7 Tea Business Success Stories [2023]
Tea is a hydrating beverage that comes in various flavors and types. History shows that people across the globe have been drinking tea for centuries.
According to experts, tea has a lower risk of different ailments, including cognitive issues such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and much more. Besides, some types of tea provide better sleep quality and help people relax, which lowers the risk of depression.
If you love drinking tea, starting your tea business could be profitable. First, decide the type of tea to start producing. The niche will depend on the audience you intend to reach.
Then, it would help if you determined the business type. Options include:
- Tea farming
- Processing and packaging plant
- Tea tasting
- Distributor or wholesaler
- Tea shop
- Tea blog
Register a legal entity and complete the tax registration for your tea business. Consider applying for insurance cover before launching your tea business.
Here are some real life success stories of starting a tea business:
1. Plum Deluxe Tea ($900K/year)
Andy Hayes, the founder of Plum Deluxe, started off with a blog and a desire for a more fulfilling career. After generating traffic and revenue through display ads and affiliate relationships, Andy decided to launch his own product. Drawing on his love for tea and missing the flavors from Europe, he partnered with a tea farmer's market booth to create unique tea blends. Through launching his business with a built-in market and strategic marketing efforts, Plum Deluxe has grown to become one of the largest tea subscription boxes, on track to hit 7-figure annual revenue.
How much they make: $900K/year
Current team size: 7
How Andy Hayes built a 7-figure online loose leaf tea business, with one of the largest tea subscription boxes and a curated selection of tea accessories, generating half of their revenue from a la carte tea sales and half from their popular tea of the month club community.
2. Matcha.com ($8.5M/year)
Andre Fasciola and Dr. Andrew Weil founded matcha.com after experiencing the high-quality matcha tea in Japan. They saw an opportunity to bring the same level of quality to the US market and educate consumers about matcha. They have become the largest supplier of ceremonial grade matcha in the US, with a monthly revenue of $100K.
How much they make: $8.5M/year
How much did it cost to start: $60K
Current team size: 15
Matcha.com started as a passion project by two founders, now the largest supplier of ceremonial matcha outside of Japan with a monthly revenue of $100k, using podcasts, micro-influencers, and email campaigns to attract and retain customers.
So... can you actually make money with a tea business?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesnβt.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
3. VIRTUE Tea ($108K/year)
Andrea Legg and Alex Balcer, founders of VIRTUE Tea, left their careers in the circus industry to start their organic tea and matcha business. After experiencing high-grade tea while traveling in Europe, Andrea became hooked and they decided to create a business focused on quality, ethical sourcing, and minimizing environmental impact. Despite the challenges of COVID-19, their online sales have tripled and they have expanded their reach to customers across Canada and the US.
How much they make: $108K/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
Current team size: 2
VIRTUE Tea is a business founded by Andrea Legg and Alex Balcer who source high-grade organic tea from Asia through ethical supply chains, and their business, despite COVID, is now shipping tea and matcha to various locations in Canada and the U.S.
So... can you actually make money with a tea business?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesnβt.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
4. Bird and Blend Tea Co. ($7.32M/year)
How much they make: $7.32M/year
Current team size: 100
Bird & Blend Tea Co. is a tea company founded in 2013 whose 300 blends garnered Β£6.5 million in annual revenue, reimagining tea by spreading happiness, and now employs over 100 people, operates 15 retail locations, and operates a thriving global online business.
Hey! π I'm Pat Walls, the founder of Starter Story.
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