Siripim Apinuntakulchai, co-founder of CHAR tells how she delivers new experiences to her customers through flower tea.
Could you tell us something about CHAR?
Like some business owners, who do what they love, my sister and I founded a tea company because we love drinking tea, or CHAR in Thai. We were inspired when we travelled abroad and drank flower tea in several countries. However, we had not seen flower tea like this in Thailand before, hence, we decided to develop the flower tea under the CHAR brand and launched it in late 2017.
How does your CHAR flower tea differ from others in Thai market?
Our caffeine-free CHAR tea is made from different kinds of flowers, which have their own natural properties. When you infuse the tea flower in a teapot, the flower will slowly bloom. Drinkers not only enjoy the pure flavour of the flower tea, they also experience the beauty of a flower blossom in the teapot too.
Where can you get the flowers, and why do you choose particular flowers?
We source the flowers from across the world to ensure that we get the best ones, for example, lotus from Taiwan and Thailand, rose from Germany, lily from Tibet. The flowers we choose must have a beautiful appearance and good taste. Moreover, we have to be able to get sufficient raw materials. Some flowers are beautiful and tasty, but they are only available in small quantities, so we do not use them.
Who are your customers?
We have three groups of customers: the general public; wholesale customers, such as hotels, restaurants and spa; and customers who buy our flower tea as premium gift. We have both Thai and international customers, from Singapore, Hong Kong and the Middle East.
What response do you get from your customers?
Since our launch we have received positive feedback from our customers. They love flower tea because it is new to them. Our bestsellers are rose tea and Chinese imperial chrysanthemum tea.
Where can customers buy your teas?
Customers can purchase our products online at our website, or place an order on social media channels. Our product is also available at Central Westgate shopping centre in Thailand and pop-up stores at fairs. Currently, we are negotiating with potential business partners from Singapore, Switzerland and Taiwan, who want to import our products. Therefore, we expect our CHAR flower tea will be available in those markets in the near future.
What are your future plans?
We want to see CHAR flower tea recognised internationally in the same way as other well-known global tea brands are. We will develop tea for different groups of customers and continue to promote our brand at domestic and international trade fairs, such as DITP’s STYLE Bangkok October 2019.
For more information, visit: www.charflowertea.com, or follow FB:charflowertea and IG:Char_flowertea.
Words: Somhatai Mosika
