steep & mellow was launched by Meg Pederson. Meg, who watched her entrepreneurial parents build businesses together as she grew up, always dreamed of creating something that could help others through nourishing the body and mind. As the COVID pandemic took over the country in 2020, Meg found herself stuck at home in quarantine without a job. She started thinking about what she could do to help herself feel more focused, energized, and rested. Meg decided to merge two of her greatest passions: fighting the harmful and unnecessary plastic pollutants from conventional tea bags as well as enhancing the body and mind through adaptogens and nootropics. She set out to create a functional tea that tasted exceptional and was better for the planet.

Meg focused on building a brand that felt approachable yet outspoken in its values, ultimately taking aesthetic inspiration from 1970s hippie culture. She worked relentlessly to secure ethically-sourced ingredients and 100% compostable packaging, including her tea bags, wrappers, and boxes. Following a referral campaign that Meg launched on Earth Day to raise brand awareness, steep & mellow launched direct-to-consumer right in the middle of COVID in 2020. Thanks to her efforts, Meg was able to gather an eager and loyal fanbase that raved about her teas as soon as they launched, helping to generate buzz through word-of-mouth. Today, steep & mellow continues to support its tea-loving community in becoming the best versions of themselves while minimizing negative environmental impact.