Guwahati: ‘ESAH Tea’, a local brew from Assam, is all set to expand its footprint as it ties up with Repose – a well-known bakery franchise brand in the state.

The D2C tea brand, Esah Tea, is set to launch a franchise in collaboration with Repose. Founder and CEO Bijit Sarma, in an exclusive conversation with Business North East, outlined his vision for this venture and invited individuals interested in delving into the world of homegrown bakeries and tea to join the franchise.

“The franchise opportunity, promises to deliver a space as small as 150 sq feet establishment capable of accommodating 10-15 people simultaneously”, he said. “The first-of-a-kind space aims to provide patrons not only with the exquisite taste of Assam tea but also the delectable baked items from Repose.”

Sarma mentioned that these franchises are modular in nature can be easily established relatively comapred to conventional forms.

"For the first month, our team members will be present at the store to assist the owner in familiarizing themselves with the operations”, he explained further.

Esah Tea and Repose have already opened their first joint outlet in Mangaldoi – the store features a diverse range of products where people can savour Esah brews coupled with Repose's impressive repertoire of baked goods. Sarma clarified the models are extendable beyond the current 200 feet size, which has been described as a “micro-version.”

"We wanted to start from Mangaldoi as we have emotional ties with this place. Both organizations began their journey in Mangaldoi," Sarma mentioned.

Following thorough market research, the ESAH Repose store was inaugurated on February 14 near Hotel Lakhi Karima Chowk in the town by Mukul Deka, Chairman of SRD GROUP. The store boasts various Esah Tea offerings, including the popular kulhad tea at Rs 10, masala tea at Rs 20, and organic tea starting from Rs 30 for a 150 ml cup.

"In just four days, the outlet has sold up to 350 cups of tea", Sarma informed BNE.

Founded in 2017, ESAH Tea has grown steadily and sells around 10-15 million cups annually.

Speaking to Business North East, ‘tea-preneur’ Sarma unveiled his vision to launch a hundred franchises over the next 4-5 years. The startup is also gearing up for its next funding round to raise more capital.

Esah Tea's most popular variant, the Assam Gold Chai, continues to be a bestseller, and the company is actively working on enhancing processes to reduce tea prices while maintaining premium quality, added Sarma.

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