How holidays in Sri Lanka gave two French sisters the idea of creating their own tea collection
Namastea’s Laura and Fanny Erguy grew up in France, so both naturally drank more coffee than any other beverage. However, a few trips to Sri Lanka changed all that. The sisters were introduced to Ceylon tea and its health benefits by a tea expert, and that sparked an idea that turned into Namastea.
“We began working with him to develop a range and we attended classes and seminars to understand the different aspects of tea,” says Laura.
As a brand they decided to work exclusively with Ceylon teas for a few reasons. Firstly, it takes only day by ship for the teas to reach Dubai from Sri Lanka, which reduces their carbon footprint. Secondly, tea is grown around the year in the country which makes it very easy to restock the range. And finally, the tea auction system in Sri Lanka ensures every batch is of a high quality.
“Basically, a grower or manufacturer cannot go directly to a client. They have to go via the tea auction system that is controlled by the government. It acts like a middleman that checks the quality of every batch that is submitted, to ensure it adheres to the standards set in place,” explains Laura.
Namastea’s packaging is 100 per cent biodegradable and the range has been divided into three categories – health, harmony and relaxation – to highlight the specific benefits of various teas. Sweet Dreams is an aromatic combination of chamomile and honey that is best drunk before bedtime for a restful night’s sleep. Candy Crush is a delightful blend of black tea and strawberry, which contain ellagic acid that protects the skin from UV damage. These two blends along with seven others are now sold in the tea section at Spinneys.
“The incubator program has been a game-changer for us. We’ve moved from being a very small business, mainly selling through our website to a platform that will give us access to a higher number of consumers,” says Laura.
