by loeyteaFor the coming months, we will be featuring old photographs. A brief escape from the present to evoke nostalgia. Childhood memories that everyone holds—times with friends and family. The joy of having an ice cream or a brand-new bike felt like owning the world. We hope that, even if just for a moment, these faded photographs allow you to become part of them and bring back the warmth of cherished memories.
by loeyteaIn April 2024, we traveled to India. It had been eight years since we started our TEA company, Clayton. While we are still relatively new compared to well-established brands with histories spanning 30 or 100 years, our journey has been far from easy.
One of the initial and most significant challenges was finding reliable suppliers and partners. We had to establish factories and import tea bag machines while advancing on multiple fronts simultaneously.
Currently, our partners include Sri Lanka, India, China, and Germany. Sri Lanka and India supply black tea, China provides Chinese tea, and Germany offers various herbal refining services. The tea industry is vast and global, involving large-scale operations across extensive plantations.
To build trust in our products’ taste, we began by focusing on both historical and operational scale. Our partner in India is a leading exporter with five plantations in Assam, plus an additional one acquired in 2022, bringing the total to six plantations, which include both tea fields and refining factories. For our Breakfast Blend, Assam, and Assam CTC, we cultivate directly without going through auctions, importing only the appropriate amount for the current year.
Most Indian teas, like those from Sri Lanka, are distributed through auctions, similar to other agricultural products, both domestically and internationally. Each company selects quantities based on tasting and requirements. In the case of Darjeeling, large-scale cultivation in mountainous areas is challenging, so we purchase the necessary quantity from auctions. All Indian teas are evaluated by a taster with 22 years of experience.
During our visit to India for discussions on black tea, we recorded our visit to the sixth plantation with the manager. For our international sales efforts, we are engaged in activities such as trademark applications for LOEYTEA, participating in exhibitions, and developing our YouTube channel and Amazon store. We aim to provide meaningful content on YouTube, including field trip footage, reflecting our past experience as a documentary producer.
We captured the manufacturing process of black tea and scenes from the tea fields, which were truly beautiful and pure.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to our customers who consistently choose and support us. Thank you.
by loeyteaWe recently participated in the 2024 World Tea Exhibition in Las Vegas, which offered an excellent opportunity for emerging brands like ours to connect with a variety of consumers and industry professionals in the US.
During the event, we showcased prototypes of our existing products, and the response from visitors was overwhelmingly positive. Encouraged by this feedback, we’re preparing to launch an Amazon Store to better serve the needs of our international customers.
One of the highlights was the chance to interact with neighboring booths from India, Sri Lanka, and South Africa. These connections blossomed into valuable friendships, and we’re even planning a trip to India in April to meet with our existing partners and explore collaboration opportunities with our new friends for crafting our masala chai.
We’re thankful to all the visitors who showed interest in our offerings during the exhibition. Looking forward, we have ambitious plans for future exhibitions. While we’re considering having a booth at the 2025 event in Japan, we’re also exploring opportunities in other Western countries like SIAL or even considering returning to Las Vegas.
by loeyteaDiscover ‘Art in Life’ on Our Products
At the start of our journey, we were making teabags in pouches. One day, we decided to add a little extra as a token of appreciation. Our first souvenir was a pencil, but as we noticed young people decorating their walls with art, we wanted to give them something special for free—a beautiful postcard with paintings on it.
A Gift of Artistry: The Gallery Concept Tea Sampler
The warm reception of our postcards motivated us to introduce the Gallery Concept Tea Sampler—a remarkable gift set. We recognized that many tea products were priced beyond the reach of young consumers, and so we set out to change that. Our gift sets feature thick, premium paper with exquisite teas sourced from trusted suppliers with a long history of serving major brands. Then we wanted to make it an affordable price, $10 each.
Spreading Joy: Art in Life Philosophy
Over the years, our product range has expanded, offering different versions of our tea samplers. People continue to enjoy them, proudly gifting them to friends as a symbol of sophistication and premium quality. This journey has not only brought happiness to our customers but has also enriched our own lives. Guided by the spirit of Victoria, we are dedicated to infusing art into the lives of our consumers. ‘Art in Life’ isn’t merely about creating products; it embodies our passion for excellence. We eagerly release new product groups with fresh concepts each year, and we are immensely grateful to everyone who has supported us in this artistic endeavor, enabling us to continue sharing the joy of ‘Art in Life.’
by loeyteaDuring the time of the East India Company, venturing to distant lands to cultivate land and bring back tea was a massive industry.
In the modern world, logistics can move through sea and air to any destination. All information is readily available, and the hierarchical system with excessively high added value is collapsing.
Key sources like India, Sri Lanka, Africa, Europe, and China allow us to obtain raw materials at any time.
Companies that have supplied major brands in Europe or emerging brands for many years have accumulated expertise in raw materials and production facilities. All companies have similar levels of quality and raw materials.
In the case of expressing taste through blending, such suppliers can create it limitlessly. However, there are limitations to instilling fantasy in such an industrial system.
What matters in today’s era is how to convey values and philosophy. It is about bringing products from the original source and designing them on behalf of consumers. It is about becoming an intermediary, playing a certain role.
Now is the age of consumer empathy towards the services provided, design, and the philosophy pursued. Roytea aspires to become an icon that brings happiness and joy into customers’ lives, partnering with major sources worldwide.
by loeyteaWe absolutely love putting together thoughtful presents. Gifts, to us, embody those truly happy moments in life.
There’s something special about the genuine sentiments that go into their creation. With that heartfelt intention, we roll up our sleeves and put together something beautiful – moments of joy exchanged between people.
If we can whip up casually chic items without breaking the bank, they end up choosing our products for those special moments.
Picture the moment when they confidently pick out our product and hand it to someone dear to them. For those of us in this line of work, that brings immense satisfaction.
…Well, we try not to bump up the prices too much.
We meticulously design packages, incorporating high-quality materials sourced from partners all around the world. Our goal? Creating those blissful moments in people’s lives.
It’s the sheer happiness we get from this process that propels us to keep making fantastic gifts. Here’s to hoping the name LOEY becomes synonymous with a delightfully happy present.