contributors

Naja Hayward

Naja, owner of Naja Tea, began her love affair with tea as a young girl, observing her grandmother preparing her morning cup of freshly steeped chamomile tea and savoring each sip. Through her grandmother’s morning ritual, Naja came to see tea as a symbol of the lifestyle she cherished. This impression was only strengthened as Naja grew up and traveled the world, noticing that tea was a source of goodness for so many people: where there was tea, there was laughter, intellectual stimulation, love, and delight. Naja studied the history of tea and its many social traditions, but she also craved a fresher, more modern tea experience. When Naja visited Boston in the winter of 2003, she sensed for the first time that having her tea and drinking it too was, in fact, possible. During a brief afternoon break from meetings, she stumbled upon a unique, contemporary tea bar on Newbury Street where she enjoyed a simple, yet refreshing, cup of Bancha green tea. It was a vibrant tea lounge, full of people who seemed content with the day. Some were reading intently, others were working diligently on their laptops, and others were in the midst of conversation with friends. The energy was infectious and truly inspiring. She walked out of that trendy spot feeling satisfied and motivated, and compelled to design a company that would make others feel the way she felt that afternoon.

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