By the beginning of the 19th century, tea had become so popular in Russia that it practically turned into a national tradition. This prompted the idea to start producing tea leaves right within the territory of the Russian Empire.

In 1893, Konstantin Semyonovich Popov, continuing the family business started by his father Konstantin Abramovich Popov, acquired several plots of land in Chakvi, near Batumi, to create tea plantations. He purchased seedlings and seeds of the tea bush and invited a specialist from China, Lau John Jau, along with several Chinese workers. Under Lau John Jau's guidance, high-quality tea leaves were grown, and in 1896, the first harvest of tea from the new plantations was collected.

Popov, having gained an audience with Nicholas II, presented him with the first pound of Russian tea. When the emperor asked about the price of a pound of tea, Popov replied, "Two hundred thousand, Your Majesty."

By the early 20th century, it became clear that the Georgian tea bush, with proper care, could produce high-quality tea. Before the revolution, varieties such as "Bogatyr," "Kara-Dere," "Zedoban," and "Ozurgeti" were produced, which had a high content of tips and could compete with Chinese teas. The variety "Russian Tea Dyadyushkina" particularly stood out, surpassing the quality of ordinary Chinese teas and winning a gold medal at the Paris Exhibition in 1899.

During the Soviet era, "Georgian tea" began to be cultivated on these plantations.