Yello Interviews: Salim Browne and Ashanta Tonge, Founders of King Tess Tea
by Karen Rollins Apr 3, 2022
Antiguans Salim Browne and Ashanta Tonge started their small business, King Tess Enterprise, simply because they love tea.
The couple, who named their brand after their children, started producing and packaging their own hot beverages in 2017 after identifying a gap in the market for homegrown Caribbean teas.
Now they offer five different flavours and have plans to expand their product range and export it overseas.
Yello asked Salim to tell us more about their growing business.
Describe yourselves using three words.
Ambitious. Hardworking. Proactive.
Please tell us a bit about your backgrounds.
We were both born in Antigua but grew up in different parts of the island. I am a town boy from Bishop Gate Street, St Johns and Ashanta is a country girl from Swetes Village.
Ashanta went to the Irene B. Williams Primary School then moved on to the All Saints Secondary School. I went to Sunnydale Primary School, then moved on to Princess Margaret Secondary School. We both attended the Antigua State College.
Ashanta went on to the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill campus in Barbados, where she studied for a double major in accounting and finance. I did my first degree with Ashworth College in business management.
Where are you currently employed?
We are both civil servants working in the Ministry of Finance. I’m a customs officer, and Ashanta is a programme monitoring officer in the Inland Revenue Department.
Our business ‘King Tess Enterprise’ is our side hustle.
When / why did you start King Tess Enterprise?
We decided to get into the business of producing teas in 2017 because we are both tea drinkers, and we saw a market that we could tap into.
Where did the name King Tess come from?
King Tess came from the names of our children King and Tessanne.
Tell us more about the teas you have available and how they are produced.
We currently produce a total of five teas – lemongrass, ginger, peppermint, Antigua Blend and Green Tea.
Most of our teas are locally grown except for the Green Tea which is imported. Our teas are picked, cleaned, dried, and then ground, before the final product is packaged.
What is the biggest challenge you faced starting the business?
Our biggest challenge at the beginning was start-up capital.
We tried financial institutions, but that was not successful since this is such a new business, but we did not let that deter us from our goal to move King Tess Enterprise from a thought to reality.
We moved forward with getting all our paperwork in order, so we could get our business registered. We used our own money to make it happen.
Who is your typical customer? How can they find your products?
King Tess teas are for tea drinkers of all ages.
Our teas can be purchased at our main ports of entry. We also distribute to some of the major supermarkets on the island.
What are your plans for the business over the next 12-18 months?
We are currently planning to bring two new flavours on board which will be very nice and exciting. We are also working on exporting our teas to overseas markets.
Which local, regional, or international businesses or individuals do you admire?
The Prime Minister of Finland, Sanna Marin, is a person that we both admire dearly, and hold in high esteem, for the way in which she governs her country and has it going in a positive direction so far.
What do you love about Antigua?
Our summer festival is the best, and we look forward for it every year.
What do you do / where do you go on your days off to relax?
Our children enjoy the beach, so we try to go there most Sundays. It’s also a place we enjoy and where we can relax and rejuvenate for the upcoming week.
What is your philosophy in life?
“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power of love and of self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7).
If you could go back in time and talk to your teenage selves – what would you say?
Work harder at a younger age to achieve more and save more!
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King Tess teas can be found in Antigua at the following locations:
- First Choice Foods.
- Epicurean Fine Foods – Friars Hill Road & Jolly Harbour.
- Chase Supermarket.
- XPZ Supermarket.
- The Tailor’s Daughter – Airport Departure Lounge.
- Authentic Antigua – Heritage Quay.
- Zemi Bush House – Redcliff Quay.
For the latest information on King Tess Enterprise, go to Instagram / Facebook.