Dorje Tea Success Story, Business Model & Revenue Model after Shark Tank
Introduction
The tea business has become one of the most profitable businesses in India. It is one of the oldest beverages that mankind has ever known. It is said that every day around 3 billion cups of tea are drunk by people around the globe. Well, this was the perfect opportunity for business owners to roll out their tea business to tea consumers since the number of people consuming tea was huge.
China was one of the first countries to introduce the tea recipe and later it spread to Europe and Southeast Asia. Here, in India, Darjeeling became one of the largest manufacturers of tea and it brought different varieties as well. Darjeeling tea became famous throughout the country and therefore several companies once again took this massive opportunity and turned it into a tea business.
Dorje Tea Success Story
Dorje Tea is one of the tea business startups that was founded by co-founders Ishaan Kanoria and Sparsh Agarwal. Its success story is majorly about the history of Darjeeling tea which was only about offering the greatest tea taste with magnificent flavors. Both the co-founders of the company had to leave their respective jobs in order to start the tea business in Darjeeling. They received full support from their family and started manufacturing affordable and organic tea for the Indian market.
The business of Dorje Tea is covered with an area of more than 1000 acres in Selim Hill Forest. The name Selim Hill was inherited only after Englishman Henry Selim planted the first tea plant back in 1871. Dorje Tea has its tea plantation in Selim Hill which borders the town of Kurseong.
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Dorje Tea was successful in introducing its tea in the Indian market because they were among the first companies to offer a variety of flavors in this beverage category without hampering the quality. However, the company was lucky enough to get the best location for their tea business which is Darjeeling which had a history of growing famous tea since the 1800s.
Dorje Tea Startup Story
Back in April 2021, 23-year-old Sparsh Agarwal and youngster Ishaan Kanoria decided to revive the famous Darjeeling tea. These two come from a family that had a history of tea business which is why both had decided to leave their regular jobs in Kolkata and permanently shift to Darjeeling to grow their tea business. The two were motivated to introduce tea that was organic, flavorful, and high-quality tea which could be a standout product in the Indian market.
Within a year the company made huge growth and luckily it had a chance to appear in the famous show Shark Tank India as well. The journey of Dorje Tea has so far been marvelous which is providing the best tea quality in the Indian market. Dorje was not just any ordinary tea business because it was started as a subscription-based tea company. Consumers subscribing to its tea products could get fresh from farm organic tea products.
Dorje Tea Business Model
The business model of Dorje Tea was somewhat different because it was introduced in the market as a subscription-based tea startup. Consumers could get fresh from farm organic tea and get it delivered. The tea offered by Dorje was for the whole country with the intention to bring Darjeeling Tea to reach out to more people. The company earns its revenues directly from the consumers purchasing its tea products from its website.
There are four harvests in the tea business and they are the first flush (spring), second flush (summer), third flush (monsoon), and fourth flush (autumn). Out of these four flushes, the first two flushes are exported while the latter is sold in India. The latter two flushes are said to have a cheaper price while the other two flushes offer a higher price.
Both the co-founders have said that there is already a market for the first two flushes in India but there has been no market for the autumn and monsoon. This is why they have decided to sell those in the Indian market.
The first flush products are sold in a range between INR 5000 to 10000 per kg. The subscription model of Dorje Tea gives its consumers 250 grams of each of the four flushes. The founder claims that their company roasts the monsoon flush, especially with an interval of three months.
Dorje Tea Revenue & Yearly Sales
The tea business of Dorje is achieving great heights every month. It was last year in the month of August when the company earned a revenue of INR 11 lacs only in the month of August 2022. However, apart from that, the founders of the company have claimed that their business would grow in the upcoming years and would make a business of INR 10 crore.
Last year the company had expected their sales to be up by at least INR 1.5 crore but the company was making a loss in their net margin. Before appearing in the second season of Shark Tank India, the company had raised a total fund of INR 8.5 crores. The company was featured in several top media channels and has its head office located in Darjeeling.
Dorje Tea In Shark Tank
Dorje Tea founders represented their company in the second season of Shark Tank India. It was Anupam Mittal, Vineeta, and Peyush Bansal were interested to invest in the tea business. Vineeta Singh made an offer of INR 30 lacs for 10% equity of the company whereas Peyush Bansal and Anupam Mittal offered INR 30 lacs in exchange for 15% equity at a valuation of 2 crores. It was the deal that the founders thought to be ideal and they took the deal.
Soon after the episode aired in Shark Tank India, people from all over the country became known for its tea business and products. The company received positive feedback and comments from the public and took to their social media praising the tea business.
Investments Received by Dorje Tea in Shark Tank
The company raised several investments apart from Shark Tank India. From Shark Tank, the company raised INR 30 lacs. Apart from that Dorje had received a total funding of INR 8.5 crores before Shark Tank India.
How many funds did Dorje Tea receive in Shark Tank?
Who funded Dorje Tea on shark tank?
Disclaimer: The information provided in this post is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Please consult a qualified professional before making any decisions based on this content.
