News — Tea Company

Parents never want to see their children in any form of pain. They naturally look for remedies to relieve their kids of their distress and that let a Baltimore father to creating his own tea brand when his son could not consume the ones on the market to treat his ADHD.

Herbal teas are known for their healing properties so when Quentin Vennie’s son, Jayden’s neurologist recommended alternative medication like teas or meditations for his severe ADHD, they quickly jumped unto it.

Little did he know, that his son who has been struggling with concentrating in class would reject the tea option — green tea to be precise — because he did not like how it tasted.

Vennie then put on his thinking cap and formulated a special blend for his son and when he saw how effective the tea was, he decided to turn it into a business venture so others could benefit from the tea.

This cup is no ordinary cup of tea for Jayden because for the first time in his life he was able to complete a whole semester and even make it to the honor roll after he had struggled in school for years.

“I wanted to create something that was more palatable for him, and once I realized that it actually worked for him, I felt it was necessary to make it accessible to the public,” Vennie said.

“For the first time in his life, he’s just finished his sixth grade online first semester and is on the roll of honor,” he added.

Today, the Vennie family are owners of the Greenhouse Tea Company in northwest Baltimore under their already existing brand, Our Human Home. Vennie runs his new company with his wife Erin, and although operations started barely a month ago, the startup has eight different tea blends that have unique health benefits.

The pair saved up to start their tea company and although the current COVID-19 pandemic brought about challenges to the launch, it was a blessing in disguise. It allowed ample time for the teas to be carefully curated to meet the highest of standards and quality.

“The entire process took close to a year to complete. There were a lot of things we didn’t know when we started but we learned along the way,” he said.

“Launching our business during the COVID-19 pandemic wasn’t as challenging as I initially expected, primarily because we use all dry ingredients that are minimally processed and everything is sold online.”

Interestingly, the blend of herbal teas has helped Vennie himself who has struggled with prescription drug addiction for years and anxiety. Other popular people like Tia Mowry and Gwyneth Paltrow also say they love the tea blend.

Netflix’s historical romance series Bridgerton has become the most successful show on the streaming platform’s history, exceeding expectations by gaining more than 80 million views worldwide since its release. The massive popularity of the Shondaland drama, which is set in Regency London, has inspired fans with the characters’ fashion and their love for tea time.

Stephanie Synclair is the founder of LaRue 1680, having created the brand inspired by her own love of Victorian paintings she had seen growing in Alabama. After traveling to various countries in Asia, learning about the different types of tea, she created her own tea rituals at home as a form of self-care.

When the coronavirus pandemic hit nearly a year ago, Synclair noted the spike in sales thanks to more people being at home. Another sales boom came with the Christmas Day 2020 arrival of Bridgerton, whose imagery of tea time inspired many Black fans of the show to flock to her site.

“Perhaps the best effect of us spending more time at home during the pandemic and watching shows like Bridgeton, is that we have experienced a much-needed reminder that we can be fabulous in our own homes, take care of our appearances, get dolled up, and sip tea with our pinky up,” Synclair said in a press statement. 

Their introductory collection features a classic twist on favorites like India Street Vanilla Chai, Italian Cream Earl Grey, Moroccan Mint, Yerba Mate, and Hibiscus.