Let's tell you how they switched to biscuit cups- and why this is a progressive idea!
Serving Tea With Dash Of History
Vivek, the present owner of the RS Pathy Nilgiri Tea kiosk, Mr. Vivek claims that they sell around 500 biscuit cups every day. Started in the year 1990, the first generation manufactured ayurvedic products such as balms and oils. However Vivek wanted to do things differently, he decided to expand his products and customer base and the RS Pathy Nilgiri Tea powder was one of its many new products.He said- "Our business was already dependent on farms in Ooty and Kodaikanal for eucalyptus oil, and other medicinal herbs. So, I leased some more land in Ooty and hired experts to grow our special brand of tea leaves.”
At first, he decided to sell tea leaves off his Ayurveda shop but when it gained popularity, he ventured out into opening a kiosk with tea and snacks.
Opting for Eco-friendly Choices
A ban on plastic led Vivek to look for an alternative solution for his services to be eco-friendly, low-cost, hygienic, and user-friendly. Since small kiosks and tea stalls were majorly hit by the initiative, many opted for steel but Vivek decided to look-out for a better and low maintenance alternative.“We did not choose steel-cups, as they would need some maintenance. Then, I recalled beverages were sold in clay cups (kulhads) across North India, so I approached a local potter to make the cups. I named the tea sold in these clay cups as ‘Tandoor Tea’ and began to sell that to my customers, ” he mentions.
Biscuit Cups- The Better Alternative
Later, in March 2020, he had an encounter with Edco India's wafer-based products like ice cream cones and more. The innovative manufacturers had launched a new product — biscuit cups.
After a few trials, Vivek placed an order with them and the response of biscuit cups with tea served tastefully in them turned out to be a massive HIT!
Wondering how the wafer cups survive in transit and delivery? Well, the owner of Edco- Rohan Panmani said " We have created a special trial and tested method to ensure the cups do not break during transit".
First Hand Review
While the locals and passers-by have appreciated the idea of relishing the cup along with the tea in it, a few travel vloggers residing in Madurai said-"We were already fond of the tandoor tea served in that kiosk, when we heard that they introduced eco-friendly edible cups, we were more than excited to visit it. It was a crisp biscuit that was delightful to have along with tea. Apart from being tasty, it is also an innovative concept to launch in a city like Madurai."
So in Madurai, you can have the cup and drink the tea, too! Doesn't this idea sound amusing to you?
Let us know your views on the biscuit cup in the comments below!