SHILLONG, Dec 15: It takes courage to start something new and different. In an age where entrepreneurs are making a mark in almost every walk of life, a group of three young people are changing the tea industry of our country.
Kashayam Blends is a unique venture started by Aishwarya Chinmay, Khushboo Tewani and Priyam Chauhan. Chinmay is the CEO while Tewani and Chauhan are the marketing head and managing partner respectively.
Known as silver needles blend or white tea, this variety of tea has rarely found a market here in India. The reason for this – no regulation of white blending in the tea board of India.
In addition, it is time-consuming because one has to pluck the delicate silver needles and care must be taken that they don’t break during the process.
It took Aishwarya a trip to Paris to find her full-time passion of tea blending. Earlier, she was working as a lawyer in Mumbai.
Paying a visit to Mariagefreres Tea Company changed her life as she decided to pursue a different path.
Kashayam Blends started in 2016 and was registered in 2018. Researching about the different kinds of tea was the first step. It was their love for tea that got Chinmay, Tewani and Chauhan to start their start-up.
What makes silver tea so special? It is the least processed tea in all tea varieties. Compared to other varieties of tea, the caffeine content is low. The products of Kashayam Blends are also lab-tested and approved.
Speaking to Chinmay, who has been living in Shillong for ten years now, we were given a chance to see how she blends extracts from herbs and flowers in her tea.
Local tangy hibiscus, Lakadong turmeric, cinnamon and lemon, all found in Meghalaya, are used to make her brand of white tea.
It is courageous on the part of Marbaniang Projects Private Ltd to believe in their vision and helping them in their journey to ensure that people get to taste what is considered to be niche, among tea lovers around the world.
The London-based tea company, Mei Leaf, has also reviewed them in their website kashayamblends.com.
Asked about her plan, she said, “As Kashayam Blends, we have a long way ahead till white tea silver needles gets its right due in our country.”