The story of Länggass-Tee
Katrin and Gerhard Lange found Länggass-Tee
in 1983 as a sole proprietorship.
Initially a small tea shop on "Länggassstrasse"
the business grows and develops steadily.
40 years later, the same address is home to a well-known specialist tea shop, which has made a name for itself over the years as a competence centre and now employs over 45 staff members.
In 2009, Länggass-Tee is converted into a public limited company (PLC). The Lange family, currently the parents Katrin and Gerhard Lange and the four sons Kaspar, Lukas, Moritz and Sebastian Lange, own 100% of the company. The Lange family also forms the governing board with Katrin Lange as president.
In 2024, Katrin and Gerhard Lange retire from the operational business. Since January 2024, Länggass-Tee has been run by a four-member management team consisting of sons Kaspar and Sebastian Lange as well as Eva Ming and Sofie Utz. All of them have been working with and for Länggass-Tee for many years. But now back to the beginnings...
25 October 1983
Katrin and Gerhard Lange found Länggass-Tee and open the shop at Länggassstrasse 47
Autumn 1985
The flat above the tea shop becomes an office/warehouse
Autumn 1997
Opening of the tea room (restaurant) on the 1st floor
Summer 2002
Gerhard Lange's first trip to China
Summer 2009
Launch of the "Sélection Grand Hotel" premium line
Autumn 2010
Opening of rarities shop and Japanese tea room
October 2012
Opening of the Tea School
Spring 2014
First customer tea journeys to China and Japan
Summer 2014
New production and warehouse location at Mittelstrasse 9 & commissioning of the tea bag machine
2016
Gerhard Lange retires from the operational business
Kaspar Lange and Tina Maria Wagner Lange take over the management together with Katrin Lange
Early 2017
Gerhard and Katrin Lange acquire the Casa del Tè on Monte Verità above Ascona
Autumn 2019
The tea book "Gong Fu Cha. Tee als Handwerkskunst und das bewusste Geniessen" by Tina Maria Wagner Lange is published
September 2022
Launch of the "Édition Länggass-Tee" loose tea line & redesign of the "Sélection Grand Hotel" line
2024
Katrin Lange retires from the operational business
Kaspar Lange, Sebastian Lange, Eva Ming (in business since 2011) and Sofie Utz (in business since 2009) form the new management team