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Newcastle loose leaf tea startup expands with new chocolate range

Easy Teasy, a North East-based loose leaf tea company, has expanded its offering with the launch of a tea-infused chocolate product range.

Set up in 2014 by former Northumbria University students Harry Marshall, Luci Cowie and Tom Webb, the trio are celebrating a successful year in business after more than tripling their loose leaf tea offering.

Created by blending the tea leaves finely and then stirring into white, milk or dark chocolate, the range of chocolate is now available online in six difference flavours which replicate the company’s most popular tea blends; Christmas Spice, Cloud Catcher, Orange Blossom Oolong, Summer Sencha, Earl Grey and Chai.

Originally formed as part of a university module designed to give students a real world experience of running a company, the start-up triumphed in local and regional heats in the Young Enterprise Start-up programme, before going on to win Best Investment Proposal and Best Trade Stand awards at the national final in Manchester.

Since becoming a limited company in July, the luxury brew specialist, based in central Newcastle, have delved into the new market of tea infused chocolate following a partnership with local chocolatiers The Chocolate Smiths.

Managing director, Harry Marshall, has seen the venture go from strength to strength and has relished taking the business into its next phase of development.

He said: “Starting out with a range of just six teas, the idea of the business was to change the perception that loose leaf tea is messy or inconvenient. A year on, we have 20 different flavours on offer as well as a range of teapots and strainers and we’ve had fantastic support of the North East business community.”

Speaking of the impetus behind the recent expansion of tea infused chocolate, Harry added: “We figured you can’t go wrong - everyone loves tea, everyone loves chocolate, it’s a win-win situation.

“All six chocolates have a unique flavour and there is something really quite unique and fresh about mixing the rich flavours of chocolate with the delicate notes of green, black and oolong tea.

“I’ve always had complete faith that Easy Teasy was a sustainable business and we have some exciting future plans to expand the business while continuing to deliver a unique range of products to our customers.”

Easy Teasy is now wholesaling loose tea to cafes and delis across the North East, including Brew Bar on Newcastle Quayside, ‘Whosit & Whatsit’ and the Café and Community Rooms, ‘The Nest’ in Low Fell, Gateshead.

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