Brewing up a healthy alternative and tasty concoction in her business
By Maurice Garvey
IT TAKES a brave person to start a new business on their own – even more so when you’re a single parent facing a crossroads in their career.
In 2009, Nicola Kearns from Terenure was thinking what path to go down, when it was time to move on from previous business commitments with her ex-husband.
The former cabin-crew trainer spent many years flying throughout Europe, but couldn’t find any of the “lovely teas” she discovered abroad at home.
After extensive research, she established Niks Tea in 2012 – importing tea from a merchant in Germany and brewing up her own healthy and tasty concoctions.
It is a business model that has “exploded” into life, growing in stature, and winning a Gold 2015 Blas na hÉireann award for its Earl Grey special at the Dingle Food Festival two weeks ago.
Despite making some “mistakes” in the first couple of years, Nicola now supplies her products to hundreds of clients, including Shannon Airport, Lloyds Pharmacy, the Cliffs of Moher, and a major distributor.
She expects to conclude a deal with a well-known supermarket chain before Christmas, and has hired two staff members to keep up with demand – allowing her a bit of time to enjoy her own brand favourites – ‘lemon and ginger’ and ‘bedtime.’
“I don’t really need the bedtime tea as I’m wiped out at that stage of the day, but it’s very calming,” said Nicola.
“There were some mistakes at the start, like branding, but the business exploded in 2015. A lot of the ground work is now paying off.”
In the beginning, Nicola considered opening a tea-shop, but quips that she decided on the “more difficult route.”
Working from her kitchen at home, she bought a van, and took her product on the road, visiting retailers and distributors around the country.
Now more settled, she has a base in Terenure Enterprise Centre, but is planning further developments – eyeing up the export market to Europe and the Middle East.
Nicola said: “When I researched, trying to find out what people wanted, going to farmers’ markets, sleep was a big one that came up. My bedtime tea helps people sleep at night. A huge amount of people suffer from that problem.
“It’s a regular 12-hour day job, a lot of weekends, but I love it and don’t mind. My kids are 18 and 20 now, and that gives me a bit more freedom.”
She continued: “Starting out, branding and packaging was a massive challenge. When you are small, everything is expensive. And getting your name out there. I was trying to do too much and have learned to narrow it down and when to say no.”
Niks Tea contain products of different flavours that are caffeine free with no added sugar.
Nicola continued: “I always believed it was a great product. The standard of artisan food here is very high. Financially it worked well. It wasn’t high-risk. I don’t have to deal with a heavy product that needs refrigeration, or storing, or taking some back to the supplier.”
The most popular brand on offer at the moment is the “after-dinner mint chocolate”. Check out other flavours at www.nikstea.ie or on the Niks Tea Facebook page.
