CommodiTeas began out of a community desire for tea and teaware that suited the aesthetic and lifestyle of Katrina Anderson’s family members. “All my male family members love drinking tea,” she says. “I had a tough time finding updated classics that fit their palates as foodies. Something that was elevated yet fit with their everyday lives. That, and the fact that I love teaware, was the driving force of my business.”
What began for Anderson as a hobby in 2011, scaled to be a full-service shop in 2018. CommodiTeas started as a catering company that specializes in tea parties. “Guests were able to experience our teas at these private events and the occasional holiday market. Word of mouth carried my business from there,” Anderson reminisces. “I was working full-time and catering these events on the side. I would bump into people who had been at one of the events, and they would ask where I purchased the tea for the party and how they could get some for their home. So, I began offering the tea online, and from there word of mouth continued to carry CommodiTeas further than I ever thought it would go.”
CommodiTeas began out of a community desire for tea and teaware that suited the aesthetic and lifestyle of Katrina Anderson’s family members. “All my male family members love drinking tea,” she says. “I had a tough time finding updated classics that fit their palates as foodies. Something that was elevated yet fit with their everyday lives. That, and the fact that I love teaware, was the driving force of my business.”
When navigating the nonalcoholic beverage landscape, Anderson says to be passionate about what you’re doing. “There are good days, but the tough ones make you question everything. The industry is experiencing so many changes with staffing and sourcing. Because of those tough days, you’ll need something that fuels you more than money. If you’re not passionate about it, wait until you find that passion.”
Knowing your market is another piece of advice that Anderson offers. “Make sure whatever you’re offering is something that people want, especially your target market. Your business can’t exist without them. I’ve noticed that people’s palates have become more sophisticated, so I’ve had to market what makes my products unique. I’ve also had to familiarize myself with social media and how CommodiTeas exists on there, in addition to making sure I drive traffic to my store, online and in person. This is where that passion kicks in again. It’s carried me through every pivot my business has needed to go through and caused people to seek out CommodiTeas. My passion for what I do makes me love it and my customers. It connects them to me through a shared narrative of things we love and makes my product stand out on a shelf where there is an overabundance of options.”
And always – Demand Great Taste.
Katrina Anderson is the owner of CommodiTeas. CommodiTeas supplies premium quality tea and homegoods centered around the experience of tea, from their Corktown shop. You can order online and follow on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
