Tea Industry Overview
After water, tea is the most consumed globally. The industry has doubled in a decade to over $260 billion, with strong growth. For a tea fan, starting a home-based business and achieving success is possible. Skills and knowledge are needed to start drinking up profits.
Today, tea grows on small farms up to 17,500 hectares like 87 Darjeeling gardens. Farmers sell tea to companies producing it. From 30-35 kg leaves, 7.5-9 kg tea is produced. Black tea is most popular.
Setting up Your Tea Business
Selling your own tea involves understanding features like investment costs, profit margins, purchasing options, etc. An online store requires a provider for packaging, pricing to ensure profits. States may need permits or licenses for food handling or sales. Interstate shipping requires FDA compliance.
Share your tea love through branding, business plans. Online shops like Shopify help start selling quickly. Choosing a name, gathering user feedback on products and market research helps start. List product features and target customer benefits in your analysis.
For smooth operations, get a drop shipper supplying wholesale tea labelled with your business name. Saturated markets need creative ideas like restaurant branded tea pairings. Passion and product knowledge provide foundations.
Legal Considerations
Is it legal to sell tea?
Without permission, repackaging name-brand products with your own label could result in lawsuits.
Putting details for your tea brand together can be hard. It took the founder of Tease three months to make a first sale to someone not a friend or family. Selling direct to consumers is profitable. To increase profit potential, also sell tea accessories like infusers, pots and related products which have higher margins.
Does tea need FDA approval?
Yes, there are FDA packaging and labeling requirements for tea. If claiming organic, USDA certification and seal may be needed. Find a tea manufacturer or supplier selling bulk tea, create recipes and branding for your products. Get an online store.