February 2023:
World Tea News spoke with Hartley E. Johnson about the current state of the U.S. tea market, tea industry trends and top issues, how he’s watched the specialty tea market grow over the last few decades, and his advice for attracting the next generation of tea drinkers. "It has been amazing to see the world of tea incorperated into mainstream U.S. beverage offerings, " says Hartley E. Johnson, owner and custom tea blender at Mark T. Wendell Tea Company, which first began in 1904. You can view the entire article here.
April 2022:
As a part of Authority Magazines series about 5 Things You Need To Run A Highly Suceessful Family Business, author Jason Hartman had the pleasure of interviewing" Hartley E. Johnson, owner of Mark T. Wendell Tea Company.
His business is a 118-year-old tea inporting firm specializing in sourcing high-quality loose leaf teas and tea brewing accessories from around the world. Hartley joined his father in running the family business in 1999, and he has expanded the product offerings, grown sales in both distinct mail order and wholesale divisions, and moved to a state-of-the-art facility in the years since. You can view the article here.
March 2022 Online Media:
Chatty Patty's Place
Mysterious Ramblings
April 2022 Online Media:
Shabby Chic Boho
People En Espanol
SPY
MSN
Yahoo
Upscale Living
Athleisure Magazine
May 2022 Online Media:
First Time Parent Magazine
Hi Tech Chic
Black Girl Nerds
The Nibble
My Life On and Off the Guest List
June 2022 Online Media:
Port Arthur News
Nadia On Point
MSN
True Trae
July 2019:
The longvity of the Mark T. Wendell Tea Company is profiled in the July/August 2019 issue of Tea Time Magazine. View the article, "Tea Is in Their Blood". Interviews from current owner, Hartley E. Johnson combined with historical perspective from previous owner, Elliot H. Johnson depict the truly unique tea importing firm as it entered its 115th year!
January 2018:
Article published in the Boston University Daily Free Press outlining our Tea Lecture presented at The Nichols House Museum in Beacon Hill, Boston. Click here to read the story online.
November 2017:
Owner, Hartley E. Johnson, presented at the Sudbury, Massachusetts Historical Society his lecture entitled: The World of Fine Teas: A History of a Unique Beverage. To view the video of this lecture, click here.
Fall 2017:
In the fall issue of North Bridge Magazine, we were selected as one of the featured "Local Flavor, Local Roots" companies. Our fine teas were featured on Page 34, here.
Spring 2017:
Our Hu-Kwa Tea placed third overall in the Lapsang Souchong category at the 2017 Global Tea Championship! In each event, judges cup hundreds of teas blindly and score the teas based on the analyses of dry leaf, liquor color, aroma, flavor, and mouthfeel, as well as overall harmony. Click here to read the complete story.
Winter 2016:
Our Hu-Kwa tea was selected as one of the 10 Top Rated Teas on Ratetea.com. Their review described our signature teas as: The high bar for all others. It is superb. Yes, it is smokey – that’s what a LS is, but this has a sweet note to the aroma and that carries through into the tea, which is rich and smooth and mellow”. Click here to read the story online.
Summer 2015:
The Mark T. Wendell Tea Company was featured in the Summer 2015 issue of Martha Stewart Wedding Magazine. In an article titled titled “50 Born-in-the-USA Favors”, our three tin Breakfast Teas Sampler was chosen to represent the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Click here to read the complete story.
May/June 2015:
In a piece titled “Sips of Summer”, Tea Time Magazine recommends our For Life Mist Iced Tea Jug as a summer brewing essential. Click here to read the complete story.
December 2014:
Read about the role that Mark T. Wendell teas played in the kitchen of Julia Child in this article in The Daily Tea. Click here to read the story online.
December 2014:
This article in The Daily Tea’s annual year-end issue of tea highlights mentions the role that the Mark T. Wendell Tea Company’s Hu-Kwa Tea played in the “Costumes of Downton Abbey” exhibit at the Winterthur Museum. Click here to read the story.
January 2014:
Read about the Downton Abbey exhibit coming to the Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library, including the role that Hu-Kwa Tea played in the du Pont homestead in Wilmington, Delaware. Click here to read the entire Forbes Magazine article.
March 2014:
This short piece in Town & Country Magazine mentions how the du Pont Family enjoyed its Hu-Kwa Tea from 1912 through 1969. Click here to read the complete story.
July 2011:
We hope that you might enjoy this article, titled “The Men of Tea”, from the Summer 2011 issue of TEA, A Magazine. Hartley Johnson is included in this comprehensive list of the “movers and shakers” of the tea industry. Click here to read the complete story.
July 2010:
An article titled “About Tea Blends” written by Hartley E. Johnson which appeared in the July 2010 issue of the Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.
August 2010:
Hartley Johnson’s article about Breakfast Tea Blends appeared in the Summer 2010 issue of TEA, A Magazine.
August 2010:
Click here to read an article titled “The U.S. Tea Renaissance and How It Happened” which appeared in The Atlantic.
June 2004:
Click here to view the article celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Mark T. Wendell Tea Company which appeared in the Summer 2004 issue of TEA, A Magazine.
April 2000:
Interesting reading in the New York Times Sunday Magazine about Andy Warhol’s tea parties. A snippet includes, “We served Hu-Kwa tea, a fine, slightly smoky lapsang souchong from Taiwan imported by Mark T. Wendell of Concord, Mass. It was a favorite of the Rockefellers. ... ‘You’re not going to write about Hu-Kwa?’ exclaimed a friend whose Philadelphia family of umpteen generations introduced me to it some years before. ‘Do journalists have to ruin everything? Hu-Kwa is the only secret WASPs have left!’” Click here to read the complete article.