What started out as a back-burner challenge to launch “The Funniest Jewish Tea Gift,” quickly turned into a booming family business known as Mazeltea.
Founder Allan Shulman’s original plan was to create playful tea gifts for friends, family and of course, Bubbe (the Yiddish word for grandmother), but after a soft launch in November of 2021 — resulting in positive feedback from over 500,000 inquiring minds — Shulman realized he was on the verge of a much larger gifting endeavor.
The original prototype was born out of a failed search for the perfect gift for Shulman’s mother-in-law. With nothing unique or personal on the market, he took it upon himself to create his own gift: a tea blend set filled with inside jokes and personalized designs. After receiving dozens of requests from friends and family for something similar, Shulman seized the opportunity to launch a line of teas and products that he had been tinkering with for some time.
The pandemic gave him that time.
Using his knowledge from more than six years in the tea industry, as well as his passion for design and copywriting, Shulman created Mazeltea to stand apart from other tea companies.
The company launched with three main tea blends: Oy Vey, Earl Grey! — Shulman’s personal favorite; Bubbe’s Blend — inspired by his Bubbe’s kompot (a sweet, fruity drink); and Shalom Shlof — a custom sleep-aid blend.
As for the name, Shullman realized early on he had more than a tea product on his hands. “It’s a funny tea gift that celebrates Jewish humor,” he said (of course, with delicious tea) and so he landed on the name Mazeltea.
“Mazel Tov is one of those almost universally known phrases; both Jews and non-Jews use it to wish good luck or congratulations, so it was perfect for a tea brand that would focus on Jewish tea gifts,” he said.
While Mazeltea is a Canadian-based company operating out of Concord, Ontario, the tea itself is sourced from all around the world. Each blend is OU Kosher Certified and is produced alongside a TAC Certified Tea Sommelier. Once an order is placed, the teas are then packed and shipped via the company’s “warehouse mensches” to both national and international locations. These mensches include Shullman himself, his father, and several close friends — putting the “family” in family-owned.
AUTHOR
Sophie Claman has adored all things food since before she can remember. Constantly seeking out the newest issue of Food Network Magazine, she reads up on the latest in cooking/baking techniques, foodie trends and new and thriving restaurants. Even more than trying and learning about food, she loves writing about it. Keep up with her discoveries on Instagram @sophieclaman.
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