distance between rows is from 60 to 90 cm. After germination, the plants are thinned out, leaving 1-2 stems every 30 cm.

Seedlings are planted in the ground in early autumn or spring. With proper care and timely watering, they quickly increase the vegetative mass. Ivan tea is an extremely unpretentious herb. It is recommended to water seedlings and seedlings abundantly only for the first 1-1.5 months. During this period, it is advisable to do this through a watering can or fine sieve so as not to damage the stems. When the plants reach 10-12 cm in height, they can be watered less frequently - only once a week.

The flowering period of fireweed is from late June to mid-August. It is at this time that leaves need to be collected. This should be done in the morning, when there is no dew on the plants. The leaves are collected in bags and immediately sent for processing.

Interesting! Fireweed is considered an excellent honey plant (from 1 hectare of thickets of this grass you can get 400-500 kg of honey), so the production of tea from this plant can complement.

Further processing of the collected raw materials takes place in several stages:

• preparation - at this stage it needs to be sorted out, separated from debris, washed and dried;
• withering leaves in dark rooms or in special dryers;
• fragmentation - the leaves undergo special mechanical processing and release juice, as a result of which important chemical processes occur;
• fermentation - the resulting mass is laid out on metal or wooden surfaces and left for some time;
• drying in ovens or drying cabinets;
• thermal aging - the product is allowed to rest to obtain a characteristic aroma and a typical tea shade;
• packing and packing.

The grade of tea will depend mainly on the length of fermentation of the tea leaves. The most popular varieties are fermented (classic black) and lightly fermented (green). In addition to the fireweed itself, you can also include other aromatic plants in the tea, for example, mint, oregano, and lemongrass.

If you consider fireweed tea as a small one on the territory of a personal subsidiary plot, and the volume of your production is low, then you can carry out all the main operations for processing raw materials manually. If your plans are to organize a full-fledged enterprise, then you will have to spend money on special equipment.

Equipment and workers

The set of special equipment will consist of the following main components:

• tea leaf cutting machine;
• withering drum;
• roller for curling;
• fermenter;
• drying unit;
• machine for filling and packaging.

It is better to purchase everything you need from one manufacturer. A good option is to purchase a ready-made production line. The issue price will be from 800,000 rubles. up to 2,000,000 rub. depending on the configuration and performance of the equipment.

To work on the plantation during the tea leaf harvesting period, you will need several pickers. The production itself requires the presence of several workers on the line, as well as a qualified technologist who will develop varieties of tea and control the process of its production. It is advisable to have your own equipment maintenance specialist, delivery driver, and sales manager on staff.

Registration of activities and declaration of products

The production and sale of herbal tea in small quantities from raw materials grown on one’s own plot does not require official registration of business activity. The law allows the sale of surplus products from personal subsidiary plots without paying taxes.

In all other cases, you should contact the tax service to obtain the status of an individual entrepreneur (IP) or legal entity. The code for the type of economic activity according to OKVED, which this business falls under, is 10.83 - “Production of tea and coffee.” Don't forget to indicate it when filling out or IP.

Based on the results of consideration of the application, service employees make a decision and issue a certificate of state registration no later than five working days from the date of application.

The next mandatory step is obtaining a declaration for the products being manufactured. Its quality and compliance with the standard (Technical Regulations of the Customs Union “On Food Safety”) can be confirmed with the help of an accredited certification center. Without a declaration, your product will not be accepted into any store, so you should not ignore this requirement. If you wish, you can also issue a voluntary certificate, which will serve as additional confirmation of the high quality of the tea products you produce.

Sales organization

It is difficult for a new manufacturer to immediately enter into large contracts, so the introduction of goods into the market should begin gradually from small retail outlets and private shops. Keep an eye on fairs and natural food exhibitions in your city and be sure to take part in them. Herbal tea can also be offered for sale in pharmacies and sanatoriums. Over time, when the product gains trust, it is recommended to switch to large retail chains or open your own branded store.

A great way to attract consumer attention to your product and stimulate sales is to create an online store and advertise on the Internet. Do not miss the opportunities that online trading offers, since for most entrepreneurs producing similar products, online sales serve as the main source of income.

Profit forecast

The retail cost of Ivan tea is on average 250 rubles. per 100 g, wholesale price varies from 150 to 200 rubles. At the same time, the cost of a 100-gram package does not exceed 100 rubles. This amount includes the costs of growing and processing raw materials, wages, taxes, packaging costs, depreciation of equipment, etc.

This type of activity is suitable even for a child over 14 years old. The essence of this business idea is that you would collect, ferment, package, sell Ivan tea leaves.
Anyone can cope with this task. But you must take into account that at first it will be difficult, because it is painstaking work. So, let's begin.

The first thing you must do is find a clearing in which this wonderful plant grows - Ivan tea. Please note that it is better if you pick the leaves of the fireweed tea away from
railways and roads. Otherwise, the tea leaves may not undergo the fermentation process correctly. It is best to pick off the leaves in early June. At this time they are filled with juice, and even more so the leaves
haven't had time to dry yet. And so you tore off two bags of leaves.

Yes, two bags is not even enough; from them you will get about half a bag of fermented tea. Do not forget that you cannot break off the tops with flowers, otherwise the tea will not be able to reproduce
and you will destroy the clearing, and even your income. But let's skip the details. Here in your hands are these two bags of Ivan tea leaves. And you are scratching your head, wondering what to do next. There is no time to hesitate here.

Let's move on to the second step right away.
Step two is that we lay out these leaves in a layer of no more than three centimeters. The temperature should not exceed room temperature

atomic, that is, no more than twenty-eight degrees. If you
If you don't do this step right away, your leaves will burn. And they will become unsuitable for making tea. Every hour the laid out leaves need to be stirred, most importantly, make sure that the leaves do not dry out
. Your task is to wilt them. The leaves should become soft, as if they have lost their strength. As soon as the leaves assumed this state. We're moving on to step number three.

The third step is to cut the tea leaves. The best and easiest way is if you do this using a meat grinder, preferably a manual one. Don't forget to put on the nozzle with holes as much as possible
bigger. Next, grind the leaves and stir up the resulting granules. Now you can proceed to the fourth step.

Step number four. It has the highest priority in all the work you have done, this moment is the most crucial. The moment of fermentation. Fermentation of Ivan tea consists of
next. We transfer the resulting granules into buckets or pans. Now let's put them in the scorching sun. Now your job will be to stir the tea every hour.

The main thing is not to miss the moment of the end of fermentation. It is very easy to determine when the tea is ready. Dip your hand into the tea, if it stops giving off heat, then the tea is ready. If you miss this one
At this point, mold will appear on the tea. And so the process of making tea is almost over. But the tea needs to dry properly. Therefore, we pour it into a pillowcase and hang it in the sun for a couple of hours.
And now the tea is ready. Your task is to package it and sell it.

The retail price today is up to 300 rubles per 100 grams of tea.

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Why did Hitler destroy the Ivan-Chaya factory?

At the end of 1941, instead of moving towards Leningrad, Hitler gave the order to send tanks to the village of Koporye to destroy the River of Life facility. Under this code name there was an experimental laboratory that produced drinks from medicinal herbs according to ancient Russian recipes, which were based on Ivan tea.

The story of the oblivion of “Ivan tea” and its replacement in Rus' with foreign tea.

The consequences of the craze for foreign teas and coffee are now more than obvious. The number of heart attacks, strokes, and nervous disorders has increased sharply everywhere. Overseas tea, rich in caffeine, is partly to blame for this. Our body, genetically formed over centuries, was unable to “digest” a heavy dose of caffeine, which is essentially a drug, without consequences.

The worst herb used in the form of tea is industrial Indian tea.

Two not very good groups of substances have been identified in Indian tea: - these are theophyllines - these are substances like ephedrine, from which drug addicts brew “dope”. In pharmaceutical medicine, ephedrine is considered a narcotic.

And the second group of substances present in ordinary tea are astringent, tanning tannins, which, and this has been proven, “tann” the intestinal wall in the intestinal lumen, making it impenetrable, and preventing the absorption of vitamins and useful substances in general.

Thus, there is a paradox in the world: there are millions of species of vegetation in the world, but in the “civilized world” it is only its single poisonous varieties that are industrialized: tobacco, cocaine (Coca-Cola), tea and coffee. Accidentally? There is nothing accidental in this world, “my friend Horatio”!

Why isn’t Russia industrialized in the production of, say, “tea” from “St. John’s wort” or “Ivan-Chai”, which grow underfoot in Russia and cost pennies. Moreover, drinks made from such herbs are certainly healthier than Indian tea? Why was Russia put on “English tea” after the Crimean War?

India is a British colony. After all, before the Crimean War, there was neither English tea nor Persian samovars (and they are actually Persian) in Russia. But literally in a few years, suddenly, as if by magic or by order from above, English tea suddenly becomes “the original Russian national drink,” without which Russians now, they say, cannot imagine themselves. And the Russian government began to spend crazy amounts of money, buying English tea at the price of silver per ounce, when Russia has plenty of its own grass. This is a question, by the way, for the ingenuity of all Russian patriots.

By the way, it was precisely at the time when Russia was put on “tea” that China, for example, was put on opium, in the so-called “opium wars” of the West against China. The Chinese did not want to smoke opium - they stuffed it down their esophagus. The European Union and the UN have a principle: every nation has its own type of drug.

Academician Pavlov also established that caffeine enhances excitation processes in the cerebral cortex and increases motor activity. Tea alkaloids increase cardiac activity, myocardial contractions become more intense and frequent. As a result, a person feels a surge of strength. But such bursts of activity are accompanied by increased energy expenditure.

Regularly consumed large doses of caffeine lead to depletion of nerve cells. Caffeine is contraindicated for many ailments (or rather, the consequences of an urban lifestyle): insomnia, hypertension, atherosclerosis, glaucoma, cardiovascular diseases. Excessive consumption of caffeinated drinks leads to exacerbation of gastrointestinal diseases.

In addition, tea tannins remove calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus from the body. Thus, tea exhausts its immoderate fans.

The path to the improvement of the Russian nation is simple, like everything ingenious - to return to the roots, to remember the undeservedly forgotten, primordially Russian drink - “Ivan-Chai”. It received this name in the first half of the 17th century, that is, at the time of the beginning of the tea and coffee world expansion!

And before that, Russian healers called “Ivan-tea” a boron potion for its powerful healing properties. Infusions of Ivan tea leaves were especially popular, used to treat headaches and relieve various inflammations. “Ivan-tea” also had nicknames such as the bread girl or the miller. They appeared due to the fact that the dried, ground roots of “Ivan-tea”, following the recommendations of traditional healers, were often added to flour for baking bread.

“Ivan-tea” was also called cockerel apples - for the taste properties of young leaves, which completely replace salad. The scientific name of “Ivan-tea” is angustifolia fireweed. And among the people, no matter how they called it “Ivan-tea”, which once again speaks of its popularity!

So, our “tea makers” brewed “Ivan-tea” in such a way that it began to resemble subtropical tea in taste and color. It was made like this: Ivan tea leaves were dried, scalded in a tub with boiling water, ground in a trough, then thrown onto baking sheets and dried in a Russian oven. After drying, the leaves were crushed again and the tea was ready.

Most of this tea was prepared in the village of Koporye near St. Petersburg. That’s why they began to call the drink, and later “Ivan-tea” itself, Koporye tea. Hundreds of pounds of this product were used in Russia. It was appreciated by the Siberians and the Dutch, the Don Cossacks and the Danes. Later it became the most important component in Russian exports. After special processing, “Ivan-tea” was sent by sea to England and other European countries, where it was as famous as Persian carpets, Chinese silk, and Damascus steel. Abroad, “Ivan-tea” was called Russian tea!

When going on a long journey, Russian sailors always took “Ivan-tea” with them in order to drink it themselves. And as gifts in foreign ports.

However, there were also unscrupulous merchants who used Ivan-tea to counterfeit Chinese (Beijing) tea. They mixed Ivan tea leaves into Chinese tea and passed off this mixture as an expensive oriental curiosity. But it must be said that in pre-revolutionary Russia, and even after the revolution until 1941, adding other plants to subtropical teas was considered unscrupulous falsification, fraud and was prosecuted by law. Therefore, such merchants, most often, were caught in such forgeries and put on trial, sometimes even holding high-profile trials.

However, even such cases could not deprive Koporye tea of ​​popularity, and already in the 19th century it became a powerful competitor to Indian tea.

Great Britain, which owned huge tea plantations in India, annually bought tens of thousands of pounds of Koporye tea, preferring Russian tea to Indian tea!

So why did such a profitable production of Koporye tea stop in Russia? The fact is that at the end of the 19th century its popularity turned out to be so great that it began to undermine the financial power of the East Indian Tea Company, which traded Indian tea!!! The campaign stirred up a scandal, allegedly Russians grind tea with white clay, which they say is harmful to health. And the real reason is that the owners of the East Indian campaign had to remove the most powerful competitor from their own English market - Russian tea!

The company finally achieved its goal, purchases of Russian tea were reduced, and after the revolution in Russia in 1917, when England entered the Entente military bloc, the purchase of tea in Russia stopped completely! Koporye went bankrupt...

And just recently people remembered this healing drink. After a long break, they produced Russian tea according to old recipes and took the Kruzenshtern sailors with them to the round-the-world regatta. The famous solo traveler F. Konyukhov always uses this healing “Ivan tea” in all his travels!

The reverse side of coffee vivacity

In the near future, it is necessary to introduce “Ivan-tea” into people’s food, eliminating or, at the first stage, limiting the consumption of subtropical teas and coffee, which contain excess caffeine, which can be used very limitedly for Russian people.

An important role in the mechanism of action of caffeine is that it inhibits the enzyme phosphodiesterase. At the same time, cyclic adenosine monophosphate accumulates inside the cells, under the influence of which metabolic processes in various organs and tissues are enhanced, including muscle tissue and the central nervous system. But a paper cup of tea or coffee is not considered doping at a distance.

At the same time, caffeine binds to brain receptors, displacing adenosine, which normally reduces excitation processes in the brain. Replacing it with caffeine leads to a stimulating effect.

However, with prolonged use of this alkaloid, like other drugs, its effect gradually decreases.

And from colored boiling water they often move on to a cup of real tea (a teaspoon of tea leaves per 0.15-0.2 liters of boiling water) washed down in three doses at intervals of 1.5-2 minutes. Then, by the morning cup, a day cup, and then a third, because in the absence of caffeine, the accumulated adenosine occupies all available brain receptors, sharply increasing the inhibition processes, fatigue, drowsiness, depression appear, blood pressure decreases and other unpleasant sensations arise.

In addition, tannins contained in tea, and up to 18% of them (the higher the grade, the more of them) bind insoluble compounds and remove calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, metal salts of copper, zinc, nickel and other trace elements from the digestive organs. That is why in the East they drink tea an hour before meals or two hours after meals, and without any seasonings and sweets, which stimulate the secretion of saliva containing a lot of calcium and other digestive media rich in enzymes and vitamins.

... And “Ivan-tea” blooms from mid-June to the end of August. The flowers open between 6 and 7 am, attracting many bees. This is not surprising, because “Ivan-tea” is one of the best honey plants. It is estimated that bees can store up to a thousand kilograms of honey per hectare of “Kipreyny” land. By the way, fireweed honey, according to experts, is the sweetest, and if the honey is fresh, it is the most transparent. In addition to nectar, bees collect their bread-bread from the flowers of Ivan-tea.

Ivan-tea seeds ripen in August. Ripe seeds with fluff fly out of the fruit boxes. Over the thickets of Ivan-tea and far around, fluff flies - as if several feather beds had been torn apart. Ivan-tea seeds are distinguished by their amazing volatility - the wind carries them tens of kilometers away. Flowers, leaves, and less commonly roots of Ivan-tea are used as medicinal raw materials.

The collection is carried out during flowering (usually leaves and unopened buds are prepared separately).

"Ivan-tea" contains:

Flavonoids (quercetin, kaemferol, which has an antispasmodic, choleretic and diuretic effect).

Tannins (up to 20% tannins of the pyrogal group, which have astringent, anti-inflammatory and hemostatic effects).

Mucus (up to 15%, which provides softening and enveloping properties, the ability to relieve inflammation, relieve pain, soothe and relieve cramps).

A small amount of alkaloids (these substances are poisonous in large doses, but in small doses they have remarkable healing properties, can improve metabolism, blood circulation, the state of the nervous system, and are good painkillers).

Chlorophyll (green plant pigment that absorbs light energy, stimulates wound healing, improves metabolism).

Pectin (this substance increases the shelf life of tea).

The leaves contain vitamins, especially a lot of carotene (provitamin A) and vitamin C (up to 200-388 mg - 3 times more than in oranges).

The roots are rich in starch (this is a storage carbohydrate of plants), polysaccharides (these carbohydrates are involved in immune reactions), organic acids (participate in biochemical reactions, play an important role in maintaining the acid-base balance).

In addition, a large number of microelements that stimulate hematopoiesis were found in the leaves of Ivan-tea - iron, copper, manganese and other microelements necessary for metabolism - nickel, titanium, molybdenum, boron.

No plant can boast such a set of microelements!

The unique composition determines the variety of healing properties of Ivan tea. It is also a mild laxative, emollient, enveloping, wound-healing, analgesic, and anticonvulsant. In its anti-inflammatory properties, Ivan-tea surpasses all medicinal plants - it has been scientifically proven that it has the highest anti-inflammatory coefficient among plants! And in terms of its tranquilizing effect (sedative, reducing feelings of tension, anxiety, fear), Ivan-tea is very effective.

In folk medicine, “Ivan tea” has long been considered an antitumor agent. And scientific research has confirmed the centuries-old experience of herbalists; the high-molecular compound hanerol was isolated from the inflorescences of Ivan-tea, which exhibits antitumor activity, has relatively low toxicity and a wide range of effects on tumors.

Let’s summarize why “Ivan-tea” is valuable:

— provides prevention of malignant and benign neoplasms;

- enhances potency;

— effective for diseases of the genitourinary system (powerful prevention of prostatitis);

- scars stomach and duodenal ulcers;

— increases immunity to respiratory viral infections;

— effective for the prevention of caries;

- improves blood composition;

- reduces intoxication of the body;

- relieves food and alcohol poisoning;

— restores strength when exhausted;

- useful for stones in the liver, kidneys and spleen diseases;

- strengthens hair roots;

— vitamin C in Ivan-tea is 6.5 times more than in lemon;

- eliminates headaches;

- normalizes blood pressure!

Daria and Alexander began selling fireweed tea in 2012. The first clients were friends and their acquaintances who asked to sell them this or that collection of plants.

At the same time, the Platonovs began to study Ivan tea drinks from competitors in order to understand whether their own products corresponded to similar products on the market. The conclusions drawn after purchasing from various manufacturers turned out to be ambiguous. “Some manufacturers make a good quality product; they revive old recipes. But at the same time, many suppliers have appeared on the market, the quality of their tea does not stand up to criticism. Their “work” can be called discrediting the product and devaluing the very idea of ​​healthy eating,” says Daria. She and her family rely on healthy and high-quality tea, collected and processed by hand.

How is fireweed produced?

Making fireweed is a rather complex technological process. Tea prepared by the Platonov family goes through six to eight stages of processing.

The first stage is the actual collection. The Platonovs collect wild plants near their ancestral settlement, on the border of the Tula and Moscow regions near the Prioksko-Terrasny Nature Reserve. This is an ecologically clean place in which fireweed grows in natural conditions, and is not specially planted by humans. There it is adjacent to other plants, which is very important for the taste of the finished product. Harvesting occurs within strictly defined periods - during flowering (June-July). This is a fairly short period, about a month. There is a lot of work at this time, and you have to work 16-18 hours a day. If the weather permits, the Platonovs go out for collection early in the morning, as soon as the dew disappears - at 3-4 o'clock.

The collected leaves are then dried to remove excess moisture. Then comes the sorting, as a result of which the future tea is manually freed from foreign plants and insects, which also love fireweed. “The process of careful manual sorting is very labor-intensive and long, but without it there is no way to get a high-quality drink,” says Daria Platonova.

“Experts say that our tea has amazing energy. Of course, this is the result of the handiwork and love with which we make tea. A machine will never give such a result. It will also be delicious, but it’s completely different.”

Next, the plants are crushed (also by hand) and placed for fermentation. After which the sheet is cut, dried and sifted into different fractions. The finished tea is blended (flowers or other plants are added) and left for ripening. One batch of tea goes through all these stages in about a week. Ivan tea is packaged immediately before sale.

The Platonovs do all their work by hand; they do not use any industrial equipment. Although it exists and can facilitate the production process. Due to its cost, the equipment is not yet available to families whose business is only in its infancy and is seasonal. For example, a machine for rolling tea leaves costs from 200 thousand rubles.

“Experts say that our tea has amazing energy. Of course, this is the result of the handiwork and love with which we make tea. A machine will never give such a result. It will also be tasty, but this is completely different. Handmade is handmade. Many will understand what I'm talking about."

The family plans to purchase a leaf-rolling machine to increase production, but will definitely continue to stock handmade teas.

Economics of the project

When the Platonovs began producing tea for sale, they spent about 100 thousand rubles to open their own business, some of which were borrowed. Product certification alone cost approximately 30 thousand rubles. But now all tea from the Platonovs has a certificate of conformity. The rest of the money was spent on the production of a drying cabinet, pallets for drying sheets, branded packaging and labels.

The drawing for the label was given to the Platonovs by an artist friend. I came to visit them and, after trying the drink, drew a sketch. Now this drawing is on all natural paper bags in which tea is packaged. “When purchasing from us, any package can be opened, looked at, smelled - in a word, felt the product with all the senses in order to understand what you are buying. For stores, our packaging may not be the best option. But we are ready to change in this regard, to look for something new,” explains Daria.

The weight of one package is 60 or 100 grams. Since the Platonov tea is hand-rolled, it takes up a lot of space when dried. Therefore, more than 100 grams cannot be placed in one package. If tea is compacted into a bag, the product may lose some of its properties: the leaves will crumble or become wrinkled. The cost of packaging is 400-500 rubles, depending on the variety.

In total, the Platonovs have eight different tea options. This year, at the request of customers, new items have appeared. These are mixtures of fireweed with other plants: meadowsweet, which gives an almond aroma, currant leaf, cherry or mint. There are both subtle and more tart fruit flavors. “Variety of assortment is an incredibly important point. We are constantly open to new recipes, ideas and experiments. But on the other hand, if people like a particular taste, they often ask for it next time. Therefore, it is very important to “age” certain varieties, i.e. produce them with the same taste from batch to batch,” notes Daria.

The Platonovs supply their products to two Moscow restaurants, as well as to the first Russian restaurant working exclusively on local products - “Mark and Lev” in the Tula region. “We love this restaurant very much. Well done guys! Great idea and great execution."

The Platonovs actively participate in fairs and festivals, which are now the main promotion channel. There, in addition to selling, they organize tastings of their teas. The Platonovs also collaborate with organizers of ethno-festivals and events dedicated to a healthy lifestyle.

Plans and prospects

The family does not have a permanent store, because... there are no large sales volumes. “Unfortunately, it is simply impossible to increase the volume to “store volume” without losing the quality of the product, we have already understood this. Maybe this is maximalism, but I don’t know of any other ways to make a product tasty and of high quality. We are capable of producing, at best, several hundred kilograms of tea per season. This is not a volume for Moscow,” says Daria.

“Now our task is to cooperate with several more restaurants in Moscow or the region. I think that a restaurant with really high-quality food should definitely have traditional Russian Ivan tea in its tea menu. In addition, our tea can be brewed several times - this is also a plus for restaurant customers. Our production volumes allow us to work to order for several restaurants: when there is a pre-order from a restaurant in terms of volume and assortment, it is much easier to plan production. Next year we plan to hire people for the collection, but we will prepare the tea ourselves,” the Platonovs share their plans for the future.

The Platonov family also sees its task as creating an online store through which it will be possible to order fireweed. “But the problem is that we are far from Internet technologies, and for us this is a rather difficult goal,” admits Daria. Her children, more confident computer users, are now working on creating their own website and pages on social networks.

The business dream of the Platonov family is to put their product on the tables of all lovers of healthy and tasty food. “Our tea, compared to store-bought tea, is like strawberries from the garden versus strawberries from retail chains. Our whole family and our friends have already switched to our own Ivan tea and don’t drink anything else,” says Daria.
https://biz360.ru/materials/340/

• 15:32, February 10, 2015

Since ancient times, our ancestors began the morning with tea. True, they did not brew overseas herbs, but their native Ivan tea. It was as invigorating as the strongest coffee. So why then did it disappear from use? Exclusive material from a “Commonwealth” specialist.

IN THE CHASE OF VIRGINITY

Coffee roots stretch from Arab countries and the word coffee itself means energy and strength. In ancient times, coffee was not boiled in water, much less sugar was added to it. Coffee beans were simply chewed as a stimulant. In the 14th century, clergy were looking for various methods of staying awake throughout the day and tried brewing coffee beans. Since then, coffee has been exported all over the world.

The British began to force tea on us after the Crimean War. And not by chance. After all, at that time India was a British colony and it was natural that it had to introduce its product into the world market - namely Indian tea. Before the Crimean War, there was no English tea in Russia; they drank their original Russian drink, Ivan tea, which, thanks to England, was discriminated against in the eyes of Europe.

Currently, the largest tea producers are India, China, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Japan, Indonesia and Kenya. The last two countries are exporters and producers of high quality black tea. The ideal climate in these countries creates excellent conditions for growing good quality tea, the raw materials are considered environmentally friendly, and the tea acquires a pleasant tart taste.

But despite their unique aroma, unsurpassed taste and invigorating properties, coffee and foreign tea have a number of side effects, and every year scientists find new dangers that lie in a cup of these drinks. It turns out that they also have their own underside of vivacity, and it lies in the main component of all these drinks - caffeine.

According to the pharmacological classification, caffeine belongs to the group of psychostimulants, that is, substances that affect the central nervous system, stimulating nerve cells.

In addition, caffeine negatively affects the functioning of the heart and gastrointestinal tract, and also slows down the body's absorption of certain nutrients. Therefore, it is advisable for heart patients and people with chronic diseases of the digestive system to refrain from drinking invigorating drinks.

And the most dangerous thing for a person is that caffeine is addictive and this is no longer a fact, but a reality. This is why coffee is often called a drug. Experiments have confirmed that addiction begins to cause withdrawal symptoms when there is insufficient caffeine intake in the body, so you must be extremely careful when consuming caffeine-containing drinks.

It should be remembered that a regular cup of coffee contains approximately 250 mg of caffeine, and the daily allowable dose of caffeine should not exceed 300 mg. Everyone decides for themselves how many cups of such drinks should be taken so as not to cause harm to the body.

But if it’s still hard for you to give up coffee, then at least when purchasing, give preference to ground beans rather than instant drinks, which essentially are ground from unknown materials.

In addition to caffeine, tea also contains theophyllines and tannins, which bind insoluble compounds and remove calcium, potassium, magnesium, sodium, phosphorus, metal salts of copper, zinc, nickel and other trace elements from the digestive organs. Therefore, it is advisable for lovers of foreign teas to drink these drinks after the main meal, in no case on an empty stomach and without any sweets, because they stimulate the release of digestive fluids rich in enzymes and vitamins, which are subsequently washed away, which leads to dehydration and exhaustion of the body .

The harm of tea is also due to the presence of dyes and flavors. All flavored teas, for example, with the aroma of lemon, berries, mint, have added flavorings and colorings. Manufacturers do this to reduce the cost of their production, and sometimes to give new life to teas that are not fresh and have expired. More often this happens with teas packaged in bags, granulated or small-leaf. Those traces that you see on the cup after drinking tea remain inside your body.

The lowest quality teas are crushed or broken tea. This is generally a waste product from the production of various tea varieties that have flooded our market. Ground tea of ​​the lowest grade includes granulated, bagged, brick or pressed (made from the oldest leaves) and tiled (made from tea crumbs) teas.

The problem of unnatural tea also applies to bottled teas, which are sold chilled; by and large, this is not even tea, but a sweet drink containing tea, which contains only food additives that give the drink color, aroma and taste, and absolutely no beneficial ones. substances.

THE BIG HISTORY OF THE HUMBLE IVAN-CHAY

Foreign coffee and tea in Russia can be easily replaced with the ancient traditional Russian drink Ivan tea, which was an integral part of the life of our ancestors.

There is a popular legend about the name of this plant about a certain Ivan, a guy who loved to wear a red shirt and spend time at the edge of the forest, among bushes and flowers. The villagers, seeing the flash of a scarlet shirt in the greenery, said: “Yes, it’s Ivan, tea!” Over time, the phrase became a habit, and when bright red fireweed flowers began to play among the lush greenery on the outskirts of the same village, the plant was called fireweed.

Since ancient times, tea drinking has been held in high esteem in Russia. There were always samovars on the tables, and the same Ivan tea was used as tea leaves.

The first mentions of traditional Ivan tea are found in Novgorod chronicles of the 13th century, describing the glorious exploits and battles of Alexander Yaroslavich. In ancient chronicles this tea is also called « Bogatyr tea" or "Tea for boyars or stuffy people." Europeans simply called it “Russian tea.”

Our ancestors knew the technology and techniques for making healing, tasty and aromatic tea from fireweed. The main place for preparing tea from fireweed leaves was the village of Koporye, near St. Petersburg, so the drink came to be called Ivan tea Koporye tea. A little later, its production was established in 3 districts of the St. Petersburg province. The Emperor personally issued a license to the St. Petersburg governor to produce and sell this heroic drink to England.

Ivan tea was in demand among different layers of society; it was drunk even in monasteries, where tea and coffee were prohibited as stimulants. Even then it was believed that this tea charged with strength and vigor, relieved headaches and stomach ailments.

Such tea was supplied to the imperial table and widely exported abroad. It is reliably known that in the 19th century Denmark and England purchased thousands of pounds of it, but for France and Prussia it was a smuggled product. The popularity of this drink in European countries was comparable to the popularity of Persian carpets, Chinese silk and Damascus steel. And Russia’s income from the export of fireweed to Europe exceeded income from gold and furs.

At the end of the 19th century, the popularity of fireweed tea was so great that it began to undermine the financial power of the East Indian Tea Company, which traded Indian tea, and it was unable to adequately compete with Koporye tea. The British could not survive this calmly and accused the Russians that their tea was harmful to health due to the white clay with which it was ground. Thus, the competitor was removed from the English market, and Koporye was ruined.

For some time, Koporye tea was forgotten. However, later the healing drink was reproduced according to old recipes, and the sailors of Admiral Krusenstern took it on an expedition around the world.

At the beginning of the 20th century, a Russian scientist and expert in Tibetan medicine, Pyotr Badmaev, knowing the healing properties of fireweed, opened an elite private clinic, a health center for high-ranking people, where, based on this plant and other herbs, he prepared decoctions and tinctures for the treatment of ailments and the general health of the body. Badmaev himself claimed that his tinctures of fireweed tea would give him the opportunity to live up to 200 years.

But during the revolution, Pyotr Badmaev, who was 109 years old at that time, was declared politically unreliable and thrown into prison, and the employees of his laboratory were shot without trial, the recipes were destroyed, and the production of Koporye tea almost completely ceased. After some time, the scientist was released, but the cell and torture seriously undermined his health and he soon died.

After the 1917 revolution, the purchase of tea in Russia stopped altogether. Most of the manufacturers went bankrupt, and the production of traditional Russian Ivan tea was curtailed. Chinese and Indian teas have completely captured the European and world markets. Ivan tea, as a drink, has become a national Russian feature for Europeans, nothing more.

Later, the Bolsheviks came to their senses and realized that strong, resilient, physically healthy citizens were needed to preserve the state, especially in the Red Army. The tea factory in Koporye was restored, and under it, by order of L.P. Beria opened a laboratory whose task was to develop drink recipes for the Red Army based on fireweed tea. This tea was supplied to pharmacies and hospitals in the Soviet Union.

During the Great Patriotic War, the German occult organization "Ahnenerbe" (German Ahnenerbe - "Heritage of the Ancestors", full name - "German Society for the Study of Ancient German History and Heritage of Ancestors"), created by Hitler, conducted research on the unique properties of fireweed tea to create a superman .

At the end of the summer of 1941, the German army was advancing on all fronts. The most fierce battles took place in the northern direction. The Nazis rushed towards Leningrad, trying to encircle it with a siege. On September 1, the Nazis take the Koporye Fortress, which served as a reliable shelter for the Red Army soldiers. German tanks are waiting for instructions to continue moving towards Leningrad, but the commander of the North group, Field Marshal von Leib, gives a strange order - to temporarily stop the offensive, turn the tank columns to the side and completely destroy the object called the “river of life”. Under this code name was the Koporye tea factory and its laboratory. Hitler could not allow the physical strength and endurance of Soviet soldiers to surpass the Wehrmacht soldiers. The order was carried out, all factory employees were shot, and the factory itself was completely destroyed.

Today, unfortunately, there is no rush demand for this unique drink. It is produced in small batches in the Nizhny Novgorod, Kirov and Pskov regions, and the raw materials are collected and prepared in Western Siberia on an industrial scale. The plant is collected in ecologically clean areas of the taiga. Since the summer in Siberia is shorter than in the central part of Russia, and the plants are quite adapted to local conditions, during this time they manage to absorb a much larger amount of useful substances than those growing in industrial zones or on poor soils. Therefore, in terms of ecological purity and medicinal qualities, Siberian tea is superior to that which grows everywhere.

You can buy Ivan tea at a pharmacy, in a department of a supermarket that specializes in selling various teas, or order it online. In Moscow and St. Petersburg, as well as in other large cities, online stores have order delivery centers in areas convenient for you, or couriers will deliver tea to your place of residence. Almost all such stores accept orders from residents of all regions of Russia. The product packaging must indicate the manufacturer of this herbal collection, expiration date and recommendations for use.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PLANTBLOOMING SALLY

Willowherb or narrow-leaved willowherb (Epilobium fnqustifoleum) belongs to the fireweed family. People also call it - mother plant, bread box, dense flax, fur flax, down jacket, wild flax.

This is a perennial plant found almost everywhere in the European part of Russia, in Siberia, the Caucasus and in the meadows of the Far East. It prefers well-lit and moist areas, so it is often found near rivers, streams and lakes, and can also be found along roadsides or on hills.

The plant is about 100-180 cm high with a straight, strong stem and flowers collected in racemes, most often located at the top of the stem. Ivan tea blooms in July. Flowers can be of various shades - from white to lilac. When flowering, it forms abundant fluff, which in the old days was used to make cotton wool, and was also used to stuff pillows and mattresses with it.

Fireweed propagates by seeds, which ripen in August, and by rhizomes.

Ivan tea is highly valued by beekeepers because it is an excellent honey plant.

By the way, this plant can be easily grown in your dacha. To do this, choose a sunny place and do not forget about watering. Ivan tea does not require fertilizers and does not take any harmful substances from the soil.

Biochemical composition:

• vitamin C;
• B vitamins;
• proteins;
• starch;
• polysaccharides, which are abundant in the rhizomes of fireweed;

• pectins;
• mucus;
• chlorophyll;
• tannins;
• phytosterols;
• organic acids;
• coumarins, triterpenoids, flavonoids and some alkaloids;

• macro- and microelements -

“After our study of fireweed, it turned out that it contains from 69 to 71 useful trace elements, depending on the area of ​​​​growing. This is 2/3 of the periodic table. There is a particularly high concentration of copper, iron and manganese in the leaves and flowers of the plant.”,- said academician, professor, doctor of technical sciences Albert Nikitin.

It is very important that fireweed, unlike oriental varieties, does not contain caffeine, which is addictive, and also does not contain puric, oxalic and uric acids, which can disrupt metabolism.

HEALING PROPERTIES OF IVAN TEA

In folk medicine, all parts of the plant - leaves, roots, flowers, seeds and stems - are used to treat various diseases. Each of these parts has its own beneficial properties. Tinctures, medicinal decoctions and ointments are prepared from them.

Ivan tea - as a medicine:
helps strengthen the immune system - contains a record amount of ascorbic acid - 400 mg per 100 g, this is several times more than in citrus fruits and black currants;
reduces increased excitability of the central nervous system, relieves insomnia, relieves depression and nervous tension, and increases performance. Used for epileptic illness and neuropsychiatric disorders;
helps relieve headaches and resists migraines;
improves digestion and normalizes the microflora of the stomach and intestines. It is used for constipation, treatment of colitis, gastritis and peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum;
increases the absorption of nutrients from food, and also improves carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in the body;
improves blood composition, fights anemia, as it contains a lot of iron;
has a positive effect on the functioning of the heart due to the flavonoid hyperoside and quercetin contained in it;
improves the functioning of the endocrine system and is used in the treatment of diseases of the liver, gall bladder and spleen;
used for the prevention of benign and malignant neoplasms, as it is considered the strongest antioxidant;
improves vision;
used in otolaryngology for inflammation of the ear, nose and throat;
enhances lactation and improves the quality of breast milk due to the large amount of vitamins. Therefore, fireweed tea is very useful during pregnancy and breastfeeding;
restores strength when exhausted, and is also recommended to be taken during therapeutic fasting, as it contains a lot of natural protein;
is an effective natural pain reliever, so they are recommended to rub joints, areas of swelling and muscles for cramps and pain;
has a positive effect on the male body. This tea should be consumed by men engaged in hard work, as well as hunters, taiga dwellers, and tourists. It is known that fireweed tea helps in the treatment of prostatitis and prostate adenoma, improves potency and erectile function;
improves skin conditions - activates the processes of granulation and epithelization of damaged skin areas, therefore it is used for such skin diseases as psoriasis, eczema, dermatitis, urticaria, seborrhea, seborrheic dermatitis, sycosis, purulent folliculitis, dandruff, and is also used for washing wounds and ulcers on the skin ;
used in dentistry to prevent caries and periodontal disease - doctors advise rinsing your mouth every day with a decoction of fireweed tea, the benefits of which will appear within a month. In addition, a decoction of flowers and leaves of fireweed is useful to give to children during teething;
cleanses the body of waste and toxins, therefore it is recommended to take it after courses of radiation chemotherapy;
reduces intoxication of the body, is successfully used for food and alcohol poisoning, and also relieves hangover;
used to detect menstrual irregularities, during painful or heavy menstruation, uterine bleeding, pain in women during menopause;
strengthens the strength of people weakened by disease and the elderly;
used for the effectiveness of prevention and treatment of infectious and inflammatory diseases. A decoction of fireweed leaves helps relieve coughs, speeds up the recovery process from colds, and thins phlegm;
has the ability to improve health, tonify, relieve fatigue, give strength and vigor, so angustifolia fireweed is good in the bath, it goes well with birch and oak brooms;
used in cosmetology in the form of smears and ointments;
used in cooking - young shoots of the herb are good in a variety of salads, and the dried and ground roots of the plant are added to flour, giving flour products a unique sweetish, pleasant taste.

SECRETS OF TEA FRAGRANCE

Collection of fireweed tea

When collecting grass, appearance and location are important, so avoid highway verges and contaminated areas.

It is better to collect angustifolia fireweed from July to September inclusive, before its flower clusters bloom.

Since beneficial properties are contained not only in its flowers, you can also collect and dry the leaves, roots and stems.

The leaves need to be collected at the moment when fireweed blooms, because when the flowers fall, the leaves lose their healing properties.

It is customary to collect the stem in the morning, and in dry weather.

After collecting, all parts of the plant must be lightly washed to get rid of dust and small insects.

Technology for preparing fireweed tea:

withering- you need to scatter the leaves of fireweed on a white cloth or gauze in a layer of about 5 cm and dry until they become limp. It is advisable to dry under a canopy or some kind of cover so that there is no exposure to direct sunlight, periodically turning them over;
With twisting- the leaves are rolled by hand until they darken;
fermentation- the curled leaves must be placed in an enamel bowl, covered with a wet cloth and placed in a warm place to ripen. In this case, the temperature should not exceed 27C, and the ripening process should not last more than 12 hours, since due to overexposure and too high a temperature, fireweed leaves acquire the smell of cheap tea. Properly carried out fermentation is indicated by a rich floral and fruity aroma;
drying- after fermentation, the fireweed leaves should be finely chopped and spread on a baking sheet in a 1 cm layer, and then dried at 100C for about an hour. When properly dried, the leaves acquire the color of black tea with a very strong and rich aroma, while the tea leaves should not crumble into dust;
storage- It is best to store tea in glass jars, closing them with airtight lids so that there is no access to air. Flowers and leaves of fireweed can also be stored in paper bags for no more than 2 years, and roots - up to three.

Brewing tea

You can brew fireweed tea in the usual way, or pour two tablespoons of tea with a small amount of cold water so that it covers the leaves and bring to a boil over low heat, then remove from heat and let it brew for 7-10 minutes.

Due to the fact that the plant contains a large amount of essential oils, after preparation, fireweed tea can be stored for 5 to 7 days. But if you use it for medicinal purposes, then it is better to brew a fresh portion of tea each time, and when used as a drink, drink no more than 12 glasses a day.

A distinctive feature of Ivan tea from other teas is that for 2 liters of boiling water you only need 2 tablespoons of tea leaves.

There are no specific contraindications for drinking fireweed.

As you can see, fireweed is truly a legendary plant, loved for centuries in Rus' and throughout the world. Deservedly loved, but undeservedly forgotten. So maybe it’s time to return to our roots and remember that there is a Russian traditional drink, Ivan tea, which surpasses all oriental teas in its taste and healing power. Start your morning with a cup of aromatic fireweed tea and stay awake all day!

Maya Mikhailichenko, teacher-methodologist in chemistry and biology, excellent student in education, was awarded the honorary badge “Sofia Rusova”, especially for the Commonwealth.

Many enterprising businessmen have already turned their attention to the field of manufacturing natural products. And for good reason - today it is in high demand among the population, due to the dominance of low-quality artificial products. And when looking for an idea of ​​just such an orientation, it is worth thinking about buying equipment for the production of Ivan tea and starting its mass production. Ivan tea has long been called “Russian tea”. This plant was previously exported abroad in large quantities. From the dried stems, leaves and flowers of fireweed, you can get a delicious drink, which is also famous for its beneficial properties - the prevention of many diseases, a sedative.

Our business assessment:

Starting investments – from 0 rub.

Market saturation is low.

The difficulty of starting a business is 4/10.

The production of Ivan tea as a business will be beneficial to the entrepreneur from the point of view that it will not require large investments. Let's say more - you can get the finished product right at home, without spending money on purchasing special equipment. Making fireweed tea at home is not at all difficult, and by following the technology, the output can be a product that is no different in quality from what is produced in a full-fledged factory.

Will activity registration be required?

Whether it is worth registering your activities depends on the circumstances. If an entrepreneur sells only surpluses from his own subsidiary plot, and the sale of Ivan tea is carried out only to friends and close neighbors, then it is hardly worth spending money on completing a package of documents. But with non-certified products, it is definitely not possible to enter larger sales markets and conclude profitable supply contracts! Do you want to deliver a high-quality product, with labels and packaged in original containers, to store shelves? Then, observing all the rules prescribed by law, you will have to start registering your activities. In order to produce granulated Ivan tea, since we are talking about the food industry, you will need to obtain permission from Rospotrebnadzor to conduct activities and certify the products planned for release. Also, an entrepreneur may think about obtaining a special certificate for the production of a line of healthy teas as dietary supplements.

It does not matter what organizational and legal form the entrepreneur chooses to conduct business. To avoid paperwork, you can first register an individual entrepreneur.

A mini plant for the production of Ivan tea will supply original products to store shelves if you register your own brand. Here you have to develop your own logo and label design.

What range of products can be produced?

While the technology is just being mastered, the entrepreneur can only produce regular tea. But as practice shows, the product is also in demand on the market in a mixture with other components - dried berries and leaves of currants, raspberries, and lemongrass. There are a lot of variations, and to diversify the assortment, you can expand the product line.

There is one more classification. Depending on the fermentation conditions of Ivan tea, the following types can be distinguished:

• Weakly fermented - white, yellow, green.
• Semi-fermented - red, purple, blue.
• Fermented - black.
• Over-fermented - pu-erh.

And even fermenting Ivan tea at home will allow you to obtain different types of product.

Where to get raw materials?

The raw material for the production of natural tea is the fireweed plant. Surely everyone has seen it at their own dacha or in the field - very often it grows like a weed. It turns out that there is plenty of raw material for further production. Of course, it is useless to look for dried leaves from suppliers - the collection and preparation of Ivan tea is, as a rule, carried out on one’s own.

Depending on the specific region, plants are collected between June and August. Moreover, it is better to pick plants early in the morning - when the dew has just evaporated.

If you believe experts in this field, it is quite possible to collect up to 5 kg of fresh raw materials in an hour. But the preparation of fireweed leaves must be done in a timely manner, because if you leave it in bags for a long time, the leaves will begin to darken and lose their beneficial properties.

To obtain tea at home, you can collect plants yourself. But if we talk about the industrial scale of production, then in order not to miss the time of harvesting Ivan tea and in a short time to provide the enterprise with large reserves of raw materials, it is necessary to do without additional labor. Hired workers can be paid by the volume of collected raw materials or by the hour.

Tea production technology

The production technology of Ivan tea is very simple. And in industrial conditions the process is almost completely automated.

What stages can be distinguished here?

• Withering. Removing moisture from leaves to create optimal conditions for further processing of raw materials.
• Preparation of raw materials. Leaves, stems and flowers are cleared of debris and, if necessary, sorted.
• Curling of leaves. The goal is to destroy the cell walls and give the leaves the desired shape.
• Aerobic fermentation. Keeping leaves under certain temperature and humidity conditions.
• Drying. The goal is to complete the fermentation process.
• Roasting. Processing a product under certain conditions to impart its final properties.
• Package. The product can be packaged in containers of any size.

And at home it’s not difficult to get the finished product. To do this, freshly picked and slightly dried plants need to be crushed in your hands so that the leaves release juice. It is also possible to ferment Ivan tea through a meat grinder. And this option is even better, since all biochemical processes will proceed much faster in the future. Wet leaves are “packed” in gauze and placed under pressure in a dark place (up to 2 days). Next, the leaves of Ivan tea are dried. This can be done outdoors in partial shade or in the oven.

What equipment is used to produce fireweed?

If we talk about home business, then in the process of obtaining the finished product you can use available “equipment” - knives, meat grinder, oven, baking sheets, containers. But the industrial method will definitely require special machines, since considerable volumes of raw materials will be processed here. The price of equipment for making Ivan tea will vary in a wide range (800,000-2,000,000 rubles), depending on the power, degree of automation and configuration.

The complete line includes the following names of machines and devices:

• leaf cutting machine,
• curing machine,
• rollerballs,
• tea lump breaking machine,
• fermentation machine,
• automatic dryer,
• bake,
• packaging and filling machine.

To receive tea packaged in disposable bags, you will need to purchase a special machine separately.

Industrial production of fireweed tea in Russia is still poorly developed, but some domestic companies are already offering for sale machines for producing a high-quality product. A specific line should be selected based on the planned volumes of tea sales and available investments.

The issue of product sales and enterprise profitability

The product is in demand on the market, so there should be no problems with its sale. True, at first, most likely, you will have to cooperate only with private shops and stores, and not with large retail chains.

The payback period will depend on the investments made in the business. If you have a meat grinder for Ivan tea and an oven, then starting a home business may not require any investment at all. Industrial production of the product can be established by spending at least 1,500,000 rubles.

Fermentation methods for producing tea are different, and therefore the price of the finished product also varies. On average, fireweed tea sells for 800-1300 rubles/kg. Its cost is 40-60% lower. These are excellent indicators of the profitability of the planned business.

Why buy imported teas, the quality of which we are not sure of, if you can brew a delicious drink from local herbs? Ivan tea or angustifolia fireweed is a perennial medicinal plant that is used as an anti-inflammatory agent in folk medicine. Fireweed flowers are excellent honey plants, and the drink made from dried leaves has an exquisite taste. In our country, in recent years, the demand for natural products has increased significantly, so the production of fireweed has become.

Benefits of fireweed tea

Unlike Indian tea, fireweed does not contain caffeine, so it can be drunk by almost anyone and at any time of the day. Thanks to the cellular composition of the leaves, a drink from this plant tones the body, calms the nervous system and relieves headaches. It is also recommended to drink it for colds, stomach ulcers and even for cancer.

The healing properties of fireweed tea are explained by the content of a number of microelements and vitamins in it (it contains 6 times more vitamin C than lemon). It is also interesting that the plant does not lose its properties with any treatment of the leaves.

The fireweed drink has excellent taste, color and aroma.

Also, fireweed tea goes well with other plants: mint, chamomile and lemon balm. You can find more than 15 varieties of fireweed-based tea on the market. As we can see, the production of fireweed tea in Russia is a good alternative to importing flavored analogues.

Organization of production

Fireweed is a wild herb that grows in natural biocenoses, so to begin with it can be collected and processed manually without any investment. One person can collect up to 30 kg of plants per day, but these are too small volumes to build a serious business on. Since there are simply no wholesale suppliers of fireweed tea, you can hire pickers or buy raw materials in nearby villages, and then process it yourself. But there is a risk that the plants will not be collected in accordance with the technology: they need to be collected only during flowering, in the morning, when the leaves are dry, without dew.

To be able to control the harvesting process, some entrepreneurs buy a large plot of land, sow it with fireweed seeds, grow plants, hire and train people to harvest the harvest; They themselves process the collected raw materials. Thus, the full production cycle occurs under the supervision of specialists, and this guarantees the receipt of high-quality raw materials with the best taste and healing properties.

Manufacturing technology

The first stage in the production of fireweed tea is the collection of leaves. It is carried out in late June–early August during flowering, which depends on the climatic conditions of a particular region. Harvested leaves must be processed immediately so that they do not darken and lose their beneficial properties. To produce different types of tea, you can harvest other herbs, and also use different types of fermentation.

Tea leaf processing

Leaf processing consists of 7 stages:

1. Preparation. The leaves are sorted, getting rid of debris and rot.
2. Drying. The raw materials are transferred to a dark place and left for a day until they become more elastic.
3. Curling or fragmentation. The leaves are processed, during which the plant releases juice to allow the tea polyphenols to react with enzymes. To obtain granulated tea, use a meat grinder.
4. Fermentation. This is the main stage of leaf processing, which determines the type of tea and its taste properties. Leaves are stacked on wooden pallets or aluminum sheets in a cool, dark place. At this time, enzymes destroy oxalic acid. Depending on the degree of fermentation, you can get different types of tea using.
5. Drying. Fermented leaves are dried in the oven for 0.5–2 hours. This process produces leaves with 2–5% moisture content.
6. Tracking. Dry leaves are left for some time so that they acquire a tea color and acquire a characteristic aroma.
7. Fractionation. This stage is used only in large productions. Large leaves are packaged, and small leaves are sent to the production of tea bags.

Tea varieties

As we have already said, using different fermentation methods, you can get different types of tea. These include:

• weakly fermented (green, yellow, white tea);
• semi-fermented (red, blue tea);
• fermented (black tea);
• over-fermented (pu-erh teas - elite class teas).

The assortment can also be diversified by adding various herbs and flavorings to the fireweed. But experts recommend starting with making classic tea in order to thoroughly master the production technology.

Tea production as a business

You need to enter the market with a quality product, so you must gain experience in production. If you have mastered the technology of making fireweed tea and want to make it your business, you can start registering your business.

Business registration

To produce tea for sale, you need - if you are planning large-scale production. In this case, it is advisable to create a corporate label design.

To sell your products, you will need to obtain permission from Rospotrebnadzor and certify each batch of tea. In the future, you can register the products as dietary supplements and sell them in pharmacies and sanatoriums.

Equipment

For industrial production of fireweed, you will need special equipment:

• blending drum (mixer);
• rollers;
• oven or drying chamber;
• Packaging equipment.

Equipment for the production of fireweed tea is almost impossible to buy in Russia, so it must be ordered from other countries.

You can save a lot by buying an entire line, the price of which depends on the configuration, power and automation and amounts to 1–2 million rubles.

Standard equipment:

• apparatus for cutting leaves;
• drying machine;
• rollers;
• apparatus for breaking lumps;
• fermentation machine;
• Dryer;
• bake;
• packaging machine.

To produce tea bags you will need to purchase a separate unit.

Recruitment

For a tea production enterprise, first of all you will need. One worker must collect six bags of raw materials per day, the payment for which is about 800 rubles. Operators are hired to process the leaves. Since the equipment for the production of fireweed tea is automated and easy to operate, the qualifications of workers are not particularly important.

You need to select a technologist with special care, because the quality of the product depends on him. His responsibilities include developing tea varieties and monitoring all stages of production. An experienced engineer is also needed to monitor the operation of all machines and control the work as a whole.

The staff may also include electricians and mechanics to repair equipment, but if you are planning a small production, you can use their services as needed, without registering them with your company.

Sales market

Natural tea is in great demand. But despite this, you need to carefully plan your marketing policy. First, work with private shops and small shops. If you manage to build a good reputation with consumers, you can target large retail chains. A good option would be to open branded stores. Restaurants, canteens, fitness centers, sanatoriums, pharmacies and vitamin shops can also become potential clients.

Recently, more and more manufacturers are selling their products via the Internet. You can sell products using classified sites or your own online store. It is also helpful to attend various festivals and fairs where you can promote your product by hosting tastings and retail sales.

Expenses and income

For large-scale production, you need to purchase equipment for at least 1 million rubles. Registration, certification and purchase of packaging will cost approximately 100 thousand rubles. per month. You also need to take into account the payment of wages, utilities, rent and equipment repairs.

The cost of tea depends on the degree of fermentation and the presence of additives in it and ranges from 800–1300 rubles/kg. This is about 50% more than the actual cost. The production of fireweed tea as a business has a profitability of at least 40%. Experienced entrepreneurs have concluded that with good organization of work, such a business pays for itself in about a year.

Professional equipment for the production of Ivan tea: Video

Modern people have become more concerned about their health. Therefore, they prefer to use only natural products. This also applies to tea.

Beneficial properties of tea

On store shelves you can see a wide range of different teas with various artificial flavors. But they are not in great demand. Consumers mainly buy products made from natural ingredients. Such teas have a beneficial effect on human health. For example, mint and oregano calm the nerves, while calendula and chamomile act as an anti-inflammatory agent.

People in Rus' have been drinking Ivan tea for a long time. According to popular beliefs, this plant should be collected on the night of Ivan Kupala. A drink made from young shoots of fireweed has special powers and can protect against 100 diseases. To achieve a unique taste and unique aroma, ancestors dried fireweed in a special way. The sheet was first withered, then kneaded a little and twisted. After this, it was kept for some time at a certain temperature. Only after this the sheets were dried. This tea production technology is called fermentation. Let's look at this matter in more detail.

Features of Ivan tea production

Raw materials are collected on special plantations in ordinary bags. In a day, one person can collect approximately 30 kg of this amazing plant. Since leaves in bags can heat up and darken, it is necessary to immediately put the raw materials into processing.

This product is made using traditional technology, like other teas, so your business can use conventional tea production equipment.

The processing process is as follows:

1. First, the leaves are kneaded. You can also do this manually. The plant must be ground until it produces juice. If you decide to start producing Ivan tea at home, you can pass the leaves through a meat grinder. In this case, you will get excellent granulated tea. Some people freeze raw materials, but after defrosting they may lose their beneficial qualities;
2. Withering. The tea leaves are placed in the shade and dried for 10–24 hours. If you use special dryers, the process can be reduced to 5–8 hours. During this time, approximately 55% of the moisture leaves the tea leaf. After dehydration, the raw material becomes less brittle and more elastic;
3. During the rolling process, the juice is squeezed out of the tea leaves. This allows tea enzymes to mix with tea polyphenyls. This is the main condition for high-quality fermentation. Twisting is done manually and using special equipment;
4. Fermentation. This process is carried out in dark, cool rooms. Wooden pallets or aluminum sheets can be used as a support for raw materials. The fermentation process is stopped by drying;
5. After drying, you will receive raw materials with a moisture content of 2–5%. The process lasts only 15–20 minutes. Large ovens with hot air are used to dry tea.

Scheme: production of different types of tea

As mentioned above, the technology for producing black tea is practically no different from the process of producing natural Ivan tea. If you organize the production process correctly, you can produce high-quality products of different varieties and make excellent profits from it.

Paperwork

To start producing tea in Russia, you need to register as an individual entrepreneur or open an LLC. The choice depends on the size of the enterprise.

Once you have registered with the tax office, you should obtain the necessary permits for tea production. Rospotrebnadzor approves the recipe and production specifications. After this, you will be given permits.

Staff

Before drawing up a business plan for the production of Ivan tea, you need to decide on the type of enterprise. If you plan to purchase special equipment, you will need to hire several workers to maintain it. The number of employees for manual production depends on the volume of products produced.

In addition, you need to hire workers to collect raw materials. The norm per person is 6 bags per day. Payment for this work is approximately 800 rubles.

You also need to hire a person who will control the production process.

Equipment

Equipment for the production of Ivan tea can be purchased from specialized companies.

You will need the following equipment:

• Blending drum;
• Tea rollers;
• Drying oven;
• Equipment for packing.

For many years, Ivan tea was produced using exclusively manual labor. To set up this amazing drink, you will have to use a lot of personnel, so at certain stages it is more advisable to use technology. If you are planning to open a large-scale enterprise, you can purchase a fully automated production line. This will allow you to set up parallel production of black tea, which will significantly increase the profitability of your business.

In our country it is quite difficult to find specialized equipment for such a business. The fact is that tea production in Russia is developed at a low level, so basically finished products are imported from abroad, and at domestic enterprises they are only packaged and packaged. Therefore, it is better to order production equipment from foreign suppliers.

Expenses

To open a home business producing fireweed tea, you will need 100 thousand rubles. A third of them will have to be spent on product certification. The rest of the money will be used to purchase the necessary tools and equipment, as well as packaging and labels. To purchase powerful production equipment, you need to raise start-up capital of 0.5–2 million rubles.

One package contains no more than 100 g of tea. This product should not be compacted to avoid crumbling or crushing the leaves. This package costs 400–500 rubles. Based on this, it is easy to calculate the profitability of the project.

Promotion of products on the market

Natural teas can be supplied to restaurants that work exclusively on local products.

In addition, you should constantly take part in various festivals and fairs. Here you can find the main distribution channels. You can also organize product tasting events. Constantly collaborate with organizers of events that promote a healthy lifestyle.

Let's sum it up

The production of fireweed tea is a very real and quite promising business. The products can be sold to vitamin shops, sanatoriums or. Its implementation can also be established via the Internet. The production of Ivan tea as a business can be opened at home. The company needs to purchase a production line. Additional funds will be needed to expand production. In this case, the initial investment will pay off in about a year. After this, your business will generate a stable net income.

Don't forget that the tea business is seasonal. If you plan to work all year round, you need to take care of stocks of raw materials. To do this, you will need spacious warehouses in which you can also store finished products.

For people looking for ways to make money at home, this is perfect. You will find many interesting ideas for earning money on our website. Good luck.