Which CTC tea grade is best for chai and milk tea?

For a strong cup of chai, buyers usually choose BOP or BP for long-brewed tea, and PD or Dust where the tea must brew in seconds, as at tea stalls and canteens. Many blenders mix a leaf grade with a dust grade to balance body and colour.

Assam CTC Tea for Chai & Milk Tea – Wholesale

Q: What is Assam CTC tea?

Assam CTC tea is black tea from the Assam tea belt made by the Crush, Tear, Curl method. The leaf is cut into small granules that brew quickly into a strong, malty, deep-coloured cup, which is why it is the standard tea for Indian chai and milk tea.

What is Assam CTC tea?

CTC stands for Crush, Tear, Curl. Fresh leaf is cut into small, uniform granules that brew quickly into a strong, malty, deep-coloured cup. That is why Assam CTC tea is the everyday tea of India: it stands up to milk and sugar in chai, brews evenly in tea bags, and blends consistently from batch to batch.

We manufacture six CTC tea grades: BOP, BOPSM, BP, PF, PD / PF Dust and Dust. Larger grades such as BOP and BOPSM give body and a slower, richer brew; finer grades such as PF, PD and Dust give colour and strength in seconds.

How our CTC tea is made

Withering
Fresh green leaf is spread and air-dried to soften it and reduce moisture.
Crush, tear, curl
The leaf passes through CTC rollers that cut it into small, even particles.
Fermentation
The particles oxidise, developing the colour, strength and malty character of black tea.
Drying
Hot air stops oxidation and dries the tea to a stable, shelf-ready moisture level.
Sorting and grading
Sieves separate the tea by particle size into BOP, BOPSM, BP, PF, PD and Dust.
Packing
Each grade is packed by lot, ready for bulk dispatch or sampling.

Uses for Assam CTC tea

Chai and milk tea

Strong, malty grades that hold their flavour with milk, sugar and spices.

Tea bags

PF, PD and Dust grades infuse in seconds and give an even colour.

Blending and packing

Consistent grades to build repeatable household and retail blends.

Hotels, canteens and tea stalls

Fast-brewing dust grades for high-volume service.

Compare the grades

Assam CTC tea grades compared, from the largest particle to the finest
Grade	Particle size	Brewing speed	Cup	Best for
BOPBroken Orange Pekoe	Largest	Slowest	Full body, deep colour, malty	Loose-leaf chai, hotels and long-brewed milk tea
BOPSMBroken Orange Pekoe Small Mixed	Large	Steady	Bright, brisk, lively	Premium blends and packet tea
BPBroken Pekoe	Medium	Medium	Strong, rounded, consistent	Everyday household packs and institutional blends
PFPekoe Fannings	Small	Fast	Brisk with quick colour	Tea bags and fast-brewing blends
PD / PF DustPekoe Dust	Fine	Very fast	Strong and dark	Tea bags, vending and high-volume milk tea
DustCTC Dust	Finest	Fastest	Maximum colour and strength	Tea stalls, canteens and strong milk tea

Bulk orders from 50 kg. Samples are available before you confirm a larger order. See the full CTC tea grade guide or ask for a quote.

Bulk and wholesale supply Request samples

Assam CTC tea, made for a strong cup.