Enterprise Nation

Clare Jones could rightly be called ‘The Tea Lady.’ After meeting her tea-trading husband whilst travelling in India, Clare spent years learning about the trade and has now started her own home based business …selling tea. She tells us how it happened and suggests why we should brew up a bit more often.  

How the story starts

This is how Clare’s story starts, as told on her own website.

“My love affair with tea began nearly 25 years ago in Calcutta, as it was there that I first met Mike, my tea-trader husband. Tea has been at the heart of my life ever since.

From that essential, first cup of tea of the day, to an enjoyable afternoon tea at a friend’s house, I cannot help myself from appraising each and every cup. After years of sharing a life with someone who, quite literally, sniffs the contents of teapots, or dissects teabags in hotels, it was inevitable that I became, as it were, infused with the subject.”

We ask Clare a few questions to find out more.

How are you sourcing and packaging the tea?

My husband put me in touch with a Sri Lankan based company who pack the tea in Sri Lanka.
I visited Sri Lanka to meet my suppliers and increase my knowledge of how the tea was being produced and work practices on tea estates. The designs were done by English designers who live nearby but the packaging materials are printed in Sri Lanka.

Do you sell exclusively online? Do you have plans to sell via retail outlets or expand the range?

My website and online shop have only recently been up and running so I have had to get it into local retail outlets to make any sales. My first shipment arrived in January. I hope that the online sales will increase but ultimately I would hope that a larger retail group like Waitrose might stock it.

I will expand the range and have already got a breakfast blend and a rooibos/redbush tea nearly ready to pack. We have had to rethink the colour of the rooibos packaging. The proofs were violently flourescent! This involves sending new artwork to Sri Lanka and then approving the new proofs. Printing and then packing can then go ahead and the teas will eventually be shipped to the UK.

How are you promoting yourself?

At the moment I’m promoting myself by handing out free tea samples in front of the retail outlets where my tea is stocked. I give freebies for goody bags and raffle prizes. I’ve also produced a promotional email to publicise my website.

Do your children help out in the business?

My youngest child aged 11 has helped with leaflet and sample drops, the eldest is away at university and the other two have been tied up with revision and exams for A levels and GCSEs. Once they are finished with that I expect them to help with the handing out of free samples.They are all very excited about the business and the whole idea of having a mother who is, dare I say it, an entrepreneur!

Which is your favourite tea?

My favourite tea is the Ceylon black, followed closely by the green tea.

Why should homeworkers drink more tea? 

I think home workers should drink more tea because:

• making tea is a good excuse to stop working 
• a cup of tea is a reward for hard work or for a difficult task completed
• equally the act of drinking a cup of tea can kick start the thought processes
• making tea provides a change of scene which is always good for refreshing the brain
• it's important to move around once in a while to get the circulation going
• it can be counted towards the daily fluid intake
• it is antioxidant rich and all that health stuff!

Clare Jones talks to Emma Jones over a healthy cup of bellevue tea.

• bellevue Tea