In a world saturated with health-centric teas, Anubha Jhawar’s journey into the realm of luxury tea was a departure from convention. An interior design maven turned tea connoisseur, she co-founded Celeste to redefine the tea experience. Guided by her father’s tea expertise and a passion for quality, Anubha crafted Celeste’s distinctive blends like Serendipity and Vanilla Waltz. With an unwavering commitment to freshness and eco-consciousness, Celeste has emerged as a beacon of exquisite taste and global appeal, poised to leave a lasting mark on the luxury tea industry.
Q: Can you tell us about your background and how you started your career?
A: I studied interior design and started my career as an interior designer in 2007. After working for a few years, I co-founded a lighting design firm with my husband. After eight years in the lighting design business, I was seeking a new challenge. My husband and father encouraged me to explore the tea industry, given my background and my father’s expertise as a renowned tea taster and blender.
Q: What gap did you identify in the tea market?
A: I noticed that most tea brands focused only on health benefits, not on the taste and quality of the tea. There was a lot of misinformation about tea needing to be bitter to be healthy.
Q: How did you develop your unique tea blends?
A: It took about a year to formulate unique blends like Serendipity and Vanilla Waltz. I focused on creating teas that are both delicious and beneficial to health.
Q: How did you come up with the name Celeste?
A: The name Celeste incorporates ‘TE’ which means tea in Spanish. It’s a play on words, suggesting a celestial or heavenly cup of tea.
Q: What is the primary goal of Celeste?
A: The goal of Celeste is to offer teas that are both flavorful and healthful, showing people that tea can be an enjoyable and delicious experience while providing health benefits.
Q: How has the journey been so far?
A: It’s been wonderful. We started slow, given the pandemic, but we’ve grown significantly. We’re now selling on Amazon US, Amazon Canada, and soon Amazon UK. Our offline presence in India is expanding as well.
Q: What sets Celeste apart from other tea brands?
A: Our blends are unique. While we offer some standard blends, we add our own twist to them. The quality of our tea is unmatched, which is reflected in the price. We also use cotton tea bags, which are handmade and eco-friendly, unlike the plastic ones common in the market.
Q: How do you select the tea leaves for your blends?
A: It’s a technical process involving the season of plucking, the type of leaves, and the tea gardens. For instance, a certain grade of oolong tea plucked in May or June is ideal for a floral blend. It’s about matching the right tea with the right ingredients for the perfect flavour profile.
Q: How do you reach your target audience?
A: We select offline stores like Nature’s Basket and Le Marche, where we know our target audience shops. Online, we use targeted ads to reach the right demographic. We also rely on events and collaborations with restaurants and bars to showcase our products.
Q: Is Celeste bootstrapped or have you taken investments?
A: We’re bootstrapped. In the future, I plan to seek investments once we have a stronger global presence. For now, we’re reinvesting our profits to grow the brand.
Q: Which regions in India give you the most orders?
A: Delhi NCR, Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Mumbai. We have an offline store presence in these cities, which helps with brand recall.
Q: How do you ensure the freshness of your teas?
A: We blend and keep only small batches, based on sales projections for the next two months. This ensures the tea remains fresh and of high quality.
Q: Are you planning to seek investments in the future?
A: Yes, I plan to build the brand to have a significant global presence. Once we are established internationally and reach profitability, I will look for investments to scale the business further.
Q: What is your current repeat customer rate?
A: Our repeat customer rate is 18%, which is very high for our type of brand, according to an analysis by an agency looking at our Amazon and website sales.
Q: How has the international market response been for Celeste?
A: Without spending on ads, we are getting orders from the US and UK, indicating strong organic demand. We plan to go more aggressive with global advertising once we better understand the market.
Q: Are you considering participating in international exhibitions and fairs?
A: Yes, we are looking into participating in exhibitions like the Gulf Food Expo in Dubai and others in the US to reach more buyers and expand our presence.
Q: What are your plans for the next four to five years for Celeste?
A: In the next five years, I aim to establish a strong international brand presence with profitability or break even. Eventually, I plan to raise funds to scale the business further while maintaining the quality and brand value.
Q: What advice would you give to future entrepreneurs in the luxury food and beverage industry?
A: Listen to your gut and don’t be in a haste to make a mark. Being steady and slow is better for long-term sustainability. Have a longer vision and focus on creating a lasting impact.
Anubha Jhawar’s journey from interior design to luxury tea is a testament to her versatility and vision. With Celeste, she is not just offering tea but crafting an experience that melds flavour, health, and sustainability, setting a new standard in the industry.
https://www.celes-te.com/
-This interview was scheduled by Aanchal, Feature Writer at Indian Startup Times
