THE WAY WE GROW STEVIA
Stevia is an easy-to-grow plant. Stevia grows best in warm conditions similar to those preferred by basil. We chose a well-drained, well-lit, accessible site to be able to cultivate them properly and gather leaves often. Our farmers make sure that the plants are getting the right amount of sunlight, water, and soil.
Planting
We use the natural method of planting stevia, without any fertilizers. First, we cut parts of the existing plant then plant it on a seedling bag for 2 weeks. Next, it will be moved to the prepared plot. Wait 6 months—and it’s harvest time!
Harvesting
The best time to harvest is from September to November. We harvest the entire plant once flower buds have appeared but before they’ve opened. Ideally, we harvest in the morning when the plant is at its highest sugar content. Also, we make sure to harvest before many flowers (four to five buds) have blossomed since they tend to leave a bitter aftertaste throughout the entire plant.
THE WAY WE MAINTAIN THE QUALITY
We still adopt the manual way of harvesting Stevia. Our farmer’s top priority is making sure that we only harvest good Stevia.
Every leaf is carefully hand-picked. Mechanical harvesting—especially the harvesting process that uses rotating rubber rollers, may pull up young plants without a proper root system.
In the production area, our staff regularly maintains equipment and the whole production area to ensure that all cleanliness and safety standards are met.
THE WAY WE OPERATE IN THE NEW NORMAL
Lina Alta guarantees that you are getting a safe, quality product best there is. Our employees make sure that we follow all the safety protocols and maintain the cleanliness and sanitation of our workstations, production areas, and equipment.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO PRODUCE OUR PRODUCTS?
DRIED STEVIA LEAVES
After harvesting, we wash and sanitize the leaves, then prepare them for weighing and drying. After 2-5 hours, it’s ready for packing!
PULVERIZED STEVIA
After harvesting, we wash and sanitize the leaves, then prepare them for weighing, drying, and flaking. After 3-4 hours, it’s time to pack!
DRIED STEVIA LEAVES
After harvesting, we wash and sanitize the leaves, then prepare them for weighing, drying, and flaking. After 4-6 hours, we’re ready to pack!