Our Story Began at 10,000 ft in the Himalayas
The best tasting, most authentic chai on the market
Sherpa Chai has been small-batch brewed in Boulder by Sherpas from Nepal since 2014. It's the best-tasting, most authentic chai on the market.
We source our tea from the Kangchenjunga Himalayan region of Nepal, ginger root from Peru and use the best ingredients like cardamom, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper. Sherpa Chai concentrates are certified USDA Organic and Non-GMO Certified.
Our generations-old, Nepalese recipe comes from our founder's mother. Sherpa Chai is Sherpa-owned and operated and is committed to giving back to the community.
Today, our founder, Pemba Sherpa, lives in Boulder, Colorado. He is proud to be the first Indigenous Sherpa to share this timeless family recipe with you.
Sherpa Chai is as much about the community as it is about the chai. When we're cooking tea, we're thinking about the people in Nepal who picked it.
Pemba Sherpa, Founder
Meet the Founder
From the mountains of Nepal to the streets of Boulder
In 1991, Pemba immigrated to the United States with $200, a backpack, tent, sleeping bag, and big dreams. Our story began at 10,000 feet in the high mountain region of the Himalayas, in the small village of Sengma—no more than 10 houses.
As a young boy, Pemba eagerly waited for his mother to serve him chai every morning before his 3-hour hike to school. That warmth inspired him to one day build a suspension bridge so children could make the journey in just half an hour.
Pemba grew up as a professional mountain guide. From age 16 he carried baggage and food to the base camps of Everest and the world's highest peaks, eventually forming his own trekking agency, Sherpa Ascent International, leading over 40 trips to Nepal across 15 years.
In 2001, he started Sherpa's Adventure Restaurant and Bar in Boulder, Colorado, where gallons of chai were served every day. It was here the first gallons of his mother's age-old recipe were made for the public, which evolved into the creation of the Sherpa Chai brand in 2014.
The Sherpa Chai Journey
1991
Arrived in the United States with $200, a backpack, tent, sleeping bag and big dreams
2001
Opened Sherpa's Adventure Restaurant & Bar in Boulder, Colorado
2014
Launched Sherpa Chai — the first indigenous Sherpa chai brand in the world
Today
Available at Whole Foods, King Soopers, Safeway, Natural Grocers, Fred Meyer, Rouses, Raley’s, PCC, and more across the US
The Recipe
From a Recipe Passed Down Through Generations of Sherpas
Chai is a traditional Nepali black tea beverage made with a mixture of exotic spices and herbs, served with milk or a milk substitute. It requires patience, concentration, and an experienced touch to craft a great-tasting chai. Sherpa Chai's family recipe was originally preserved and crafted by Pemba's mother. She passed the chai recipe on to him, which was served by the gallon every day to guests at Pemba's Sherpa Restaurant. In 2014, Pemba started to explore sharing his family's recipe more widely outside of the restaurant. Pemba and our master brewer, Dilli Koirala, worked hard together to turn Sherpa's Chai into Sherpa Chai™. Sherpa Chai isn't just the chai Pemba's mother made him. It's the chai her mother made for her. The chai her mother's mother made before that. This recipe has been integral to the Sherpa people that built their homes high in the Solukhumbu region of Nepal.
Tea From the Roof of the World
We source our black tea from the Kangchenjunga Himalaya region of Nepal—one of the most pristine tea-growing environments on earth. Our ginger root is fresh pressed from Peru, and every other ingredient is sourced from certified organic, non-GMO suppliers.
Black tea
Organic tea sourced from family-owned farms in Nepal’s Kangchenjunga Valley.
Organic tea sourced from family-owned farms in Nepal’s Kangchenjunga Valley.
Ginger root
Organic, fresh-pressed Peruvian ginger for a bold flavor.
Organic, fresh-pressed Peruvian ginger for a bold flavor.
Cinnamon – Cloves—Cardamom—Black Pepper
Organic spices that create our signature chai flavor.
Organic spices that create our signature chai flavor.
Cayenne
Adds an extra kick to our Spicy and Extra Spicy chai.
Adds an extra kick to our Spicy and Extra Spicy chai.
Brewed
Authentic Nepali chai brewed by Sherpas in Colorado.
Authentic Nepali chai brewed by Sherpas in Colorado.
Recipe
Pemba’s family recipe from Nepal’s Khumbu region, used as the base for all our flavors.
Pemba’s family recipe from Nepal’s Khumbu region, used as the base for all our flavors.
Pure ingredients. Honest origins. Real chai.
Sherpa Chai is USDA organic certified. No pesticides, no shortcuts, no compromise.”
NON-GMO Project Verified from farm to bottle. What you see on the label is exactly what's in your cup.
Sherpa owned and operated. Founded by Pemba Sherpa, the first indigenous Sherpa to bring this timeless, authentic recipe to the world.
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