Ostfriesische Tee

Bünting Tee, marketed under the umbrella of Ostfriesische Tee, is a German tea brand and trading house based in Leer, Lower Saxony. According to the company, it is the oldest private tea trading house in East Frisia, with roots dating back to 1 May 1806, when Johann Bünting founded a colonial goods shop in Leer. Over more than two centuries, the business evolved from a general colonial wares store into a specialised tea merchant and brand, and it remains family-owned under the Bünting Group. The brand is closely associated with East Frisian tea culture, a strong black tea blend typically served with rock sugar and cream. Bünting Tee offers a range of black tea blends, including traditional East Frisian mixtures, as well as flavoured and seasonal tea creations. The company operates an online shop and a tea museum in Leer, and it distributes its products primarily in Germany and neighbouring European markets. As part of the Bünting Group, the tea division sits alongside other retail and food businesses. The brand positions itself on heritage, regional authenticity, and quality, and it continues to introduce new tea creations while preserving the traditional East Frisian tea ceremony. The official website emphasises the company's long history and its role in supplying tea lovers in Germany and beyond.

The history of Bünting Tee begins on 1 May 1806, when Johann Bünting founded a colonial goods shop in Leer, East Frisia. This shop is described by the company as the foundation of the oldest private tea trading house in East Frisia. In the 19th century, colonial goods stores were common in German towns, selling imported products such as coffee, tea, sugar, and spices. Over time, the Bünting business specialised in tea, building on the strong tea-drinking tradition of the East Frisian region. East Frisia, located on the North Sea coast of Germany, developed a distinct tea culture in which strong black tea is poured over rock sugar and topped with cream. This ceremonial style became a regional identity marker, and local tea merchants like Bünting played a key role in supplying and blending teas suited to this tradition. The company grew into a well-known tea brand, and its product range expanded to include various black tea blends, flavoured teas, and seasonal offerings. In the 20th and 21st centuries, Bünting Tee continued to operate as part of the Bünting Group, a family-owned business that also includes retail and food operations. The company opened a tea museum in Leer, dedicated to the history of tea and the regional tea culture. The museum and the online shop reflect the brand's dual focus on heritage and modern retail. Today, Bünting Tee remains active, promoting its teas through an online newsletter and new product introductions, while maintaining its claim as East Frisia's oldest private tea trading house.

• 1806

  Johann Bünting founds a colonial goods shop in Leer, the origin of the tea trading house.

• Bünting Tee becomes known as East Frisia's oldest private tea trading house.

• Opening of the Bünting Tea Museum in Leer.

Heritage-driven, regional authenticity, quality tea from Germany's oldest private tea trading house.

• East Frisian black tea blend

• Flavoured black tea

• Seasonal tea creations

1. 1Bünting Tee - Ostfrieslands ältestes privates TEEHANDELSH | Bünting Teebuenting-tee.de
2. 2Über uns - Übersicht | Bünting Teebuenting-tee.de