Indian tea start-ups search for an exotic edge

Bina Nongthombam used to collect wild fruits and flowers and sell them at a local market in her home state of Manipur, in northeast India.

But it was a difficult way to make a living: “I used to spend all day in the market and could barely make a decent living,” he says.

It was a way of life that had been in his family for generations,

But in 2018 one of his clients, impressed with his product and attitude, offered him a job and his life changed.

Since then, he has been buying products for Dweller Teas, a new company that focuses on unusual and forgotten Indian plants and flowers that can be used in teas and infusions.

It’s still a lot of work. Mrs. Nongthombam starts early to visit the villages in search of ingredients such as Indian olive, hibiscus and sumac berries, some of which are grown by farmers and some collected from the wild.

He takes buses to remote villages to pick up the goods he wants, then returns by tuk-tuk or three-wheeled taxi to make the final purchases.

“Collecting fruits and wild flowers is very rewarding for me. Since I was a child we have [have been] collecting these fruits, but apart from the people of northeast India, hardly anyone knew about them.

Eli Yambem founded Dweller Teas in 2016 with $25,000 of his savings. He now has three cafes in the state capital of Manipur, Imphal.

Tea is one of the region’s local strengths, he says: “We also have a lot of indigenous plants that haven’t been shared with the world yet and can be sustainable.”

“Traditional knowledge and memories associated with indigenous plants are slowly fading with each passing generation. I wanted to preserve indigenous traditions and share the hidden goodness and innovative flavors.”

An ingredient, the bush the Nongmangkha bush or Phlogocanthus tirsiformis Mrs. Yambem clearly remembers her childhood.

“It is a traditional medicinal plant known to Manipurans for its antiviral properties. I remember my grandmother boiling its leaves to help with coughs, colds and fevers.”

In case you were wondering, the Tea Board of India states that only products with a minimum of 70% tea leaves can be called teas.

That distinction is of little concern to consumers, as exotic and herbal infusions are the most dynamic part of the market.

“This is the space where there is the most excitement in the tea business,” says Tea Board chairman Prabhat Bezboruah.

It’s a competitive business, he notes: “It’s a given that most of these startups will go out of business soon after they’re created, but the few that survive have a chance to become the next unicorn.” [a company with a billion dollar valuation] given the great popularity and acceptance of the product that tea has”.

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So what is the key to success?

“The consumer is looking for a novel presentation of this traditional drink. Being able to position the product exactly in this space and being able to meet the expectations it arouses in the mind of the consumer will determine the success of the brand”, says Mr. Bezboruah.

That is what husband and wife, Ranjit and Dolly Sharma Baruah expect. They started their signature tea, Aromica, in 2018 and source tea from smaller plantations and then blend it with exotic plants and flowers, which are traditionally said to have health benefits.

The signature blends include ghost chili and black tea, which they recommend for coughs and colds, and which they say has been selling well during the covid pandemic.

Aromica also blends butterfly pea flower with green tea, to create a blue-colored caffeine-free drink.

These exotic blends appeal to health-conscious consumers who purchase products based on perceived health benefits. Those are the buyers who have fueled the so-called “wellness industry.”

“The wellness sector is a promising sector and healthy drinks have an important place in this business,” says Mr. Baruah.

“We thought, why not try and explore this market? It gave us so many opportunities.”

The wellness sector is not particularly new and established tea giants have also moved in, including Tata Tea, India’s second largest tea brand.

“Consumers are more open to trying new experiences and mixes and choosing premium products,” says Tata, which has been investing in its Good Earth and Teapigs brands, as well as expanding the Tata range in India.

With the entry of larger companies, smaller startups know they have to offer something different to stay ahead of their competitors.

Ms. Nongthombam hoped that meant a lifetime of collecting wild produce would be useful for many years to come.

“It was a lucky day in the market when I met Elizabeth. She immediately knew my strength and hired me. Now I get paid and appreciated for my hard work. It has been a turning point in my life.”