BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – NATURALLY GOOD! is the tagline of the first-ever local herbal small business company called Essence of Nature, which is currently running a promotion to give away three free tickets to three lucky customers to attend the upcoming, well-anticipated 17th annual St. Kitts Music Festival.
SKNVibes recently had a sit down interview with the company’s Public Relations Director, Eartha Cassius, at the Carambola Beach Club at the South Friars Bay on the South East Peninsula.
She stated that the promotion which began on June 1 is expected to end on June 23.
As gathered, for any purchase of tea packets costing $15, persons are eligible to partake in the promotion by placing their receipts with their name and contact information written on the back of them in the boxes provided at any of RAM’s Supermarkets.
In the interview, Cassius discussed Essence of Nature and its current flavours: “We are a local herbal tea company and, at the moment, we focus on five flavours. These are our inaugural flavours...Lemon Grass, Mint, French Sticky Thyme, Sage, and Basil.
“Even though we have started out with teas, our focus is to encourage healthy living and a healthy lifestyle. So we want people not only to drink teas but share the Essence of Nature experience and share the lifestyle. We officially started on September 1, 2012. So we are looking forward to our first anniversary.”
Cassius disclosed that the tea leaves are sourced from local farmers.
“The best leaves are handpicked. We get our raw material from selected farmers in the Federation. We get raw material from both Nevis and St. Kitts. We select the best leaves. So we’ve selected farmers who we’ve noticed are really paying attention to their crops and we dehydrate these leaves on a weekly basis.”
As gathered, the tea leaves are agro-processed in St. Kitts at the Taiwanese Mission.
“We use the dehydrators at the Taiwanese Mission which has now been handed over to the government for agro-pressers, because this is a part of agro-processing. Some people think of agro-processing just for something sweet but this is a part of agro-processing.”
Cassius went on to speak about the benefits of using the tea leaves in the form of a tea bag.
“When you dry the leaves the beverage actually becomes more potent. It is actually stronger; it brings out the flavour. Locally, usually everyone is known to go outside to pick a piece of Lemon Grass or whatever tea bush they have in their backyards and they make the good ole bush tea. We realise that that’s only good for one or two servings, but, actually, with a tea bag you can actually taste the flavor and as the tea is stronger its antioxidant properties are more prevalent”
She explained that Essence of Nature’s goods could be bought at all RAM’s Supermarkets in the Federation. That is, the Bird Rock and Bay Road branches and at the Stoney Grove location in Nevis, and at Smoke N’ Booze on Port Zante.
Notably, Carambola Beach Club has been serving the Naturally Good! hot beverages at its restaurant since New Year’s Day.
“At the moment, we are only served here at Carambola…that has been quite an inspiration for us. It actually started serving on New Year’s as part of the New Year’s breakfast. This is where our first tea was officially served, and before that we had done many tea tastings in RAM’s Supermarket at Bird Rock.”
Last year, the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank sponsored a Business Entrepreneurship Course and participants were divided into groups.
Essence of Nature, which was in group three, had its official launch with a tea stall that allowed members of the public to sample its products.
“In 2012 we did a Business Entrepreneurship Course with the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank and this was how the idea was brought to us. During the course, the class was split up into three groups and each of us had to show how to make herbal tea products, and we were lucky enough to select RAM’s Supermarket.”
Cassius, on behalf of herself and business partners of Essence of Nature, extends thanks to the ECCB for the course.
She explained that at the end of the course the group that presented the best idea, which highlighted the business plan, stability aspect and its market presence, would win a grant.
Successfully, Essence of Nature was the overall winner and received a grant of EC$15 000, which was sponsored by ECCB, 4Cs Caribbean Credit Card Corporation Limited and the Sugar Investment Diversification Fund (SIDF).
She pointed out that “during the courses we had mentors and we still have mentors working with us throughout our first year, which contributes to the success of our product”.
Cassius also thanked RAM’s Trading Company Ltd. for its unwavering support and also Carambola Beach Club.
“RAM’s Ltd. has been on this journey with us. They are always available to speak with us and share our ideas. They try to guide us in the right way, so we owe them a lot in terms of their support. They have really made themselves available to us.”
She added: “Carambola Beach Club was the icing on the cake…to have our teas at such an exquisite restaurant was the best New Year’s present for us.”
Interested persons should note that they can be part of the Essence of Nature experience by sampling their ‘tastea teas’ at RAM’s Bay Road this Saturday (Jun. 22) at RAM’s Supermarket on the Bay Road from 8:00 a.m. to 12 noon.
The promotion however ends on Sunday (Jun. 23); so this is the last chance to get your name in the box.
Cassius stated that the Naturally Good! experience would continue at Smoke N’ Booze on Port Zante on Friday (Jun. 28) and “customers can learn how to make their own iced teas with our flavours and what products they can add for a healthy and ‘tastea’ iced beverage”.
The 17th Annual St. Kitts Music Festival takes place at Warner Park Stadium from June 27 to 29.
Thursday - The Small Axe Band, Nu Vybes Band International, Grand Masters Band, Kore Band, Fay-Ann Lyons, Super Blue and Bunji Garlin.
Friday - Dejour, Dagah, Charles Emmanuel, Christopher Martin, Konshens, Shaggy and Beres Hammond.
Saturday - Cayon Pantastics, Andy Narell featuring Relator, Etienne Charles and Lionel Richie.
For information on Essence of Nature, you can visit: https://www.facebook.com/essenceofnature.
