From The Original Chai To Wellness Variants, Dorje Unveils Many Faces Of the Darjeeling Brew

The Origin Story

Out of India’s 10K tea gardens, there are 74 dotting Darjeeling, the fabled hill station. But the Covid-19 pandemic saw the closure of many as these are heavily dependent on exports. The 150-year-old Selim Hill tea garden did not suffer the same fate as Sparsh Agarwal (along with childhood friend and i-banker Ishaan Kanoria) revived the tea estate and launched the ‘wellness’ tea brand Dorje Teas in 2021. Its traditional Darjeeling blacks and speciality inventories are retailed on its website, via ecommerce and quick-commerce platforms, and through offline distribution. The brand raised INR 30 Lakh from Shark Tank India 2.0, recorded INR 1.3 Cr revenue in FY23 and reached a monthly recurring revenue (MRR) of INR 30 Lakh in the current financial year.  

The Differentiator

Dorje offers single-origin, organic (certified by the USDA and Rainforest Alliance) and farm-fresh black, green and herbal teas, which means chemical-free brews and minimal handling to retain look, freshness and taste. As for the roasted Darjeeling black, its primary produce leaves (PPL) sets the brand apart from the standard CTC (crush tear curl) breed. Additionally, long fibre retention, a light cut and slow fermentation give the teas extra flavour and depth. Dorje’s extensive wellness range helps improve digestion, sleep and weight issues. Its flagship products are roasted Darjeeling tea, chamomile tea and Original Chai (CTC Doodh Chai). The brand also offers a ‘Make Your Own Blend’ service on its website, where tea lovers can create their unique blends by choosing different tea flavours.

What’s Next

In 2024, the brand will launch a new range of dessert teas and introduce loose-leaf pyramid tea bags. By 2025, Dorje aims to set up an experiential store, start tea tours at the estate and enter global markets.