Home-grown firm Tea Ideas is all about brewing fresh ways to enjoy tea, but this is not a process that has to involve complicated technology or millions or dollars.
Director Jacinta Ong told The Straits Times that the company is behind a new type of tea infuser called Tea Wands, which double up as a strainer and a stirrer.
Flavoured tea leaves of various origins across Asia are packed into the wand, which is made of aluminium foil. The tea wand is then dropped into a cup of hot water and stirred.
The tea wands, unlike tea bags, do not collapse when steeped in water so the tea leaves have ample room to uncurl and fully release their flavours, said Ms Ong.
They are also drip-free when placed horizontally, which means they are free of the mess that wet tea bags can make.
"It's a very simple concept, but definitely a more efficient and easier way of drinking tea," added Ms Ong, 38, who founded the business with her husband Albert Tan two years ago with about $100,000.
The couple left their jobs in the financial industry in 2012 to pursue "something that was (their) own".
"By adding some innovation to tea drinking, we hope to give people a different mindset about tea," said Ms Ong. "Some think that tea is very bitter, or that it's only for connoisseurs or old folk - but that's not true.
"Tea can be enjoyed by anyone, and it can also be more beneficial to health compared with sugary drinks."
The tea wands come in nine flavours, including camomile, darjeeling, chocolate and a house blend called Celebration.
A box of 12 tea wands, each of which can make three cups of tea, costs $21.90.
Mr Tan, 49, who is director of strategic initiatives, said Tea Ideas prides itself on its ability to offer pure, high-quality tea that does not produce residue when steeped.
"Rather than compete with other tea companies by allocating resources for public relations and publicity, we feel that these savings can and should go back to the customers," he said.
But building a clientele did not come easy for the firm, which is still relatively new in the food and beverage (F&B) industry.
Its Cha-ppuccino Green Tea Latte, for instance, which is a less sweet and milky version of the lattes most people are used to, was met with uncertainty when it was first introduced in cafes.
"When we designed this, we didn't want to compromise on the flavour and benefits of the gyokuro green tea powder, which is of the highest grade," said Mr Tan.
"It's about creating our own market space instead of responding to market demand for sweet, foamy lattes - these can already be found in cafes everywhere.
"Creating our own formula gives consumers a wider variety of teas to choose from as well."
Tea Ideas now counts F&B outlets such as Krispy Kreme and NYDC Cafe among its clients as well as companies like Google Singapore, Ascendas and SingTel.
Its teas are also distributed in Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and China.
Tea Ideas also offers its clients additional support in terms of marketing and developing new products, especially for cafes looking to spruce up their menus with new items.
The firm helped 7Kickstart cafe at the Singapore Art Museum come up with a range of tea mocktails, including a rosemary-inspired concoction that mixes its rosehip and hibiscus tea with lychee syrup.
"We want to bring to the table a value proposition for our clients, something that goes beyond a transactional relationship," said Mr Tan, adding that this helps to strengthen the collaboration.
Tea Ideas, which employs three other staff, has raked in more than a quarter of a million dollars in sales so far this year.
Ms Ong has her sights set on expanding Tea Ideas' product line to include tea-related food items such as tea-infused cookies, popsicles and ice-cream.
"Singaporeans love to eat, so these products would offer just the perfect blend," she said.
Plans to set up a store here next year are under way as well, added Mr Tan, although this would depend on how fast the firm pushes forward in overseas markets.
"We want to first make sure there is business flow coming in from other parts of Asia, so that Tea Ideas can be sustainable. We have to look at the longer term," he said.
Mr Tan admitted that the road to getting enough human capital for the store, coupled with high rental rates here, will be a "tedious" one.
"But we will look at our own capabilities and grow accordingly," he said. "Wherever there are opportunities, we will be willing to go out there and try."
This article was first published on December 10, 2014.
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