Cup-ji – A Young start-up’s innovation finds its place on a Global stage
February 4: Everyone knows green tea means healthy. But how many could have imagined green tea could ever be tasty!
Aakash (26) and Jay Sotta (23), hailing from a family history in tea trade for over a century now, set out on a mission to redefine how green tea is consumed in India. They innovated at two levels – firstly, they devised a simple yet effective system that sandwiches green tea leaves and natural ingredients between the base of the paper cup and a smartly fitted paper filter, making it convenient to brew. Secondly, they had a unique approach to green tea, by introducing them in Indian flavours like Paan and Chatkara, which made the green tea drinking experience seamless and pleasurable without compromising on the health benefits. With Cup-ji, all you need is hot water that you can pour into the cup, and voila! Your refreshing beverage is ready!
This combination of Indian flavours and goodness of Ayurveda, coupled with this simple and effective system that has nominated Cup-ji as one of the top 4 finalists in the Most Innovative Beverage category in Gulfood 2021, the largest International F&B event, seeing exhibitors from 85 countries and attendees from 156 countries, becoming the only brand to represent India on this global stage.
“Gulfood is the most important event of the year for food professionals looking to source the latest products, gauge market developments, and connect with global suppliers.”
As a representative of India in this International F&B event, Cup-ji has achieved a remarkable feat in its very 1st year of launch!
For a country that begins its day with “Ek garam chai ki pyaali”, where chai means a concoction of sugar, milk, and patti, where tea is boiled to make it “Kadak”, the concept of “brewing” green tea seems a long and hard road. So naturally, it will take a disruptive innovation to either educate the consumers or simply make it effortless. They chose to make it convenient and introduced Cup-ji which only requires customers to pour boiling water, without managing the messy strainers and risk of over brewing, leading to a bitter after taste.
The co-founders, Aakash and Jay Sotta, realized that the key to reaching its audience is to make the experience as familiar to the Indian diaspora as possible, and hence, Cup-ji has launched Paan and Chatkara variants, the scents that every Indian is not only familiar to, but also has nostalgic memories with. These flavours have stayed on the palate of those who have tasted Cup-ji.
So far, Cup-ji has received tremendously positive reviews from everyone who has tried the product. They’re steadily penetrating the streets of Mumbai, the hometown of its founders, and Cup-ji will soon be a household name in all parts of the country, and all corners of the world!
You can check them out on www.cupji.com
Pour, Swirl, and Pour!!
