Industry pioneer Devan Shah passes away

Devan Shah, tea industry pioneer and founder of International Tea Importers, passed away unexpectedly on April 3. Shah was a preeminent figure in the US tea industry, having set up International Tea Importers, one of the largest specialty tea import companies, over 25 years ago. Later, he was the driving force behind the launches of Chado Tea Room, which currently operates 4 locations in California and India, and the Los Angeles Tea Festival. Shah was a major sponsor of the Specialty Tea Institute and a perennial champion of tea education. He was also distinguished by the industry for being a proponent of chai tea and one of the founders of the category in the US. The cause of death remains unclear. Devan Shah was 53 years old.