Up Close with the Kenilworth Tea Company
The owner of the Kenilworth Tea Company is looking ahead to further expansion in 2024, as the business nears its first anniversary.
First launched in February 2023, the start up was born out of founder Hector Smith's passion for tea, and a desire to offer healthier and more enjoyable alternatives to high street brands.
And for the 26-year-old, it was the culmination of a life-long dream to launch his own company.
"I have always wanted to start my own business," Hector told Nub News.
"I am part of the family business already, but I always wanted to do something entrepreneurial of my own.
"And I knew if I didn't go for it, I would regret it, so I jumped right in at the deep end to see what it was like.
"I am passionate about tea, I love it.
"I saw my colleagues were drinking lots of sugary, poor quality tea and that is where the idea came from - to improve the offering."
Mainly selling online, the Kenilworth Tea Company offers a range of green and black loose leaf tea products, starting at £4.25 a packet.
Hector's teas promise to be sourced sustainably and contain just four calories per cup.
And it is the magic ingredient stevia - a natural sweetener - which helps give his blends the taste of a sweet tea, "but without the drawbacks".
"What sets it apart really is the quality of tea," former Yorkshire Tea drinker Hector explained.
"We deal with a wholesaler in Germany who gets the tea from the best estates in Sri Lanka, India and China.
"The ingredients are all natural and organic.
"And then the stevia sets it apart with the natural sweetness. It is similar to salt, in that it enhances other flavours.
"It improves the balance of the tea and elevates the other flavours. So you get that health benefit as well as the taste.
"You also don't need to add sugar or even milk - again making it healthier."
Blends on offer at the Kenilworth Tea Company include orange blossom, lemon elderflower and tangerine grapefruit.
And Hector has even launched a coffee and cream and coffee and coconut flavours for the non-tea drinkers.
"From what I have seen, most people either drink coffee or tea, rarely both. But this bridges the gap," he said.
"It is very different to the other blends, but I wanted to do something that was a novelty and could be a present for a coffee drinker.
"It is a bit of fun, but could also help introduce people to drinking tea. And it has the other health benefits of the other flavours."
And looking ahead to the coming 12 months, Hector has a very clear vision of what he wants to take the business next.
"Running your own company is a mixture of up and downs really," he said.
"At the beginning it was tough, there was so much to learn as I have never worked with a product before.
"It is getting better and now the focus is on improving the website and hopefully expanding locally.
"Working with local coffee shops and retailers will help me get consistent business coming through and then we can start developing the rest of the business."
To find out more about the Kenilworth Tea Company, or to try it for yourself, head to the website here.
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