This summer, we’ve opened our doors of ‘the edit’, in the vibrant beachtown of Port Dalhousie. Our chic general store features a collection of Canadian brands, and here we take you behind the scenes to learn about the founders and their stories. Our pop-up, located at Lock and Main Marketplace (17 Lock Street), is open Thursday to Monday from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Meet Kristin Berry; Founder of La Bonne Fille Tea
Photo credit: La Bonne Fille Tea
Website:Â www.labonnefilletea.com
Instagram:Â @labonnefilletea
Tell us a bit about yourself:
My background is in finance, and 2021, I launched my own tea company.Â
I love adventurous travel; mountain climbing in Rwanda, exploring Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, and hiking in Patagonia; I’m always looking for the next adventure. At home, I’m a devoted cat lady with a Bengal named Chloe, a Devon Rex named Sensei, and an adorable domestic shorthair named Murray.
Tell us the story behind your brand
After a friend’s sudden passing, I took a long look at my life. I knew I wanted to create something for myself. I’ve always been a world traveler, and during my travels, I got interested in tea to the point where I actively sought out tea-producing countries. At first, just to taste, but then I started visiting farms and meeting growers; my interest became an all-consuming passion. I had been doing R&D without even realizing it!Â
Tea aside, my other great passion is love. I’m in love with love. I’m really into The Bachelor/Bachelorette franchise, Love is Blind, romance movies, red roses, and sappy Valentine’s cards; I even write poetry. I’m a sucker for all of it.Â
When I focused on the possibility of starting a tea brand, I saw a niche in the market for what I had to offer: the highest quality full-leaf teas crafted into delicious blends of natural ingredients combined with my love for all things romantic. La Bonne Fille Fine Tea Co. was launched from the base of the Eiffel Tower in Paris in 2021.
Our team at LBF is all about the tangible and the ephemeral; exquisite tastes on the tongue coupled with that heady feeling of following your true passion.
Photo credit: La Bonne Fille Tea
What inspires you?
The world of fashion and beauty inspires me. So much of the look for my brand has been influenced by Chanel and Dior, of course, and I also admire contemporary designers like Bouchra Jarrar and Kiminte Kimhekim. Their work speaks to the LBF aesthetic of the modern romantic. I also love Gee Beauty, what they’re doing for cosmetics, I want to do for tea.
Where’s your favourite spot to vacation in the summer?
I love Israel, especially Tel Aviv, for the beaches and the nightlife. Jerusalem is all about the markets; the fresh bread, the dried fruit, and the spices. The energy is so great. And the restaurants! Please go to Aricha Sabich. Israel has the best food in the world. When you show up in any restaurant, they give you this endless supply of side salads before they even bring your meal. Here at home in Ontario, I like to escape to Grand Bend. Where else can you find a white sand beach surrounded by pine trees? Plus, they have an ice cream festival every September.
Photo credit: La Bonne Fille Tea
What does 2023 hold for your brand?
We’ve just released our new top-tier matcha, sourced from Shizuoka on the south coast of Japan. It has that green vegetal brightness that true matcha fans go wild for. It’s the finest matcha tea I’ve ever had.Â
Since launching, LBF has appeared at events with Ted Baker, Kiehl’s, and Diner en Blanc in Toronto and Montreal. We’ve been included in swag bags for TIFF and the Women’s Empowerment Awards. We’ve also been featured in Chatelaine, Breakfast Television, and the Kit, where editor-in-chief Laura du Carufel chose our Creamy Earl Grey as one of her favorite things. Seeing our teas on the menu at Café Zuzu has been a thrill. I look up to Janet Zuccarini as a businesswoman and love her restaurants, but Zuzu is my favorite.
Find La Bonne Fille Tea at our pop-up located at Lock and Main Marketplace (17 Lock Street) from Thursday to Monday, from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
