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Online tea brand Vahdam Teas has secured $650K from angel investors Mumbai Angels Network, Fireside Ventures, and Singapore Angel Network.
The company will deploy the raised funds towards marketing, product development, and opening a warehouse in the US. It currently claims to have shipped its garden fresh tea to more than 76 countries.
Launched in 2015 by Bala Sarda, it is a vertically-integrated, online-first tea brand. As per an official statement, all Vahdam teas are procured directly from plantations and tea growers within 24-72 hours of production and are shipped directly from their sources in India.
Commenting on the investment, Balvinder Kalsi, member, Mumbai Angels Network said, “India is the second-largest producer of tea globally. Yet, we do not have a truly Indian tea brand selling quality teas in the global markets. We are very excited about what Vahdam has been able to accomplish till now and the large market opportunity in the key overseas markets. Bala with his industry experience has a great opportunity in this space.”
The company also aims to empower farmers by eliminating the middlemen and ensuring a direct and fair trade with them. It sources garden fresh teas directly from over 150+ tea plantations & door delivers to consumers across the world.
In January 2016, Ratan Tata invested an undisclosed amount of funding in Teabox, an online startup that sells premium teas. In June 2016, it raised an undisclosed amount of funding from Cameron Jones, a Singapore-based angel investor. In February Delhi-based Indulge Beverages, maker of premium tea and coffee capsules under brand Bonhomia, raised $1 Mn in angel funding from HNIs led by Alok Rawat, President of FG Wilson.
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