Ditshego Sedikela talks about her favourite tea blends with the same enthusiasm that a star-struck teenager would discuss the finer points of Harry Styles. Taste her Tlou Tea, and you’ll understand why.
Ditshego remembers how, as a child, she was the only tea drinker in the family – so it was up to her to add tea to the shopping list and make a teapot for visitors. “I couldn’t wait to be old enough to boil the kettle by myself!” she remembers.
Even so, she never imagined making a living out of the leaf. Coming from a line of business people, she saw her future in the business world, studying economics, philosophy and politics at UCT so that she could deepen her understanding of how business affects the economy and vice versa.
“I had a clear plan after graduation,” Ditshego says. “I intended to work at my first job, at Investec for three years so that I could get a feel of what it was like to have an employer and be in business – and from there, I’d hopefully be able to strike out on my own.” But, although she set up several side startups, such as a hair product business and an events management company with her sister, Ditshego’s ultimate aspiration remained elusive. Three years came and went, and the biggest change she made was to switch employers.
It was this new position that put her on the road to becoming a master tea brewer, however, as it involved a lot of travel to destinations like Asia and Europe … countries where the tea culture was far more evolved than the milk and sugar-filled mugs South Africans usually served. Back then, says Ditshego, South Africa’s tea scene was all about black tea, rooibos or, if you were very adventurous, honeybush. “It was heaven to be able to try all of these different blends. I got into the habit of buying different teas every time I went to a new country and soon, my friends started buying me gifts of tea every time they went overseas, too!” Ditshego remembers a girls’ trip to Hong Kong, where her sister splurged on shoes while she browsed tea shops. “She thought I was mad!” Ditshego laughs.
Her fascination with tea shops eventually led her to the Tea Merchant, a specialist tea store in Bryanston. Ditshego spent just as much time talking to the customers as the sales people, quizzing them about their favourite blends and discussing their personal tea rituals. Eventually, she plucked up the courage to ask for the owners’ details, so that she could ask them about a potential partnership. After several long talks, in April 2014 she became the proud co-owner of a store in Clearwater Mall. By the end of the year, she had established something of an empire, with additional stores in Cresta Shopping Centre, Dainfern Square, Fourways Mall and Woodlands Boulevard.
But, as much as she loved being part of the group, Ditshego was slowly developing the dream of creating her own brand. She got so far as creating a logo and conceptualising the range – and then Covid-19 hit. This stumbling block was followed by another when she found that none of the tea farms she consulted were interested in producing small batch orders. “But,” she says, “the delay in launching the brand was a blessing in disguise. Tea tastes changed so much during the pandemic, and the direction I’d been focusing on wasn’t quite right.”
She put the business on hold once more the following year when she gave birth to her third child, and then lost her father. “I didn’t have the energy to do anything more than get through the year,” she admits. But, although she was kept busy with the agro-entrepreneurship business she had set up, her “tea dream”, as she calls it, never quite left her mind. “I was still receiving tea as gifts, I was still experimenting with different spices and herbs when I made my own blends at home, I was still invited to taste tea menus. It was still so much a part of my life”. So much so, in fact, that she immersed herself in a course to become a certified tea specialist with The World Tea Academy.
It’s not surprising, then, that when a friend introduced her to a local tea blender, her tea dream was reignited. She explained her vision of creating a tea that speaks to today’s wellness culture with the blender, and worked alongside her to add a mix of spices, herbs and adaptogens that is completely different from anything else available on the market.
Having developed a long list of 30 samples, Ditshego launched the first six Tlou Tea varieties in November 2022. The range kicks off with African Earl Grey – a brew that stands out for its intense aromatic properties and which contains reishi mushroom extracts and Serbian Ginseng to create a zingy pick-me-up. Then there’s Tropical Green – a sencha green tea blend with mango and coconut to remove any hint of bitterness and create tropical warmth; and rooibos, with a twist on the classic flavour thanks to the addition of pear and sage, as well as astragalus root to enhance the tea’s wellness properties. Delicious Berries is the perfect base for a refreshing ice tea, containing berries and hibiscus. Finally, Sweet Dreams is the ideal bedtime drink, with ashwagandha powder, lavender, spearmint, valerian root, blue butterpea flower and chamomile to help you welcome those Zzz’s.
Apart from their delicious flavours and wellness-enhancing properties, Tlou Teas stand out because every single aspect – even the packaging and design of the boxes – has been executed by a team of local female makers. And, with all leaves contained within a silk pouch, the brand has an unmissable air of luxury.
So, what’s next for Tlou Tea? “I have several new products in the pipeline,” Ditshego reveals excitedly. She’s preparing some winter-warmer blends, as well as Tlou Tea’s kiddies’ range, blended to appeal to children’s palates, which hits the shelves this month. Three varieties are available in this range … to aid digestion, boost immunity and encourage sleep. Ditshego will also be cultivating a strong presence at markets, so that shoppers can experience the tea first hand. “I want to personally introduce the different blends to customers and share the story behind the brand. It’s thrilling – I really am at my happiest when educating people about tea.” Details: tloutea.co.za
Ditshego’s tips for a perfect cuppa
“We always advise people to choose their tea according to the mood they’re hoping to cultivate. For example, if you want to lift and restore, choose an energising blend.” Create your own morning ritual to get maximum enjoyment out of your drink. “I can drink tea at any time, whatever the weather, but I find it’s even more delicious when it’s accompanied by a little treat. A pastry is ideal,” Ditshego says.
Text: LISA WITEPSKI • Photographer: NICOLE MOORE. Details: nicolemoorephotography.co.za • Make-up: BK MUA. Details: @bk_makeupartist on Insta. • Location: CAVIAR CORNER. Details: @caviar_corner on Insta
