Lifestyle
At African Blend, every cup of tea we craft is rooted in a promise – to give you a truly authentic taste experience, just as nature intended. That’s why we choose natural extracts instead of nature-identical flavours for our products. But what does this really mean, and why should it matter to you? Let’s break talk about it.
Natural Extracts: Straight from the Source
Natural extracts are exactly what the name suggests; they come directly from plants, fruits, flowers, and herbs. These extracts are obtained through processes like steam distillation, cold pressing, or natural solvent extraction, which preserve the original aroma, taste, and nutritional benefits of the ingredient.
For example, when we use vanilla in our Vanilla Black Tea, it comes from real vanilla bean, not a lab-made substitute. The same goes for our mint, ginger, and other natural ingredients; their essence is drawn directly from nature, capturing their unique depth and complexity.
With natural extracts, what you taste is genuine flavour; Pure, Unaltered, and Authentic.
Nature-Identical Flavours: Close, but Not the Same
Nature-identical flavours are made in a laboratory. Chemists analyze the chemical composition of a natural flavour, say, the warm, floral aroma of jasmine and then recreate it using synthetic chemicals.
While they may be chemically “identical” to what exists in nature, these flavours don’t actually come from the plant itself. They are created to mimic nature, not come from it.
In other words, nature-identical flavours are an imitation, the same way a printed picture of a rose looks like the real thing but doesn’t have the softness, fragrance, or life of an actual rose.
Why We Say No to Nature-Identical Flavours
Our mission at African Blend is to celebrate Africa’s natural heritage through every cup. Using synthetic imitations, no matter how close they come to the real thing, goes against this philosophy.
By using only natural extracts:
You enjoy flavours that are true to their origin.
You benefit from the subtle complexities and health properties found in real plants.
You get a tea experience that’s as close as possible to picking the leaf, flower, or spice straight from the garden.
For us, it’s not just about taste, it’s about integrity, wellness, and honouring nature’s gift.
The African Blend Promise
We believe that nature doesn’t need to be imitated. It needs to be respected. That’s why our teas are 100% organic, free from artificial preservatives, and flavoured only with genuine natural extracts.
When you sip African Blend, you’re not drinking a lab’s best guess at what nature tastes like. You’re experiencing nature itself– rich, pure, and unaltered.
Authenticity in every cup. That’s our promise.