Seven Senses Organic is a premium Greek herbal brand focused on product sustainability and purity. “The goal we have is that drinking our teas has a positive impact on emotional, physical, and spiritual heath, like Greeks have had for thousands of years,” William states. Exporting the European product to America introduces a new audience to the value of incorporating organic materials into a balanced diet, like those who live in the Mediterranean do. Greece is part of the “Blue Zone,” a region of the world where people are claimed to live longer than average. Many attribute that longevity to the nutritious and wholesome foods and drinks that are ingrained in the society.
“Our target is the people that want to take care of their health but don’t know how,” Patricia explains. “They are addicted to caffeine or have health issues. We believe that you don’t really need caffeine on a daily basis to operate.” The brand is on a mission to educate the world that there are wonderfully healthy, delicious, and accessible alternatives out there beyond preservatives and artificial drinks.
The loose-leaf, unadulterated herbal teas are hand-planted, hand-plucked, and hand-packed in northern Greece, without the use of herbicides or fertilizers, to ensure that the integrity of the herbs is upheld from plant to cup. There are only two ingredients that are not sourced from the Greek earth—ginger imported from Albania and rooibos from South Africa—with all elements certified by BIOHELLAS and USDA. Their inventory encompasses 11 different caffeine-free varieties with five specialty blends. Best-selling, single-origin teas include Mountain Tea (from the Sideritis plant, which is rich in antioxidants), Lavender Tea (calming, soothing, and excellent for inflammation and immunity), Sage Tea (great for women and digestion), Thyme Tea (a refreshing infusion with antiseptic properties), and Chamomile (made from the highest level of organic dried flowers, leaves, and stems of the Matricaria chamomilla plant). For blends, Ladybug Tea (combining rosemary, basil, mint, helichrysum, sage, lemon verbena, peppercorns, rosehip, and licorice) and Dragonfly Tea (inspired by traditional Masala chai, featuring rooibos, cardamom, chili, cinnamon, ginger, and peppercorns) are quite popular.
With sustainability at top of mind for William and Patricia, all of Seven Senses’ packaging is biodegradable and/or recyclable. The pioneering enterprise is currently exploring avenues to produce organic tea bags, a request from various tea houses and restaurants in New York who sell or serve their tisanes. In conjunction with the pursuit of environmental and ecological benevolence, the brand is committed to supporting ethical labor practices for the farmers. Ninety percent of the employees are Greek women in the small villages where the farms are located. In an area where job prospects are few, the company provides important work for these hardworking females. From the strategic evolution of the well-nurtured tisanes from farm to package to cup, to the employees who tend to every stage of the process, each facet of the business is thoughtfully curated to abide by the high standards put in place.
While the company has grown drastically since its inception five years ago, entering the Tea Tycoons competition was not an easy decision. Both parties hold other full-time jobs while pursuing this passion project on the side. “Throughout this whole process, we were fearful and had anxiety,” William divulges. “We were putting our dream and effort for the last four years on the line. Either we do this and it’s viable, or we have a hobby.” Through sweat, possible tears, and gumption, the duo entered the contest, flew to Las Vegas, Nevada, and amazingly took home first place in the category of Sustainability. “We went from one retail cus- tomer the first year, to seven or eight the next year, and now to 65 with Tea Tycoons,” William proclaims. “This is crazy! We thought it would help us, but we didn’t have any idea. Now we are confident about our product, our farms, and our company. We are confident that our story is affecting people.”
As for advice for fellow tea entrepreneurs hoping to make waves in the industry, William and Patricia advise to listen to your customers, know what the market is asking for, and focus on one or two things at a time. “Don’t succumb to the easy way, because the easy way is probably the quickest way to be out, and have realistic expectations,” William says. “We never expected to do what we are doing today.” In this inspiring tale of turning lemons into lemonade, or herbs into herbal teas, it is clear that a chance encounter can become something meaningful when you least expect it. Finding common ground with people—and in this case, viable Greek ground—can be life changing.
Seven Senses Organic’s products are sold online and in select retail stores. Visit sevensensesorganic.us or call 917-740-6996 for more information.
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