Gebrüder Wollenhaupt GmbH A tradition of innovation since 1881 Edison had just invented the light bulb and Siemens the locomotive. In around 1850, the Indians had introduced the seeds of the thea sinensis to Calcutta from China, from which 42,000 tea plants were cultivated and distributed over areas of Assam and southern India. Cargo ships had only been navigating the Suez canal for 12 years and tea consumption in Germany was a mere 50 g per head. It was during this period that the Wollenhaupt brothers August and Hermann set up their tea business in Hamburg. Thus began the development of a company of international repute. Today the company is managed by another pair of brothers, Dirk and Jörg Wollenhaupt. They too are committed to the traditional principles underlying the success of their preceding generations: quality consciousness, competence and close customer contact, together with the ability to translate into action innovative visions for future.