Continental cellar network expansion — Buryatia, Kazakhstan, Inner Mongolia
Teamotea, the parent company of 35 Chinese tea product brands, today announced the expansion of its insured continental cellar network into three new locations across Inner Asia — Buryatia, Kazakhstan, and Inner Mongolia — adding 2,400 m³ of climate-controlled storage capacity.
Saint Petersburg — 2026-03-10
Teamotea today announced the expansion of its insured continental cellar network with three new, purpose-built facilities in Ulan-Ude (Buryatia), Almaty (Kazakhstan), and Hohhot (Inner Mongolia). The additions bring total network capacity to 7,800 m³ and deepen the company’s ability to provide authentic continental aging conditions for premium Chinese teas — particularly shēng pǔ’ěr (生普洱) — under independently audited, fully insured storage protocols.
Each new cellar conforms to the physical and environmental parameters set by GB/T 31751-2015, the Chinese national standard for aged Pu-erh tea, which mandates dry, well-ventilated, contaminant‑free storage with documented temperature and humidity records. Teamotea’s cellar‑monitoring systems capture data every fifteen minutes, uploading to a distributed ledger accessible to accredited members through tea.school, the constellation’s credentialing and education platform.
“This expansion represents a critical step in our long‑term infrastructure strategy, one that positions Teamotea as the premier custodian of continental‑aged Chinese teas,” said Dmitry Sologubov, Co‑Founder & Managing Partner. “Investor confidence in physical collateral — insured, geographically diversified tea inventories — has been a cornerstone of our 2025–2026 fundraising cycle. These cellars deliver exactly the institutional‑grade asset protection our stakeholders require.”
The Buryatia cellar, situated in the Selenga Highlands, exploits a dry continental climate with winter lows frequently below −25 °C, slowing enzymatic activity and producing the slow, clean maturation prized by collectors of older shēng pǔ’ěr. The Kazakhstan facility in Almaty replicates the conditions of Kunming’s natural warehouses at a higher latitude, offering a novel aging profile the company’s sensory panel has rated as exceptionally soft‑textured. The Inner Mongolia cellar in Hohhot, meanwhile, sits near 1,000 m altitude and benefits from a yearly humidity band of just 35–55 %, making it ideal for wò duī (渥堆) material undergoing secondary resting.
All three sites are equipped with seismic‑grade racking, fire‑separated compartments, and 24‑hour security feeds. Insurance is provided by a Lloyd’s‑syndicate policy covering up to US$ 42 million in aggregate value across the network, with quarterly physical audits conducted by the independent inspection firm SGS.
Access to the new cellars is limited to accredited members holding an active senior proctor or cellarmaster designation from the tea academy. Members may reserve lockers from 0.3 m³ to 6 m³ via the same portal, with multi‑year commitment discounts available. The company confirmed that 60 % of the newly available volume has already been pre‑reserved by existing institutional holders, with a waitlist for curated Mí Lán Xiāng (蜜兰香) Dancong lots and small‑batch Menghai productions.
Coinciding with the cellar openings, tea.travel, the constellation’s experiential arm, will offer guided cellar‑tour itineraries to members holding storage in each facility, beginning 8–22 April 2026. Tours include cupping sessions of proctor‑selected library teas and a calibration workshop aligned to the tea academy’s sensory lexicon.
The broader cellar network now spans six climate zones across four countries, reinforcing Teamotea’s position as the only multi‑jurisdictional custodian of insured, physically stored Chinese tea. Participating brands within the constellation — including those accessible through shop.puerh.app and thetea.app — will be able to list cellar‑provenanced products with direct chain‑of‑custody verification, further strengthening consumer confidence.
Teamotea is the parent company of 35 Chinese‑tea product brands and the operator of the constellation’s digital infrastructure. Founded in Saint Petersburg and active across Europe, China, and Central Asia, the group maintains audited storage, publishing, and education platforms for a global membership of tea professionals and investors.
Media contact
Dmitry Sologubov