Working in Clark County: Chris Baldwin, Valhalla Tea Co.Subscriber Exclusive

Helping military veterans is Chris Baldwin’s cup of tea. Baldwin, an Army veteran, is the co-founder of Valhalla Tea Co. in Sifton.

Specializing in handcrafted loose-leaf tea blends, he strives to produce beverages that benefit customers’ health. A portion of Valhalla’s sales is donated to local nonprofits and veteran reintegration programs across the country.

Baldwin’s post-military experience will be familiar to many veterans. After 10 years of service, he found himself with a host of PTSD-related issues that made readjusting to civilian life a battle. Baldwin turned to alcohol to cope, and his habit quickly turned unhealthy. After a particularly frightening incident, he knew it was time to change his life.

After his doctor suggested replacing alcohol with tea, Baldwin began researching the various health benefits of different brews. As he developed this newfound love for tea’s complex and diverse flavors, he also discovered that certain tea leaves and brews could specifically help ease anxiety and panic attacks.

Baldwin used this knowledge to pitch the idea for Valhalla Tea Co. to local entrepreneur Travis McDonald. In 2019, McDonald agreed to act as the financial backer for the business and give Baldwin full creative and directorial control.

Three years later, Baldwin and Valhalla Tea Co. are hitting their stride. Valhalla doesn’t have a retail location but rather sells online and wholesale.

As co-founder of a new company, Baldwin has a lot of daily tasks. He oversees the mixing of the company’s tea blends. He helps design the unique artwork that adorns each tea flavor’s packaging. As a veteran liaison, Baldwin works closely with nonprofits to direct donations toward mental health response in the veteran community of Clark County.

“In this day and age, I believe no business should be solely focused on making money,” he said. “It is my philosophy that businesses should be responsible for the influence they wield. If every company in America gave extra focus toward channeling a portion of profits to communities who needed it, the world itself would be a much better place for those who fall through the cracks.”

Baldwin said being in business has brought both hard work and rewards.

“It’s a privilege to see the tangible evidence of the good we’re doing,” he said, “whether it’s customers telling me that our tea has had a positive impact on their mental health or hearing all of the good the nonprofits we support are doing in the veteran space.”

“Anxiety, depression and PTSD effect everyone, regardless of race, religion or gender, and needs to be addressed as a human issue,” Baldwin said. “I want struggling veterans to know that they’re not alone in this fight. Everyone has their own experiences with mental health struggles, so it’s so important to be patient and kind to those around you. Together we can all live a healthier lifestyle.”