Treecup is a tea company whose mission is to combat deforestation in Haiti. With every tea bottle purchased, Treecup plants a tree in Haiti. Since 2017, Treecup has planted over 30,000 trees in Haiti. Haiti is the number one impoverished nation in the western hemisphere and is about eighty percent deforested. Treecup is partnered with a non-profit tree-planting organization called Haiti Friends. Their reforestation strategy is to plant trees on farmland. Haiti friends is a timber reintroduction program that has planted over three million trees since it started in 2006. Haiti Friends plants trees in the mountains around the Artibonite Valley. Haiti Friends doesn’t just plant trees and then leave them to die. They train local Haitians about agriculture and tree cultivation and then reintroduces a variety of tree into their farming practices. Haiti Friends does more than just planting trees; they are cultivating community and agricultural education for the future.
Mark Sotomayer founded Treecup in 2017 as a college student. He and his mother started brewing and bottling his grandmother’s Peruvian Chai tea. Mark is passionate about entrepreneurship, the outdoors, and creating quality tea. He has given his life to Jesus and seeks to glorify Him by doing His will here on earth. Mark’s mother, the co-founder of Treecup, grew up in Peru and immigrated here to the U.S. in 1995. She works full-time at a local hospital and helps with Treecup as much as possible. Mark’s mother has also given her life to Christ, and dedicates her time to furthering the kingdom.
For every bottle of tea purchased, a tree is planted in Haiti. The tea is organic, home-brewed, and comes with a seed taped to the top to remind the customer of the impact they’re making in Haiti buy simply buying tea. Treecup is a for-profit business with a redemptive kingdom-minded structure.