In a world where taste is becoming a new form of luxury, LOYD teas stand out like works of applied art – they are refined in detail, rooted in tradition and created with a sense of responsibility. LOYD is a brand belonging to the Mokate family business in Ustron, which has made tea one of the pillars of its development, treating it not just as a product, but as an integral part of everyday life.

By WITOLD BARŁÓG

One of the people behind this approach is Sylwia Mokrysz, proxy of Mokate SA, Doctor of Social Sciences and the creator of the company’s tea department. Following the acquisition of the tea company Consumer, she was entrusted with building the entire segment from scratch. Rather than acting intuitively, she chose to seek knowledge at the source. She travelled to London to undertake training at the legendary Thompson, Lloyd & Ewart tea house, which has been operating continuously since the 18^th century.

There, she met people who knew everything about tea: brokers, merchants and tasters who treated tea leaves like wine, with their own terroir, history and character. Their passion quickly became hers. London showed her that the world of tea is deeply complex, and not just something to add to a portfolio. Convinced that Mokate had to create a place where tea would be treated with the same respect, she returned home and began assembling a team who shared her vision.

A trip to Kenya – where flavour is born

To truly understand tea, you have to see how it grows. That is why Sylwia Mokrysz set off ‘to the source’ – to places such as the Kericho plantations in Kenya, one of the world’s most important tea-growing regions. The landscape there is challenging: dry riverbeds, cracked earth and winding, rocky roads that would daunt even the most experienced of drivers. Many plantations can only be reached by off-road vehicles, and it is along these difficult routes that the flavour begins.

At one of the plantations Sylwia observed the traditional manual harvest of ‘two leaves and a bud’ – the two most delicate leaves and a bud. She entered the bushes herself to try her hand and learn to pick young buds like the experienced pickers do. The pickers, wearing protective aprons and carrying bamboo baskets, then descend to the scales with their full harvest, from where the leaves go straight to the drying room. Although it is increasingly supported by machines, manual selection still determines the quality of the finest teas.

She returned home with images of Kenya that stayed with her for a long time: sunrises over neat rows of bushes, red dust rising above the roads, a colonial house with mosquito nets, and old National Geographic magazines from the 1970s. However, it was the guest book at the plantation that made the biggest impression – it was full of signatures from tea masters of many decades ago, as well as short stories written between the pages. There is an industry rumour that David Henderson, a legend of the London-based Thompson Lloyd & Ewart tea house, signed more than one Kenyan guest book… These are beautiful symbols of continuity, representing the world of tea created over generations by people who love this drink.

 The philosophy of mindfulness

Sylwia Mokrysz talks about tea as she would about life: calmly and attentively, paying close attention to detail. Her story is not about brutal business conquests, but about people, emotions and everyday rituals. This philosophy is reflected in the way the LOYD brand is built: it is elegant and atmospheric, yet based on simple, very human principles. And thus, the Thompson Lloyd & Ewart tea house in London, the Kenyan plantations and the family business in the Beskid Mountains converge in a single gesture: the moment we reach for a cup of tea.