Health & Goodness

In an Enchanteas Cup of Tea

Teas from our very own gardens in the North East as well as from international plantations, Enchanteas serves speciality teas on a global tray. Take a sip from the enchanting offerings – something for every tea drinker out there

Text: Lyle Michael

“Cup o’ tea, my dears?” “Why yes, we’d love to!” came our quick response when the fresh and delightful tea brand, Enchanteas, welcomed us to their ‘tea with a purpose’. Equally delightful is the founder and tea sommelier, Deepika Kapoor, young as her brand, with a steady foot on the pedal driving through the tea world with her 300 all-natural blends, down to the eco-friendly packaging. You place the tea bag made of cornstarch in a pot and it will decompose in 30 days, try it.
Flavourful blends to promote the health and medicinal benefits of tea, that’s what Deepika envisioned when she started off with Enchanteas online during the lockdown in May 2020, after a year of travel for leisure and work. Exploring the tea gardens in Calcutta and Darjeeling during this time further propelled the entrepreneur who was born into the family business of tea to set up her B2C brand. “Whatever I do has to benefit my customers,” Deepika puts it simply. “Thus, we have teas for immunity, a sore throat, for workouts, teas for slimming, diabetics, hormonal imbalance, calming and good sleep. The latest introductions are the silver needle white teas – Rosebuds & Iranian Saffron, for one, is divine.” While a majority of teas are sourced from Assam, Nilgiris, Himalayas and the “Champagne of teas” – Darjeeling – there’s a neat array from the international tea gardens of Japan, China, Taiwan and South Africa, too. You get blends like the Rooibos (a particular favourite of ours) which is caffeine-free and Tum Tea for acid reflux; also great for a hangover, we’re well-informed.
Enchanteas thus sets itself apart by going niche and versatile at the same time while promoting the benefits of tea as a natural source of health and immunity. It takes a while but it works, says Deepika, who swears by the Rooibos with rose tips, nettle, apple bits and hibiscus for acne and other skin problems. “The Hydration & Glow tea is one of my favourites, as is the Yuzu Matcha which can be had as a latte or a spritzer on a hot day. It’s a very ceremonial and flavourful drink. The caffeine-free Galaxy Butterfly Bluepea Flower is a star. Add a few drops of lemon and watch the colour change from electric blue to bright purple. We add rose buds and lemon wedges for flavour to this tea blend. It is rich in antioxidant properties and renders itself beneficial in treating hair loss, skin and weight issues.” The chamomile done by Enchanteas is also different in that it is freeze-dried and not dehydrated, causing the freshness to be retained and the flavour to bloom when hot water is poured over. It’s all about the right tea experience for every customer that will keep them coming back for more.
Deepika’s experience with customers began in 2018 when she was appointed countrywide retail brand manager at Foodhall’s The House of Tea. The year’s worth of experience taught her the importance of customer relations within brand development. Today, the brand strategist can safely say that Enchanteas goes beyond a brand to establishing itself as a consultancy offering solutions to tea drinkers the world over. From hotels like St. Regis to Four Seasons and clients abroad, and tea drinkers all over, their teas can be customised with packaging as per the customer’s desire. Gifting sets and hampers, accessories and more are at your disposal.
What of food pairings, we ask, given the undeniable trend to pair alcohol with food, wherever you may be! Let’s say we’re at a high tea, shall we. “Certainly!” exclaims Deepika. “An Earl Grey goes splendidly with dark chocolate. For a more savoury platter, pair the Bombay Cutting Chai tea we offer, with a mix of spices from Gujarat. At Foodhall, we used to do a tea and cheese pairing. It works. And try Turkish black tea with dessert, white tea with fruits, breadsticks and cheese.”
Deepika can talk tea for hours. The drive comes naturally to the girl who was born with a teaspoon, who joined the family business post graduation in Business Management Studies at Mithibai College in 2015. What followed was hands-on experience acquiring the skills of product development, celebrity gifting, artisanal blends and tea tastings. Two years later, the Indian Institute of Plantation Management-Bengaluru beckoned and thus emerged Deepika Kapoor, certified tea sommelier. She shares, “I gained major experience from working in the business, visiting gardens and learning the processes of tea-making. Today, I can offer a top quality product with an all-round experience at a price that is honest and certainly worth its weight for the quantity you get.” We’re talking a box of 20 tea bags for Rs 429 and mini tin caddies for Rs 350, and a whole lot more.
That concludes our tea-tasting, leaving us decently well-versed on the (expensive) speciality process that’s gone into our cup a la Enchanteas Healing Teas. Listen in on Deepika’s podcast episode on Brewed Stories (Deepika Kapoor on Exotic Teas on Spotify) and you’ll get an idea, too. Chai pe charcha! Sorry, we couldn’t resist.

Enchanteas
www.enchanteas.com