CTC

CTC processing was invented by William McKercher in 1930 in Assam, India, specifically to produce tea that brewed quickly and strongly — ideal for the emerging tea bag market and for Indian chai preparation. The process passes withered leaves through a series of cylindrical rollers with hundreds of sharp teeth that crush, tear, and curl the leaf into tiny, pellet-like granules. These granules have vastly more surface area than whole leaves, which means CTC tea releases its color, flavor, and caffeine within 1-2 minutes of contact with boiling water. CTC accounts for over 90% of Indian tea production and dominates the global tea bag market. The method sacrifices the nuance and complexity of orthodox processing for consistency, speed, and strength. CTC tea is not inherently lower quality — well-made CTC from good gardens can be excellent for its purpose — but it represents a fundamentally different product philosophy from whole-leaf tea. CTC is essential for masala chai, where the tea must hold its flavor against milk, sugar, and spices.