Aromica Tea has grown into a company offering over 52 Tea blends; ‘The unique Bhut Jolokia Tea, a handcrafted black tea experience‘.
The Indian tea industry is experiencing a refreshing transformation. Gone are the days of just roadside chai stalls. Today, a vibrant new wave of tea cafes and online retailers are brewing up a storm with innovative blends, wellness infusions, and a focus on quality. At the forefront of this movement is Aromica Tea, a young and dynamic brand founded by Ranjit Baruah in 2019.
One of the leading Tea brands, Aromica Tea from Assam, now aims to increase its presence in international markets by increasing its exports.
The company is actively working towards promoting Assam’s wellness tea blends on a global scale.
Founderlabs recently had the pleasure of speaking with Ranjit Baruah, Founder of Aromica Tea.
For nearly 20 years, Ranjit Baruah meticulously honed his expertise in tea production, manufacture, tasting, and blending within the heart of Assam’s lush tea gardens.
This immersive experience in Dibrugarh, a valley brimming with vibrant greenery, ultimately ignited his entrepreneurial spirit.
Prior to embarking on his own venture, Baruah solidified his educational foundation. He graduated from the prestigious Cotton College in Guwahati, followed by studies in Hotel Management at IHM, Guwahati. In 1999, he began his professional journey as a Management Trainee at the Willianson Magor Tea Company.
As the saying goes, “knowledge is power.” This rings especially true for businesses seeking long-term success. Mr. Baruah understood this deeply, and his extensive experience encompasses market understanding, financial management, sustainability practices, and viability assessments – all crucial ingredients for a thriving enterprise.
Today, Aromica Tea boasts some of the finest blends available, including the unique Bhut Jolokia Tea, a handcrafted black tea experience.
Ranjit Baruah, CEO & Founder says it is important to dream big and chase them relentlessly! Believe in your idea, ability to make it happen. Challenges are inevitable, but your confidence will be your compass, guiding you through tough times. ‘Success is yours for the taking’!
Let’s delve deeper into Aromica Tea! Read on…
FounderLabs: What sparked your entrepreneurial journey?
Ranjit Baruah: Working amidst Assam’s tea gardens, I was surrounded by the incredible variety of teas produced by small-scale farmers. This experience inspired me to create Aromica Tea. We source these wonderful teas and craft innovative blends using a symphony of different flowers, fruits, herbs, and spices. Our goal: To develop a range of “Wellness Teas” packed with health benefits.
From humble beginnings with just five blends, Aromica Tea has grown into a company offering over 52 tea blends. Recognizing the wealth of medicinal herbs and spices native to Northeast India, we incorporate these treasures into our tea blends, creating a truly special experience for our customers.
FounderLabs: How does Aromica Tea enhance your customers’ lives, and what are your signature products?
Ranjit Baruah: We aim to provide a beautiful experience through tea. We source our teas directly from farmers, ensuring the highest quality. Our creative blends, featuring both organic teas and handcrafted options, deliver a rich and satisfying cup.
Beyond taste, our Wellness teas offer a bounty of health benefits. Each unique blend is meticulously crafted to deliver a delightful flavor profile along with powerful wellness properties.
Our products which have appealed to the customers are:
Blue Tea, Bhut Jolokia Tea, Lemongrass Ginger Tea, Rose green tea, Chamomile Tea, Vanilla Chai, Masala Tea, Moringa Tulsi tea, Spiced Turmeric Tea, Tulsi Ginger green Tea, Handcrafted Artisanal Orthodox Tea, Strong Black Tea Blends, Bamboo shoot Tea etc.
Bhut Jolokia Tea : A one-of-a-kind black tea infused with the world’s hottest chili (Bhut Jolokia), lemon, and ginger. This unique blend was a top seller during the pandemic, praised for its ability to help alleviate discomfort associated with COVID-19 symptoms.
FounderLabs: Tell us on how did you acquire or won your first customer ?
Ranjit Baruah: Our journey began at the India International Tea & Coffee Expo in Kolkata back in November 2018. This event served as a valuable validation of our product’s quality – the customer feedback and response were incredibly encouraging!
Fuelled by this early success, we participated in the World Tea & Coffee Expo in Mumbai just a year later (December 2019). These experiences truly ignited our passion and determination.
We then took Aromica Tea directly to potential customers. We secured placements in select retail shops around Guwahati, where we received positive feedback.
This steady stream of positive responses was a major motivator. It fuelled our decision to expand our offerings, and thankfully, these new blends also found favor with customers in a short time.
FounderLabs: What has been the challenges you faced as an entrepreneur?
Ranjit Baruah: The period between March 2020 and February 2021 was undeniably our most challenging. The unexpected arrival of COVID-19 and subsequent lockdowns severely impacted us. Products stocked in stores expired, leading to a significant financial setback. As a start-up with limited resources, we were forced to take gold loans to keep the company afloat.
However, during this adversity, we secured two crucial government contracts, providing some much-needed revenue. We also used this time strategically, negotiating international deals with clients in Japan and Australia. The groundwork was laid during this period, and with the reopening of logistics in February 2021, we successfully shipped our teas to these new markets.
We even emerged victorious in a competition organized by GIZ Germany, showcasing tea blends with potential anti-bacterial, antiviral, and immunity-boosting properties, which could aid in the fight against COVID-19.
This accomplishment not only brought us recognition but also a prize of Rs. 6.5 lakhs. Despite these triumphs, our journey is far from over. Maintaining customer loyalty and ensuring consistent quality remain our biggest ongoing challenges.
FounderLabs: What has been you biggest Our A-Ha moment and how did it inspired you?
Ranjit Baruah: Our Bhut Jolokia Tea was the first of its kind in the world. This unique tea blend attracted significant media attention and was featured in many national print publications, giving us valuable early visibility.
In March 2022, at the outset of the Russia-Ukraine war, inspired by the courage of President Zelensky of Ukraine, we launched a strong Assam Black tea blend called “ZELENSKYY – Really Strong.”
This launch proved to be a pivotal moment for our company. It garnered widespread media attention, both domestically and internationally. The story was picked up by BBC, DW-Germany, multiple television channels, and national newspapers, generating significant publicity for our brand, AROMICA TEA.
The ZELENSKYY tea became an international hit, and we continue to fulfill numerous orders from abroad.
Read our blogs: AgriTech Revolution: Indian Start-ups Leading the Way – Founderlabs
FounderLabs: What has been your key motivation?
Ranjit Baruah: The smiles of our customers are our greatest motivation. Our business allows us to help small tea farmers, impacting the lives of over 1,800 tea workers, mostly women. The happiness we receive from supporting them, combined with the ability to express our creativity through unique tea blends, fuels our passion.
This venture isn’t just about revenue. It has earned us respect and the opportunity to create employment opportunities says Baruah.
Aromica have 2 tea cafes in Guwahati which are named JUST TEA.
These are our experience zones for our teas. A lot of tea sampling are done and people can enjoy a wide range of teas and also purchase retail teas which helps us earn revenue.
We were the first ones to launch Tea packets with Braille language for the visually challenged. These small efforts to include all sections of the society give us motivation to keep up our work.
FounderLabs: Tell us about your mentors?
We’ve been fortunate to have many mentors along the way. Key among them are:
- Assam Startup by the Govt. of Assam
- IIMCIP – Indian Institute of Management Calcutta Innovation Park
- Neateahub – by Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat
- Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE), Guwahati
- NRL Ideation, Guwahati
- IIT Kharagpur Agri Business Development Program
We are incredibly grateful to these institutions for incubating us and supporting our journey.
FounderLabs: What are the Market opportunities for Aromica Tea and future plans?
Ranjit Baruah: The wellness tea market is vast and constantly expanding. We are confident in our innovative blends and aim to capture a significant share of international markets.
The new generation prioritizes health and wellness. We plan to target this demographic (aged 22-35) by developing a wider range of tea blends, including ready-to-drink options, iced teas, and functional wellness beverages. Ultimately, we believe in offering a cup of tea that invigorates and promotes overall well-being: Health through a Cup of Tea!
After all we believe in HEALTH THROUGH A CUP OF TEA !!
