Our Story

Founder Chalimah Jeanne grew up in a remote coastal town where an immense reverence for the earth’s natural beauty was instilled in her. This passion and dedication to Mother Nature combined with her deep knowledge as a Naturopath, can be found –and tasted – in each product.

Sustain nature. Experience wellness.

Australian owned and operated, Organic Merchant (OM) is a multi-award winning, sustainable producer of a premium range of certified organic loose leaf teas, tisanes, cacao blends and bath soaks that improve health, delight the senses and care for our planet.

Founded in 2011, all our products are hand blended in Sydney led by founder and naturopath Chalimah Jeanne. With a childhood spent in remote Western Australia, Chalimah developed a deep sense of reverence for our land and our rich indigenous history as well as the healing power of plants and herbs which led her to study naturopathy and horticulture.

Read about Organic Merchant's Story
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Functional blends

After many years formulating tea blends for critically ill patients, Chalimah was able to craft the perfect balance of great taste and high functionality. Her blends have been validated by the numerous awards won over the years including the revered Australian Organic Limited Awards as well as the Golden Leaf Tea Awards.

Our ingredients are 100% ACO certified organic. This means our products guarantee traceability and transparency through the entire supply chain. Our commitment to a sustainable future is also evident in all our packaging which is recyclable, biodegradable, compostable or reusable.

Led with purpose

What started as a boutique offering twelve blends of naturopathic tea has become one of Australia’s most awarded holistic brands. OM growth has been built on a commitment to key values and a clear purpose to sustain nature in order to experience wellness.

At OM our everyday choices are guided by whether or not it will be a good choice for our customers and the planet. When purchasing our products you be assured that you are investing in yourself and our future. Here are some key reasons why:

  • Our ‘Earth to Earth’ sustainability model
  • ACO Certified Organic ingredients (ACO cert no. 12111). Ensuring you receive the purest ingredients which are chemical free, additive free, environmentally friendly and non-GMO.        
  • Naturopathically formulated for holistic wellness. Each blend has been developed exploring the synergy and the science behind each ingredient, integrating clinical science with ancient Western, Chinese, Peruvian and Ayurvedic wisdom.
  • Artisan blended using the highest quality, whole, unprocessed, certified organic, sustainably sourced, plant-based ingredients.
  • Sustainably produced using packaging that is recyclable, biodegradable, compostable or reusable.
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Q&A WITH OUR FOUNDER CHALIMAH

Where do you see the future of wellness heading?

There is a growing movement towards integrative health that puts the whole person first, utilising conventional medicine, complementary and alternative medicine to create optimal health and wellbeing. This really resonates with me as I’ve always been interested in this and I’ve always worked in this way. This means that the global acceptance and interest in ancient modalities of healing is increasing with exploration into how these can be introduced into modern practice. I see a shift towards nature, energy medicine and natural rhythms and I’m excited about seeing how these manifest and what new practices start to appear.

Please explain the role of naturopathy in Organic Merchant’s product range.

I have been a naturopath for almost 20 years and every product that I have created for Organic Merchant has been strategically formulated to have a specific health benefit as well as a delicious taste profile. Naturopathy is based on treating the cause and not just the condition, meaning that I will consider the whole system when developing blends. Each blend begins with identifying the organ I want to target, the system that supports that organ and the pathways to either stimulate or balance that system. I also incorporate energetic practices in my formulations that are similar to Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine.

You have recently launched a rebrand and new website. Please share a bit of information about this.

Our rebrand has been several years in the making and takes us from being a tea brand to becoming a wellness brand. I’m passionate about creating an experience for customers where Organic Merchant can facilitate their journey of wellbeing from the inside out.

What’s next for Organic Merchant?

Organic Merchant is launching new product ranges to complement and extend our tea range. We’ll also be introducing further innovation in our packaging, people, processes, culture and energy responsibilities in order to move us closer to our goal of being a B Certified business.

I’m also looking to get back into practice and offering naturopathic consultations to customers so they can take charge and feel empowered in their health journey.

Interview originally appeared in Being Magazine 2021.

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Chalimah Jeanne