19th century
In 1885, Kalonymus Zev Wissotzky visited the Holy Land, about which he later wrote a book. In that year, Wissotzky, who founded the tea company carrying his name in 1849, was already a wealthy and influential man, and was called "the Russian king of tea".
He had become a prominent figure in the proto-Zionist Hovevei Zion movement and was part of the leadership of the Bilu movement, founded in 1882. In 1885 the movement sent him to what is now Israel following an argument with the heads of the Jewish Yishuv, regarding the use of funds sent to the Holy Land from the Jewish diaspora. Hovevei Zion thought the money should be spent on founding new Jewish colonies, while the heads of the Yishuv disagreed. Wissotzky was given the role of touring the land in order to find a way of solving the debate, while keeping everyone happy.
Wissotzky Tea soon gained devoted customers all over the Russian Empire.
20th century
1900–1919
By 1904 the company extended its activities to Germany, France, New York and Canada. In 1907, Wissotzky established the Anglo-Asiatic company with its head offices in London, which were managed by Ahad Ha'am, a renowned Jewish writer and philosopher.[7] He had joined the company in 1903 on his resignation as editor of Ha-Shiloach, a Zionist journal.[8] The company acquired plantations in both India and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka).
From the early 1900s through 1917, Wissotzky Tea Company was the largest tea company in the world.[9] Following the October Revolution of 1917, all private businesses of the former Russian Empire were immediately nationalized by the government. It took two years to complete the takeover of Wissotzky Tea due to the social benefits provided by the company to its many employees.
In 1917, the company gradually ceased operations in Russia, and the Wissotzky family emigrated to the United States and Western Europe, opening branches in places such as Italy and Gdańsk, Poland.
During the Russian Revolution, an antisemitic trope in the form of a ditty mentioning Wissotzky Tea made the rounds of Russian society, spreading the idea that Russia was the victim of Jewish domination: "Tea of Wissotzky, Sugar of Brodsky, and Russia of Trotsky."[10]
1920–1939
In the years following the Russian Revolution, Wissotzky Tea Company activities centered in London as its headquarters where it was managed by Boris Lourie and Gdańsk. Alexander Chmerling and Solomon Seidler, a tea specialist and scion of the Wissotzky family ran the operation in Gdańsk. Due to the vast emigration from Russia, the Polish facility catered to the demand for the tea they were accustomed to back home.
In 1936, Simon Seidler, the son of Solomon Seidler, sensed the impending danger of the war and left Poland for Palestine. In the following years, many of the family were murdered in the Holocaust and the company lost its holdings in Europe.
In 1936, Simon Seidler established a Wissotzky hub in the Middle East.[11] Seidler began selling tea to British soldiers stationed in Mandatory Palestine, thereby promoting the brand name. Simon built a packing facility and gradually expanded the company's range of products. In 1957, Simon Seidler died, and his wife Ida Seidler took over the family's tea business. Ida introduced a modern approach to the manufacturing and marketing of the brand.
1940–1999
In 1945, Boris Lourie married Anna Wissotzky, and they had two sons, Serge Lourie (born 1946) and Michael Lourie (born 1948). The family holding company, Anglo-Asiatic Ltd, ceased to exist after the death of Boris Lourie, in a car crash, in 1950.
1900–1919
By 1904 the company extended its activities to Germany, France, New York and Canada. In 1907, Wissotzky established the Anglo-Asiatic company with its head offices in London, which were managed by Ahad Ha'am, a renowned Jewish writer and philosopher.[7] He had joined the company in 1903 on his resignation as editor of Ha-Shiloach, a Zionist journal.[8] The company acquired plantations in both India and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka).
From the early 1900s through 1917, Wissotzky Tea Company was the largest tea company in the world.[9] Following the October Revolution of 1917, all private businesses of the former Russian Empire were immediately nationalized by the government. It took two years to complete the takeover of Wissotzky Tea due to the social benefits provided by the company to its many employees.
In 1917, the company gradually ceased operations in Russia, and the Wissotzky family emigrated to the United States and Western Europe, opening branches in places such as Italy and Gdańsk, Poland.
1920–1939
In the years following the Russian Revolution, Wissotzky Tea Company activities centered in London as its headquarters where it was managed by Boris Lourie and Gdańsk. Alexander Chmerling and Solomon Seidler, a tea specialist and scion of the Wissotzky family ran the operation in Gdańsk. Due to the vast emigration from Russia, the Polish facility catered to the demand for the tea they were accustomed to back home.
In 1936, Simon Seidler, the son of Solomon Seidler, sensed the impending danger of the war and left Poland for Palestine. In the following years, many of the family were murdered in the Holocaust and the company lost its holdings in Europe.
In 1936, Simon Seidler established a Wissotzky hub in the Middle East.[11] Seidler began selling tea to British soldiers stationed in Mandatory Palestine, thereby promoting the brand name. Simon built a packing facility and gradually expanded the company's range of products. In 1957, Simon Seidler died, and his wife Ida Seidler took over the family's tea business. Ida introduced a modern approach to the manufacturing and marketing of the brand.
1940–1999
In 1945, Boris Lourie married Anna Wissotzky, and they had two sons, Serge Lourie (born 1946) and Michael Lourie (born 1948). The family holding company, Anglo-Asiatic Ltd, ceased to exist after the death of Boris Lourie, in a car crash, in 1950.
21st century
Wissotzky Tea Company acquired Zeta Olive Oil, a leading olive oil company in the Galilee and Lahmi, a leading home baked goods company in Israel with an international brand named Elsastory.[12][13]
In December 2012 the three companies formed the Wissotzky Group, a gourmet and delicacies conglomerate.
