In conversation with the owners of Royal Chai tea

Chai tea is becoming increasingly popular in Europe. The drink, originally from India, comes in many different flavours, some of which people did not even know existed. Prakash Pandit and his son Dharmesh tell us more about their Royal Chai.

How it started

Royal Chai originated in Great Britain around 2008. Prakash brought flavours of various herbs and spices from India to Great Britain. Chai tea was not yet known there, only flavours such as chocolate and caramel. However, these are not the original flavours of a real chai tea. In 1970, Prakash's father asked him why he didn't make chai, he would earn tons according to him. But Prakash didn't want this. In 2001, he lost his job and had to look for a new job. The moment his wife offered him a cup of tea, his father's words shot into his head. "I stood up, hugged my wife and told her he was going to make tea," says Prakash.

Authentic chai

As mentioned, few people were familiar with the authentic flavours of a real chai. Royal Chai. These are flavours such as cinnamon, ginger and cardamom, all of which have a very good effect on health. In India, everyone has their own composition of a masala, so it was also an art to get this on the market properly. Prakash did not try to be known with his product as a powdered tea, but as a real, authentic chai, which you can prepare within a few seconds.

Increasingly popular

A big challenge for Prakash was to introduce people to chai. About 70% now know Royal Chai, but that means that 30% do not know chai yet. So there is still progress to be made. Another challenge was to make a chai that is tasty for both Indians and Europeans. Indians like a strong chai and Europeans less so. This led Prakash and Dharmesh to come up with the idea of ​​playing with water; the more water, the lighter the taste and the less water, the stronger the taste. Expansion is always possible, but it has to be done in small steps. “We should not run, but walk,” says Prakash. The ultimate goal for Prakash is to retire, hand over the baton to Dharmesh, but still watch from the sidelines.

Finally, who would Prakash like to have a cup of Chai Tea with?

“I would have a cup of Chai with the Indian actor Amitabh Bachchan. He once came to Great Britain, from Scotland. At an event he wanted tea and he got Royal Chai. He found it wonderfully tasty and I thought that was very special. That is why I would like to have a cup of Chai with him again.

Curious about all the flavors of Royal Chai? Check them out HERE