Custom tea blends may be something you see online lately – a website devoted to selecting the exact blend of teas, herbs and spices you wish to try. The thought of creating something to have as your own, made by yourself, is ideal and definitely something unique. Like anything else, when you’re customizing your own tea, you actually know what is going in it, selecting each flavour you know you already love to indulge in and more. If you have tried a tea blend in a store before and thought it was missing something or could have been better, chances are that customizing your own blend has crossed your mind once or twice in the past.
The tea company BlendBee started simply because of a love for tea, but also because of a similar situation, finding blends that were craved was not always an easy task. I got the wonderful opportunity to discuss more about the online custom tea blend company and what goes on behind the scenes when someone submits a tea blend order. Grab a cup of tea and enjoy the interview below.
1. It’s great to chat with you, Jamah. Let’s begin by introducing yourself and your history with tea.
Hi! I’m Jamah, the owner and primary tea maker at BlendBee.com. I have worked in various realms of nutrition for the better part of 23 years. My parents are both chefs, and focused on organics and gardening, using only the best ingredients. They provided me with a passion for nutrition, learning about our earth and how to heal our bodies naturally. I have always had a passion for herbs and their healing qualities, which in turn sparked my love for tea. I have been creating my own custom herbal blends for years and often created them for my friends and family as well. My unique skill is creating incredibly beneficial blends, while also making them taste great. It’s all in the quality of ingredients used and a good pallet.
2. What does tea mean to you?
Tea to me is like water, it is a necessary part of my daily life. I use it for healing my body, my mind and my spirit. Herbs and tea leaves have been used for centuries to heal and treat our bodies. Tea has also been used to bring people together socially. To warm your hands on a cool night, to cool you off in the summer heat. Tea is so versatile, and absolutely delicious. People that say they don’t like tea have never tried my tea.
3. What is the inspiration behind BlendBee?
I have always made tea for myself and loved ones, and decided to create a marketplace for other tea lovers. Regarding the name, I have always loved bees, they are incredible little creatures. We are in a dire situation with our bee population, and I want to bring focus on that as well. Our Save the Bees blend donates 20% of proceeds to pollinator.org. Help us “bee” the change!
4. In addition to premade blends for sale, you also offer customers the unique option to create their own to purchase. How and why did you decide to offer this feature?
Have you ever had a blend of tea that you liked, but didn’t love, because maybe it was missing just one small flavor? Or maybe you couldn’t find the blend that had all the herbs you were looking for? I was consistently getting asked to re-create popular tea blends, but make them a little different. I decided to create an area where you can make your own totally custom tea blend. I have over 70 different ingredients to choose from. It is great for personalized gifts, not only do they get to choose the ingredients, but they get to name their tea and add a description as well. People love this feature and I get really fun custom blends on a daily basis.
I often get asked… “What if I make a blend and it tastes gross?” Have no fear, every single custom blend is taste tested. Myself along with other Blend Bee team members will taste & make flavor notes. If the tea is deemed “undrinkable” or if we have suggestions to improve the blend, we will always contact the customer before sending it out. We stand behind every single blend that gets shipped.
5. I love that your blends are all taste tested! I think that definitely makes you stand out from other custom tea companies. I imagine there are a plethora of tasty blends that come your way. Has there been one that stood out the most to you?
Yes, this one was a bit of a collaboration. A customer was looking for a night time blend and wanted a mix of chamomile, peppermint, licorice root and lavender. She didn’t know, but her initial custom blend was the base of our most popular blend Nightea Night. We took it to the next level and added some incredibly beneficial ingredients like ashwagandha root for stress relief, along with nettle and dandelion root for helping your body detox while you sleep. This blend not only works incredibly well it is awesome if you have a late night sweet tooth. Nightea Night has chamomile, lavender, ashwagandha root, nettle leaf, dandelion root, peppermint, orange peel, licorice root, stevia leaf & honey extract.
6. That does sound lovely! What does your ideal perfect tea blend consist of?
My ideal blend is bold with flavors and bursting with benefits. My absolute favorite blend is Endurance, this blend is my life saver! It starts with grade 1 organic matcha green tea powder for a plethora of benefits, then I add in organic lemongrass, ginger, hibiscus, orange peel & extract, cayenne pepper, and stevia leaf. I brew it in my french press and drink it daily, and love it hot or cold. Endurance is rich in antioxidants, helps muscle recovery, calms the mind, enhances mood & improves memory, burns calories, boosts energy, detoxes your organs, boosts immune system and supports healthy aging. This blend is not for the faint of heart though.
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Thanks Jamah for taking some time to chat with me about your tea company! I can not wait to try some of your hand crafted tea blends. If you are interested in learning more about Jamah or her teas, check out her website BlendBee.com