cuppa and co, yarraville
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Westie brother and sister super duo Hanna and Miles have recently launched their own tea company Cuppa and Co. and Mamma is in lurve with the delicious flavours and pretty packaging of this lovely loose leaf tea. We sat down with them over a cuppa and got the low down on this brand new westie business.
What inspired you to open a tea company?
We really believe that if you are going to work everyday you should do something you are passionate about, and tea is just that. It all started quite randomly really. Miles was over at my house, having a cuppa of course and I said as a passing comment something along the lines of “we drink so much tea we should turn this into a job” and being the crazy spontaneous people that we are, we looked into starting a tea business and well here we are.
What's it like working with your brother/sister?
Hanna: We have a dynamic that works really well together, however that doesn’t mean it can’t be challenging at times. We bring different aspects to the business, have very different strengths and weaknesses.
Miles: It surprises me everyday what we manage to achieve in our business due to working together. Creating a business with someone you have spent your whole life with makes every day something to look forward to. We both share a common purpose in the business and with trust and similar personalities we seem to make anything possible. Our idea is to create and share with others our love of tea.
Whats the most exciting part of the business for you at the moment?
Hanna: We just find this all so fun. We are such avid tea drinkers and to see people interested in our product really excites us. We are having so much fun coming up with new designs, finding new flavours, getting into shops, getting our name out there and to see others enjoying our teas makes it even more exciting.
Miles: Creating something that people are accepting of. The feedback through our social media surprises me with the number of kind messages and comments. It makes me so excited to do something i love and for people to acknowledge it through supporting our business.
Do you have a favourite tea?
Hanna: Hands down, Russian Caravan would have to be my all time favourite tea. It has a really strong and smoky taste to it, that I love. I don’t drink alcohol and rarely drink coffee so I need something strong to help me combat the “terrible twos” that my toddler is going through. However, my favourite Cuppa and Co tea would have to be the ‘Breakfast in Bed’. It has a really floral taste to it that I just love. (Hoping to have a Cuppa and Co Russian Caravan soon!)
Miles: A cup of tea is part of my everyday routine and you just can’t beat the classic English Breakfast. The black tea is my perfect kick starter to the day.
Where do you source your tea?:
We sourced the teas through local Australian companies and use a variety of local and overseas ingredients to make our tea just so.
What keeps you motivated?
Hanna: We both help each other stay motivated by bringing new ideas to the business. However, it’s fairly easy for us to stay motivated as we really enjoy this so much.
Miles: Every day in our business we manage to find new challenges and strategies that keep us busy and motivated. I really enjoy the creative side of the business such as designing the website and packaging.
What's your favourite thing to do in the west?
Hanna: Other than stuffing my face with the Footscray train station doughnuts I’d have to say toddler dates at the Happy River Cafe.
Miles: Eating an all day breakfast at the Est.1906 cafe in Seddon is my favourite. I can spend the morning drinking a nice cuppa whilst designing away on my laptop.
