Two Newcastle University graduates are making waves in the drinks industry after founding an innovative new alcoholic tea company, Tea Venture.
Friends Vincent Efferoth and Lukas Passia launched Noveltea, their first range of tea-based alcohol beverages, after spotting a gap in the competitive drinks market.
Tea Venture’s Noveltea achieves its distinctive tea taste through a process of cold-brewing, infusion, and blending. It has caught the eye of leading retailers Fenwick, which has agreed an exclusive partnership with Tea Venture for its retail launch.
Vincent Efferoth and Lukas Passia came to the UK from Germany to study master’s degrees at the University of Newcastle’s Business School. The pair were struck by the British fascination with afternoon tea and, after realising the popularity of sparkling wine as part of the experience, they were surprised to find that there weren’t any alcoholic tea blends on the market.
In order to fund their new idea they gained access to Newcastle University’s Foundership Programme which provided them with £10,000 to go towards developing the product. They created over 250 different samples for each drink, testing a range of flavours, before finally perfecting the combinations.
Lukas said: “We have been very fortunate to have had access to the Newcastle University Foundership Programme and we also received funding from RTC North which really helped us in the final stages of getting the product to market.”
RTC North provides funding and expertise to innovative businesses across the North East. Tea Venture accessed support from RTC’s Designing Better Business Programme to go towards the designing of their elegant product packaging. Designing Better Business is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020
Andy Brown, business support manager at RTC North, said, “I have no doubt that the company will be a great success. Their product is innovative and fits well into a market that is constantly on the lookout for new and trendy products.
“We are delighted to have supported Tea Venture with grant funding towards the development of their packaging and their display in Fenwick’s food hall looks fantastic.”
For more information on Tea Venture and its products visit www.noveltea-drinks.com.
Further information from Christine Holland, Holland PR & Marketing Ltd. Tel 01670 790246 or 077711 698246