Sussex might not be where you’d expect to track down a young, thriving functional teas business, but this is exactly where D’Amazonia teas reside, a tight-knit mother and daughter operation with a compelling Brazilian accent.  Intriguing start-ups are often built in the 1st instance to tackle a single-minded personal ‘need’ yet because of the sheer speed with which they get to grips with the chosen task, quickly snowball into something far bigger than perhaps was originally envisaged.

D’Amazonia’s origins stem from Polyana (mum) being diagnosed with ‘early doors’ osteoporosis some eight years earlier, which was a polite wake-up call to usher in a healthier, more exercise-intense work/life regime and diet.  Marcela (daughter) decided that the best way to support her mum was to join her on the mats and ‘share the pain.’  The intense nature of the carefully crafted workouts meant that mother and daughter both found themselves becoming unwittingly dependent on countless coffees and caffeine-rich energy drinks as they tried to cheat tiredness and amplify their energy levels. 

‘On reflection, our drinks strategy was somewhat flawed thinking,’ admits Marcela, ‘because we simply found ourselves hitting a brick wall mid-way through our session; the inevitable consequence of a quick-fix caffeine crash.’ 

The unfathomable conundrum resulted in numerous family brainstorms, however, it was their long-standing appreciation of tea that finally drew them down the functional Sussex tea path.  Unfortunately the more ‘established teas’ they tried, the more disillusioned they became.  ‘The flavour descriptors, packaging; even the wafting scents were incredible and yet the all-important tastes were for the most part bleak and underwhelming.  

‘We sought out a nutritionist and started dabbling with ingredients packed with essential anti-oxidants vitamins and natural caffeine.  We looked towards the Amazonian rainforest to seek out everyday ingredients that are highly prized in our native homeland, where functional teas enjoy a more enlightened status.’

We were determined from the outset that our teas should not only give equal weighting to taste and functional benefits and address key usage occasions (good gut health, improved sleep and pre/post work out) whilst placing a minimal impact on the wider environment, hence biodegradable teabags, recyclable plastic pouches and most important of all, an alliance with One Tree Planted which ensures an extra sapling is planted in the Brazilian rainforest for every D’Amazonia pouch purchased.’

It’s very early doors but a Daylesford listing, a strong Amazon presence and a flourishing export wing mean that this is a young ambitious brand with a lot of natural get-up-and-go!  D’Amazonia’s Sleep tea is the front runner for now, underpinning how South Americans place more emphasis on the health benefits of good sleep than their European peers, although future product extensions tackling happy pregnancy, superior looking and the menopause might steal a march in the not too distance future.  For now, it’s kettle on and full steam ahead!

Link for the article below:

https://sussexexclusive.com/sussex-born-functional-teas-with-extra-oompf/