The Pitch: Meet the mastermind behind Loose Lips Teas and My Organic Tea

THE PITCH: Meet the Melbourne entrepreneur going gangbusters with her herbal teas brewed for health and vitality.

Cherri Davis has dedicated herself to the craft of tea-making. Picture: Jason Sammon

IN THE latest instalment of our ongoing series, The Pitch, we meet an entrepreneur who found her calling concocting brews for health and vitality.

CHERRI Davis has tried her hand at a range of jobs.

Having worked as a merchandiser, manager, retailer, florist, massage therapist, travel agent, in hospitality, health and fitness and as a nanny, she believes she has finally found her calling.

Her work as a florist led to an interest in aromatherapy and she produced complementary organic body products.

Through those two disciplines she became interested in herbalism and started blending her own tea range.

“Once I got into the tea, everything started to fall into place. After searching and experimenting and floating around a bit I finally feel I have my calling. The tea business uses all the different skills and tools I have gained over decades,” she said.

For four years she dabbled in the tea on the side but two years ago she decided to dedicate herself to The Loose Lips Tea Company full time.

Ms Davis started selling her Loose Lips Teas at Queen Victoria Market and other markets around Melbourne.

The owner of Richmond grocer, Fredericks, bought some of her teas and went on to stock them.

He suggested she might look at doing a lifestyle range.

In Christmas, 2015, her My Organic Tea range, with blended teas that have properties that some people regard as helpful for some conditions, was launched.

Some of the My Organic Tea products.

Her blends seek to assist with anxiety, sleep disturbances, stomach upsets, detoxing and immunity building, among other things.

Ms Davis said she sourced locally made plastic canisters and launched a website. Ingredients where possible are all sourced locally.

“I source locally but seasonally some ingredients are not available locally,” she said.

She said she marketed the business via a number of avenues including markets and expos such as Sexpo, Mind and Body and the Royal Melbourne Show. Health food shops and gourmet shops also stock her range and it is currently available in selected Ritchie’s independent supermarkets.

One of the first Ritchie’s stores to stock her teas was the Supa IGA at Dromana which opened late in 2016 and is the first concept store to be rolled out.

“I was delighted to be stocked at Dromana because it is a really state of the art supermarket and a pleasure to shop in,” she said.

Ms Davis said last year was about getting out and about and building her brand.

“I am really careful to chose the right shows and markets. They can be expensive and you have to make sure that the numbers work out and they are aligned with your brand,” she said.

In addition to her own tea labels she blends teas for private label clients including beauty salons and corporate giving, giftware shops and hamper companies.

She is at pains to stress that the teas don’t treat ailments but they may assist.

She said a slimming tea was ideal for people on a health and exercise plan who were looking to substitute an organic tea for coffee, keep hydrated and reduce snacking.

“I would also say it assists consumers to create a healthy ritual in their life, making a positive change,’ she said.

“Customers are buying from the range over and over and there are plenty of very happy customers out there enjoying the range.”

She largely runs the business solo. However, she has just appointed some distributors in Western Australia and Victoria. She employs a local teenager to help with labelling.

“My family helps out when needed but I am moving to a model in which I will more than likely be employing casuals,” she said.

She said part of her job was to educate people about tea and she offered masterclasses for retailers wanting to better understand the tea to assist them to sell the product.

“I am getting booked by corporates who are working on the health and wellbeing of their staff and are looking at tea as part of the offering,” she said.

looselipstea.com.au

myorganictea.solutions

What the experts say ...

John Downes

Acorro Group

Well done, Cherri! Loose Lips and My Organic Tea sound like a delicious kitchen table tycoon business.

Both websites look bright, crisp and clean, giving a very lively and healthy feel consistent with your branding.

John Downes.

Consistency is such an important feeling for customers and that comes from clarity of purpose and of delivery.

Are you sure about what you want to give your tribe? Who is your tribe? Who are your ideal customer avatars?

What does each customer group need? What do you want in return? If you had only a month to make a difference to them, what would that difference be?

I think there is some thinking to do about your “Why”, and how you express it.

And when you do, I’d like to see you come out from behind the marketing blurb and express it live, in person, on video, so we can see the vibrant personality that we are hitching our health and vitality to.

This will help you not only show, but create in your own mind the consistency you require to decide price per gram, what is in and out of your range, how the brands overlap, which blends to consider and how to respond to your customers’ needs and desires.

I wish you pleasure, fulfilment and to earn a just financial reward from your passion.

Vivian Vo

Melbourne Innovation Centre

MY Organic Tea is a great blend of educational engagement, storytelling and attractive product visuals.

Qualities such as “organic” or “vegan” in products are becoming increasingly desirable to consumers and this is how the brand will stand out.

Vivian Vo.

Take advantage of the power of visual content by using social platforms such as Instagram and Pinterest.

Visuals are a powerful tool, and if used correctly can increase engagement and credibility of your brand. Images should aim to promote a lifestyle rather than just a product.

Another advantage to using social media is free analytics such as Facebook’s Insights. Here you can identify the types of buyers, their buying decisions and who and what influences them.

Taking the time to really know your fans and customers will assist with future marketing.

As an e-commerce business, it is critical to include “Privacy”, “Terms and Conditions”, and “Returns and Refunds” links on the website.

Free templates are available online and can be amended to suit your needs.

These online statements ensure the credibility of your brand as well as provide legal protection to you and your customers.

Logistically speaking, consider an alternative type of packaging such as flat pouches as a method to save on shipping costs.

Consider foil zip-lock pouches to promote ease of use and freshness.

Bruce Hall

Small Business Mentoring Service

IT is all there. Quality, organic ingredients, tantalising tastes, a ready market. But something is missing from Cherri’s brew. A compelling story.

Such a story gives customers reasons to choose one supplier or brand over another.

Bruce Hall.

It is also something they will remember and are likely to share.

In a battle between brands with similar products, the one wrapped in a great story always wins.

Where there is no story, products become a commodity and loyalty is low. The need for a compelling story is magnified on the web.

Why does the business exist? What is its purpose?

How does it hope to change or improve the customer’s world? What is different about it? Why should customers care?

Apart from an overarching story, regular updates are critical. Google and social media are voracious beasts.

Feed them with fresh quality content and they reward you with improved rankings.

Content can include topics of interest to her target audience, which I suspect would be around health, fitness and lifestyle. The options are endless. Show you care by sharing content that matters.

Finally, the story, headings and product descriptions need to be leap off the page. Seize the readers. Bland doesn’t work on the web.

By adding a dash of story to the teas, Cherri may create a magical brew.