David Rio was founded by Rio Miura and David Scott Lowe in 1996. They began selling specialty teas, coffees, and accessories through an all-Japanese language catalog for export to Japan, Rio's native country. David Rio’s first chai,
Elephant Vanilla Chai, was first sold in Japan only, but domestic demand from both individuals and wholesalers led David Rio to offer its chai in the US market. This success inspired Scott and Rio to create a new chai with stronger spice notes, resulting in Tiger Spice Chai, which became their signature chai. Since then, David Rio has continued to create innovative flavors under its "Endangered Species Line" of premium chai products to demonstrate its commitment to animal welfare.  Each product is named after endangered, at-risk, or vulnerable animals. Today, David Rio's premium products are available in cafés, restaurants, and specialty retail stores in over 50 countries around the globe.