Vendor Spotlight: Sippin' Tea

​When you stumble upon Sippin’ Tea at a market, you might be drawn in by Paula’s warm smile and her neatly presented and carefully curated selection of teas.

The business was born out of a simple observation in the community and at local markets, “you can find coffee—coffee things, coffee smell, but you can’t find tea… if you already know what you’re getting, you can buy online, but you cant see anything,” this is what planted the seed for what would become Sippin’ Tea, now entering its 3rd market season.

The idea took root in the wake of Covid, at a moment when high quality tea was hard to find and even more difficult to be able to browse in person. She started researching all the food safety rules and building a certified kitchen workspace from what was once her sitting room. “You can’t just get started” it took 5-6 months to build the space, source the teas, and wade through all the necessary compliances, but she kept going slowly, deliberately, and with purpose.

From the start she decided: no herbal teas, no gimmicks and no blends that she didn’t personally stand behind. “I don’t do herbals… I don’t like them… it’s hard to sell something you don’t like”. So instead, Sippin Tea specializes in black teas, with a few green and rooibos blends. Every tea she sells is tested by a small tasting circle of friends and family. “We curate our teas. I have a group of tea tasters, we sit around with my samples, and we will try them in different ways, hot or cold, London fogs and stuff, that keeps them engaged”.
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Paula doesn’t sell based on trends or health claims. She sells what she knows, what she drinks, and what she can talk about honestly. “I don’t know enough, I have a problem selling what I really can’t give you any information on. I’d be selling teas based on what google says and I would not feel comfortable doing that”. To help people explore her offerings she introduced “try it” sized bags—just enough tea for 2-3 mugs, ideal for newcomers who are interested in tea but who don’t want the major commitment of a full bag of something new to them. “Everyone has had bags that smell good but then didn’t taste good… so now you get to try it”. The sensory connection is a big part of the experience. Her sniffing jars allow you to see and smell the tea leaves, a luxury you’re not afforded if picking up some generic bagged tea from the grocery store. “People really like looking at and smelling the different teas… that has made a huge difference”. 

Despite years of telling herself she couldn't sell or chat with strangers she's found that tea opened something unexpected “I’m quite introverted…but you start putting tea in front of me and I’m just spouting all the stories”. She’s learned to trust herself in conversation, to read peoples moods, and to guide them towards the right tea. Sippin’ Tea has helped Paula grow socially, “I enjoy my conversations with people… I have learned that I can actually talk and sell… it’s given me confidence”.

With no storefront, community markets are her primary business model. She rotates through the market circuit intentionally, each with its own unique audience and visibility to a diverse network of customers who return months later. “I had to go find my market and who my people are… they look for me now, which is a really nice thing”.

For Paula, tea is more than just a beverage, she sees tea as a ritual of connection, comfort and calm. “You create this little environment, this coziness… I like hot drinks; I like a really hot cup of tea. It’s supposed to be a bit of an event”. She compares the practice to wine, each tea has its own unique aroma, mouthfeel, and mood. “Its very mood based” and intuitive.
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She doesn’t shy away from the challenges, from bad sales days or the unapologetic tea bag drinkers or non-adventurous teetotalers, it’s really the connection to the community and love for the product that keeps her at it day after day. Whether you’re new to loose-leaf or deep into its nuances, Sippin’ Tea is ready to welcome you.