Finally starting my own tea business
Hi. I have been wanting to start my own tea business for many years and now Nevada has finally passed a Food Cottage Law. I will be selling my own blends at farmer’s markets and fairs to start. I am still working on the teas and the details.
I will only be able to offer 10-12 blends at first. They will all be my own blends, no relabeling of other brands of tea. Between all the teas for blending, my packaging, marketing materials (signs, brochures, etc.)and supplies, it will be a big investment just to try it. I want to be professional from the start and build a brand. I will also be selling tea infused baked goods, such as cookies and brownies. I’m hoping the baked goods will get more people into the booth. I would love to hear from any one who has started like this or anyone that has some advice. Thanks!
Congratulations! How exciting :)
I advise my clients to sit down and write out a business plan before they spend a single dime. What do you want to achieve (a full-time venture or just extra income from part-time sales)? Who is your target market (general public versus a specific group such as health-conscious professionals)? Who is your competition? What are they doing successfully? What could they do better? Do you have an “angle” (such as only organic products or teas from a single region)? Do you have a plan for growing the business? And last, have you considered and researched all the appropriate local laws including taxation?
Hope this helps and best of luck!
Looks like we are on a related trajectory, though you’re probably a few years ahead of me. I am thinking seriously of opening a tea shop in the Boston area. It’s an 8-10 year plan because I have to get my kids through college first. I figured I need to do two big things for starters: learn all I can about tea (hence my involvement in Steepster) and learn how to write a business plan, since I’ve never done anything entrepreneurial before. In August, I’ll be taking a three-session course in business plan writing that I hope will at least give me an idea of what questions I should be asking, including all of those that Blodeuyn mentioned. If it would be helpful to have another set of eyes and ears, get in touch and we can chat.
What you’re doing is tremendously exciting. Have fun and go for it!
Congratulations!
Are you going to make blends with Orthodox Teas? What type of flavours are you going to use?
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