How Sarah Scarborough Turned a Cup of Tea Into a Global Journey

Sarah Scarborough's journey with tea began in a Tibetan teahouse in Montana, where a single cup opened a door to a new world. What started as curiosity has since grown into a lifelong practice—one that blends travel, ritual, and ecology into a deeper connection with plants, people, and the land.

Born to a childhood split between Finland's glacial lakes and Tennessee's rolling hills, Sarah learned early lessons in patience and attentiveness. These values later shaped her approach to tea, which she sees not just as a drink but as a living guide.

Her first business, Partners Tea Company, launched in Nashville in 2006, specialising in rare teas from small gardens worldwide. By 2017, she rebranded her personal mission as Tea Huntress, inspired by the archetype of the Huntress—Diana, Artemis, Mielikki—symbolising purpose, truth, and inner strength. This project became a platform for teaching courses and leading retreats, where she shares how tea can deepen self-knowledge and healing.

Sarah's work expanded across continents. She co-founded Scarborough Fair Foods in New Zealand while continuing to explore tea's origins in Asia. By 2023, Partners Tea Company evolved into Rare Tea Republic, with Sarah as its Minister of Origins. From her US base and field expeditions, she now leads efforts in sustainability and discovery, treating each leaf as a bridge between cultures and landscapes.

For her, tea is more than a daily ritual—it's a compass. Whether in a mountain village in Nepal or a Nashville boardroom, the leaf has traced her path, teaching her to listen to plants and the stories they carry.

Today, Sarah's practice weaves together intuition, energy, and ecology, turning tea into a map of connection. Her journey—from remote kitchens in Alaska to global tea gardens—shows how a simple cup can become a way of understanding the world. Through Rare Tea Republic and Tea Huntress, she continues to invite others into this practice, one steep at a time.