Selling tea on pushcart is hardly a fancy idea, especially for three engineering graduates. But Mohammed Shafi, Anandu, and Shanawas are brewing success with B Tech Chai, a small-scale tea stall they started after losing their jobs during the lockdown.
Stationed at the busy Pallimukku Junction in Kollam, their cart offers over 75 varieties of the beverage .
With some signature concoctions such as Ginja and a range of organic flavours in their menu, the youngsters sell more than 500 cups a day.
“We wanted to start a food-related business but had no funds for something bigger. We opted for an initiative with minimal investment and designed our chai cart accordingly. Since tea stalls are common in all places, we wanted a unique feature and currently we serve many varieties that are otherwise unavailable in Kerala,” says Shafi.
COVID-19 had rendered Anandu and Shafi jobless at a time when they were trying to build a career. “We were classmates and we started planning a business from the initial days of the lockdown. Later, my elder brother Shanawas too had to leave his job and return home from Gujarat. When he joined us, B Tech chai was born,” he adds.
While Ginja is a special chai brewed with seven spices and four herbs, there are also some exclusive blends that include lavender, guava, and butterscotch. Protein chai priced ₹60 is the costliest item.
“While working in north India and Dubai I had tasted many flavours of tea that are not familiar to Malayalis. So we started with a string of hand-picked flavours and we are adding new ones as we grow. Apart from herbal and milk teas, we offer a good range of sulaimanis and our badam-pista tea is one of the most popular items,” says Shanawas.
All the three agree it wasn’t easy starting the business as most people were against the idea of them becoming ‘mere chaiwalas’.
“Though our concept was good, there was strong opposition from my family. They asked me what the point was in doing engineering if I wanted to sell tea,” says Anandu.
Even during the pandemic, B Tech Chai had a steady clientele “Along with quality, we ensure good ambiance and customer service. During busy evenings the three of us will be at the stall serving tea and handling cash.”
The youngsters say they are planning to develop B Tech Chai into a brand and start outlets in different parts.
“Immediately after our launch in 2021 October, we got enquiries from many places, including Goa and Dubai, about starting franchises. We were overwhelmed by the response but at present we are taking it slow. We will be opening two new outlets next month,” says Anandu.
