September 17, 2020 I The interview was conducted by Dorothea Meyer from LifeVERDE
The Klenk company has dedicated itself to two major tasks in order to make customers happy: processing plant-based raw materials for the pharmaceutical, food and feed industries and offering a wide variety of natural teas. Before it slowly gets colder outside and the winter blues approach, today we're devoting ourselves to the topic of tea. A topic that requires a lot of clarification, including in relation to medicine and medicine. Because not all tea is the same. The quality and use of exclusively natural raw materials are the be-all and end-all here.
Klenk managing director Stefan Oehler answers our questions about sustainability in the production of teas, why Klenk teas are so special and what the herbal lexicon is all about. Make yourself a nice cup of tea, sit back and find out more in the interview.
LifeVERDE: Stefan Oehler, what are the characteristics of Klenk?
Stefan Oehler: Klenk is a family-run company based in Schwebheim, the pharmacy garden of Franconia. We have been the natural partner in the area of plant-based raw materials for decades and process them for our customers in the pharmaceutical, food and animal feed industries. We are the natural partner for pharmacies in the area of medicinal herbs, medicinal and food teas.
There are some teas that are full of artificial flavors and additives. Is it different with Klenk’s herbal teas and blends?
Yes, we do not use artificial flavors and additives in our entire range of teas. With us you can taste the best of nature.
Klenk values quality. What does this look like when it comes to sustainability?
As the natural supplier, we see ourselves as partners with nature and are more than aware of our social responsibility. This starts with purchasing through audits of our suppliers and ends with the packaging of the finished products.
For this reason, we also offer our Klenk Naturkraft products in biodegradable pyramid tea bags and sachets. The pyramid tea bags are made from cornstarch and the sachets are made from Natureflex. Both materials are 100% plastic-free and, thanks to the biodegradable fabric, can be easily and sustainably disposed of in your own compost. The outer packaging of the pyramid teas consists of 93% recycled material.
Our loose teas will also be packaged in Natureflex film in the near future. Until the changeover, we will continue to use bags with the Green Dot from the German Dual System. In this way, we ensure that the raw materials are kept in the cycle and are used again and again.
What makes Klenk's range of teas special compared to the competition's offerings?
We use many tested medicinal herbs of pharmaceutical quality for our teas. We select the best raw materials from various qualities.
On the Klenk website there is, among other things, a herbal encyclopedia. What information do visitors get here?
In our lexicon, visitors receive detailed information about the individual medicinal plants, their indications, their use and origin. We also show which tea contains each herb.
Why can you only buy your teas in selected pharmacies and not on your website? Do you want to change that in the future and integrate an online shop?
We see ourselves as a long-term partner of pharmacies and have been supporting local pharmacies, which are indispensable, for decades. Especially in the current situation we see what an important role the pharmacy plays.
Are there other ways to use your tea blends? For example in the form of an ingredient in a delicious recipe?
Yes, of course, on our homepage you will find numerous, delicious recipes that use our teas and spices. My personal favorite is the golden milk with turmeric and ginger. Incredibly delicious and super healthy!
Which of Klenk's tea blends is your personal favorite? Why do you like drinking this tea so much and what is in the tea blend?
My personal favorite is Pure Relaxation. The hemp and lemon balm leaves provide a natural calm, while the lemon myrtle gives the mixture a fresh kick. Delicious!
Will there soon be more tea blends, wholesome medicinal teas or spices from Klenk that your customers can look forward to?
Yes, of course! We are continually expanding our product range and are pleased that additional products - not just in the tea sector - are ready for market launch.
You can also find the interview on the LiveVERDE website.