Zanda Isaacs - Ting Tang Teas
Inspired by her childhood, KwaZulu Natal born entrepreneur, Zanda Isaacs, has turned her love for tea into a booming business with a range of antioxidant-rich teas.
“When I was young, my mom never believed in using modern medicine to cure our colds and coughs. Instead, she would always make us a pot of tea,” says Zanda. “Every illness you can think of had its own blend, however these were not my cup of tea, so I started creating my own.”
Zanda launched Ting Tang Teas, a range of hand-crafted blends, under the guidance of her mother. The teas are made from a selection of herbs and spices specially combined to cleanse the body and promote weight loss.
The different blends are made from the finest, premium and natural ingredients and contain no chemicals or preservatives. The range promotes wellness with a variety of products including teas, lattes, tonics and, soon, tea capsules.
“One of my greatest challenges has always been to find suppliers who cater to smaller businesses like mine,” explains Zanda. “In the food and packaging market, minimum order quantities for customers are extremely high, making it very difficult for a new entrepreneur to get off their feet and offer competitive pricing to their customers.”
“I identified a gap in the industry and saw an opportunity,” she continues. “Small businesses had no reasonable source form which to purchase, fill and package herbal products with no minimum order quantities. My business now proudly offers teabag filling and packaging services to small businesses to help create a more sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystem.”
Prior to joining the SAB Foundation Tholoana Enterprise Programme in 2019, Zanda was running the business on her own. She now has two employees on board, with the hopes of employing two more staff members by the end of this year. Her annual turnover more than doubled within eight months after graduating from the 18-month programme and she is now a member of the Proudly South Africa initiative.
“My cashflow management has improved and we are now able to fulfill more of our orders,” says Zanda. “We aim to triple our turnover by the end of the year and in the next three years, I envision Ting Tang Teas serving different markets all over the world, while staying true to our South African roots.”
Zanda sees her business developing into a one-stop shop for everything tea-related, from herbal and fruity teas to lattes, iced teas, bubble teas and accessories. “In the near future, I’d also like to open a tea café where patrons can come to unwind and enjoy a freshly brewed cup of tea,” she says.
Her advice for upcoming entrepreneurs is to start with their idea and develop it step-by-step. “The way isn’t always clear, the money isn’t always there and the problems aren’t always solved. However, if you want to move forward, you cannot stand still. With each additional step, the path becomes clearer,” she advises.