Wake Up and Smell the Chai with Uppma Virdi aka “Chai Walli”

Vaishali Dar Mar 22, 2018

WHILE SOME of us may not like the idea of relishing a hot cup of tea on a scorching summer afternoon, Uppma Virdi, founder of Chai Walli, surprisingly helped us discover a new attribute to the aroma and flavours of a freshly brewed cup at her very own tea-tasting workshop recently held at the Australian High Commission in Delhi.

From 11-spice black chai, golden chai, caffeine free, English breakfast, jasmine to skin glow, tummy tea and turmeric latte, every sip of the beverage was directed over the cup to sniff the potent aroma and the sense of taste brewed over Virdi’s specialities.

“Tea is therapeutic and an all-season beverage, hence, it is a decent source of health benefits that keep a balance of body, mind and soul. More so, our products are completely natural, Ayurvedic, sugar-free, preservative free, vegan and have caffeine-free options. Like the tummy tea or turmeric latte offers great taste and healing properties,” says Indo-Australian tea maker.

So what started with a passion to share authentic Indian chai blends and high-grade Indian teas grew into an iconic brand ‘Chai Walli’!

The 28-year-old was a practising lawyer until a year ago when she realised the need to share what she learnt as a deep understanding of Indian spices and their Ayurvedic properties from her grandfather, Dr Pritam – a doctor who specialised in Ayurvedic teas and spices and recreated his remedial chai blends for friends and family. She wanted to carry forward the concept as ‘Chai Walli’ the brand that pays tribute to Dr Pritam’s legacy. “Tea is a big part of Indian culture and forms a big part of who I am,” says Virdi, who was born in Chandigarh and raised in Melbourne.

Virdi also provides tea education through her boutique chai workshops and social media marketing, where she equips the industry and customers with the knowledge and skills to understand the art of chai, Ayurveda and Indian teas. As a running business model, Virdi is supporting small business to the values of Chai Walli by sourcing teas directly from small-batch organic tea farms in India.

Currently, Virdi has no plans to open a retail outlet in India, but if time permits she would think about this lucrative market. “I should be able to research more on the market of chai in India, as there are lots to discover, but before that, I want to create more blends, meet hospitality and F&B professionals to look at various opportunities in the food and spa industry,” she says.

The products are available on her website: https://chaiwalli.com.au.