In The News
We’ve always had confidence in our superior range of teas. Between their invigorating flavours and proven health benefits, we knew it wouldn’t take long before the word on Green Tea began to spread.
From The United Kingdom’s Daily Telegraph through to reports in the Daily Mail, a range of impressive facts and statistics are proving what the Choi family have always known and embraced about the benefits of Green Teas.
PRESS ENQUIRIES: Call 0845 05 33269 or email Melissa Choi here
Read about us
Choi Time Video
We welcome you to take a moment to view our short company video. It will give you a good overview on Choi Time, the products we sell and our company ethos. Best wishes, Melissa
LBC Radio
Audio is included on our website with the permission of LBC 97.3 which broadcasts in Greater London on 97.3 FM and across the UK on DAB digital radio and online at lbc.co.uk
London Radio Company
With permission from TLRC Syndicate. TLRC is syndicated out to stations in the TLRC network, which owns over 20 stations.
The Hill
Melissa Choi is changing the world, one sip at a time. "I've converted hardcore coffee drinkers to this!" she exclaims, gesturing to a pot of amber-hued liquid containing an eruption of thin green leaves she is sharing with me. We're in Melissa's Maida Vale flat where a pile of brownies, cakes, china cups ans saucers, as well as a splash of late afternoon sun indicate that it must be tea time.
For Melissa, however, I soon discover that teatime lasts more or less all day. "I've probably already had a litre and a half," she admits as we sit down at 3pm. "I drink so much!" This considerable daily consuption isn't doing her any harm; she is after all the importer of what is considered some of the finest Chinese tea available in Britain. The jasmine pearls she pours into my cup won three gold stars at the Great Taste Awards the last two years in a row, and the Sunday Times described it as "the Dom Perignon of the tea world".
Wallpaper
The fragrant bulbs, pearls and leaves of ChoiTime teas make for fabulous perfumed refreshment, but for Hong Kong-born Melissa Choi they are, more importantly, the secret to her clear-toned skin, steady weight and generally healthy constitution.
The teas are made from white needle green tea, and are naturally scented and hand-woven with exotic flowers. We're drinking ten cups a day.
Sunday Times Style
For a truly exotic experience, Choi Time's jasmine-scented green tea is the Dom Perignon of the tea world: it comes studded with dried flowers that open slowly in the cup; alternatively, the tea is rolled into ‘pearls’ to produce a fragrant brew.
Be warned: you won't want to go back to Tetley.
Telegraph Magazine
Forget bitter after-tastes. Melissa Choi wants to infuse the nation with the sweetness of her jasmine-scented green tea.
ES Magazine
Tea specialist Melissa Choi has created a range of beautifully presented green teas, Choi Time, which would make perfect gifts for health conscious people.
Damask rose, thousand year red flowers and jasmine pearls are just some of the choices and not only is every tea delicious but each one is high in antioxidents to help give you beautiful skin and improve your general health.
Taste Notes
Few teas have the glamour of Choi Time's range. The teas look as good as they taste - the damask rose is composed of tiny, pink rose buds, while the ingredients of the exotic mixed flowers and jasmine pearls blends slowly unfurl in hot water; the jasmine pearls blend won three Gold Stars at the Great Taste Awards in 2007 and 2008.
Daily Mail
TREAT your guests to the ultimate tea experience with this great herbal tea product, ChoiTime. The bud unfurls in hot water to produce a beautiful, delicate-looking flower and a great tasting tea with tantalisingly delicious flavours. There are also health and beauty benefits, with the tea acting as a detox agent, as well as being great for the complexion. Flavours include damask rose tea, jasmine pearls and exotic mixed flowers, available in weights from 25g to 100g. A must have for your kitchen and your handbag.
Real Business Article
Banks back luxury tea enterprise
by Kate Pritchard - Friday, 21st November 2008
Melissa Choi, the 34-year-old entrepreneur behind luxury green tea firm Choi Time, is one of just two local companies to secure a Small Firms Loan Guarantee from her NatWest bank manager this year.
Hong Kong-born Choi says she was brought up in a tea-drinking family. “My father is Chinese and is one of nine siblings – so family tea-ceremonies were a big part of my childhood,” she says.
She attended boarding school in Australia then backpacked her way around the world. “I arrived in London in 1999 and fell in love with it. I never left!” The Asian entrepreneur set up Choi Time in March 2005, packaging tea from China and selling it online via a site she designed using Moonfruit. She gave up her full-time job in PR 18 months ago to plough all her energy (and £35k in savings) into Choi Time.
Turnover for this year is a predicted £50k – but Choi knew she’d need to inject more cash into the business to rocketfuel growth. She spent six months fine-tuning her business plan and, in August, secured a £53k Small Firms Loan Guarantee from Natwest. “My bank manager also gave me an overdraft facility of £1k and a credit card with a £5k limit,” she says.
Choi already sells her tea in Harrods Food Hall, the Natural History Museum and small, independent delicatessens and farm shops but will use the extra cash to attend more trade shows (costing £1k a pop) and increase brand awareness. “Sales will jump a predicted 30 per cent next year,” she says.
Related articles:
Entrepreneurs mull over SFLG measures in Budget
Crunch time for small business loans
All the tea in China
Health & Fitness
It's romantic, calming and beautiful on the eye, not to mention deliciously good for you. We love Choi Time's new caffeine-free Antique Rose Tea (£17.02 for 45g), with whole rose buds and a lovely smokey aroma.
Renowened in China as a natural relaxation tonic, rose tea contains vitamins A, B, C, E and K, and is said to boost circulation.
Drop six to 10 rosebuds in your teapot, and add boiling water, and leave to brew for two to five minutes.
Call 0845 0533 269 or visit www.choitime.com
Cosmopolitan Brides
TEA BREAK
Damask Rose tea makes skin glow and relieves stress.
£14 for 30g Choi Time (www.choitime.com)
Womens Fitness
To help your body with the excesses of Christmas, try Choi Time's Damask Rose Tea. Rose tea is known for helping to acheive a flawless complexion and easing anxiety.
London Lite
Must... go to a free tea tasting tonight.
POSH chinese herbal tea brand Choi Time promises to help you detox, lose weight, and clear up your skin, Plus its a great hangover cure.
Get along to Harrods tonight where founder, Melissa Choi, is doing a free tasting. See www.choitime.com
Roses
Coming Up Roses.
Bring roses into your home to create a summer haven. Their shape, soft colours and heavenly fragrance will lift the mood.
Roses are often seen as the queen of all flowers. There are so many ways to bring them into your home, from fragrant fresh blooms and sweet smelling candles that evoke a nostalgic mood, to damask rose tea - the perfect way to calm the mind and body.
Red
'The first time I sold a box of tea was exhilarating'
MELISSA CHOI, 32, launched choitime.com, a website that sells Chinese tea, in 2005. She's based in London.
Jasmine tea has always been a huge part of my life. I grew up in Hong Kong, where my Chinese grandmother taught me that not only is tea delicious, but it's also good for the skin and health, and helps keep you slim. Since moving to London 1999, I've been bringing back small amounts of tea from my visits to China and serving it to friends in gorgeous cups, with the ritual and respect we gave our daily tea ceremonies growing up.
My friends couldn't get enough of the small, delicate tasting flowers that open up in water so, in 2005, I decided to experiment by bringing back 100 pots of tea. I sold the lot in just half an hour after sending a chain email to friends. I was working full-time in marketing at the time, so I started selling the tea as a sideline, setting up an office in my spare room. Just £70 later (£20 for the domaon name and £50 for an idiot-proof software package called Moonfruit, that enable you to build your own website from scratch, with zero technical knowledge), I had a website: choitime.com.
I had to learn about the nuts and bolts of online-selling, and getting my head around the process of importing and selling the tea was really challenging. Luckily, I came accross a fantastic course about importing into the UK at London's Portobello Business Centre - theres also a great start-your-own-business course there, which I wish I'd known about before I started mine. As the website began to grow, I cut back my day job to three days a week, leaving me two days to concentrate on my business. I didn't go full-time until June 2006, by which point I had 1,500 online customers. I've now got over 2000.
Choitime.com is a family affair - my father does all the negotiating with my Chinese suppliers, as I dont speak either Mandarin or Cantonese well enough. My Stepmother, Fiona, who grew up in the province where I source my tea, helps me choose the teas from her friends' fields, while other family members ensure the tea meets my high standards, so that only the highest-quality tea leaves are used. In China, tea is like wine - quality varies hugely, depending on crop, region and harvesting practises, so I'm not sure where I'd bewithout my family's insider knowledge.
The first time I sold a box was exhilarating, but it has been a struggle to get my teas out there. I didn't have a budget for advertising, so have had to rely on word of mouth, organising evenings selling to friends, and e-newsletters. Although, initially, I funded my business from my own savings, I'm now looking for funding so we can grow.
I have to admit, I've made some very expensive mistakes. For example, trademarking my brand ended up costing well over £10,000, which really ate into my savings and profits. Apparantly, you can register it for free online, but I didn't know that and naively went through a lawyer without getting any other quotes. It's certainly taught me that, when it's your own money you're spending, theres no rushing into things.
When it occaisionally gets tough, I do wish I had an easier life, but then I'll suddenly have a run of sales. Or I'll get positive feedback from a customer - one woman told me that my tea had revolutionised her life and she'd managed to lose a stone and a half simply by drinking a few cups daily.
At times like that it all seems worthwhile.
Food & Drink News
DETOX TEA
Choi Time has beautifully packaged teas that act as a natural detox: drinking three or more cups a day will burn over 70 calories! Our fave?
The damask Rose tea, made from minature rose buds which are sourced from the Fujian province, a rich tea growing area in China. This is a light, delicate and fragrant frink that is completely caffeine free. It will boost circulation, give your skin a healthy glow and nourish your organs inside and out.
It's priced from £5). For stockists, go to www.choitime.com or call 0845 0533 269
Red
Winter Energy Drink
Damask Rose Tea is the latest ragrant offering from Choi Time, who treat tea with the same importance as good wine. Not only will it boost circulation during the chilly months, it looks as pretty as a glass of claret.
The London Paper
The results are in for the Great Taste Awards, the foodie world's equivalent to the Oscrs. The Guild of Fine Food's judges blind-tasted nearly 5,000 products before a handful scooped the presitigious gold stars. Here, Tom Moggach reveals his pick of the best..
Jasmine Pearl Tea
A cup of this deliciously aromatic green tea will last all day. Just top up the leaveswith hot water. It's infused with thousands of jasmine flowers.
Click here to listen to The London Radio Company's interview with Melissa Choi.
Vogue
These delightful green teas are made with flower buds that blossom beautifully in your cup on contact with hotwater. Choitime Chinese Tea at Choitime.com.
Sky Magazine
Gwyneth Paltrow stays slim and toned by sipping green tea throughout the day - and it's Lindsay Lohan's bevvy of choice, too. It's rich in antioxidants that keep skin clear.
We love the prettily packaged green teas from choitime.com, which 'blossom' when you add hot water.
Metro
Latest research suggests snake venom and and shark eggs could be among the ingredients in future anti-aging skincare products, but you have all you need in your kitchen cupboard.
Staying hydrated from the inside keeps skin supple, plump, and can even banish fine lines. For maximum effect, ditch dehydrating coffee for white and green teas, which have been used in China and Japan for centuries as an elixir for immortality.
Scientific studies have shown the antioxident polyphenols in these teas are anti-viral, anti-cancer and support the digestive system, leaving skin rejuvenated.
Try .. Choi Time Tea Jasmine Pearls (£7.50, www.choitime.com) to help iron out your wrinkles from the inside.
The Guardian
Pour hot water on these Chinese tea parls and they turn into things of beauty, unfurling into an oversized flower, floating at the bottom of your cup like an underwater garden. Tea as spectacle.
Reuse throughout the day: just keep adding hot water.
Prima
"I've always looked years younger than my actual age, and I put this down to drinking green tea since I can remember. I was brought up in Hong Kong in a Chinese family, and tea is such a huge part of the culture. I remember my aunties telling me to drink up as it would make me thin and keep me young.
I was sent to school in Australia and then moved to Britain, and green tea is the one thing I have never given up. I moved here about seven years ago and I soon got my UK friends hooked on it too. Everytime I went back to Hong Kong, I was inundated with requests to bring some tea back, as it tastes so much better than the stuff you get here. Thats what gave me the idea to start my own business selling green tea 'bulbs', which are a dried flower with tea leaves wrapped around. The buld opens up when you pour boiling water over it, revealing a flower in the bottom of your tea. Its beautiful to watch, and amazing to taste.
I drink about 10 pints of green tea per day. Its full of antioxidents that clear your system and give you a detox. I'm sure that is why my skin is clear and I remain so healthy. I have hardly any lines on my face, which is amazing considering I smoked heavily until two years ago and my diet is terrible - I eat so much chocolate and junk food. I used to hate looking young, but now I am in my thirties, I love it.
Spirit and Destiny
Ancient Chinese wisdom says jasmine tea can keep skin smooth and help you stay slim. Reap its benefits with these beautiful teas, which contain rolled flowers that blossom on contact with hot water.
Red
For maximum antioxidant punch, studies say we should drink three or more cups of green tea a day. Melissa Choi from Thoime, says their teas come from rich tea-growing Chinese provinces, hence the delicate taste. Place a dried tea flower in a cup, add water and watch it open. One flower makes up to five cups.
Red
Tea Ceremony
Delicate flavours and sophisticated China make for the perfect afternoon, says interiors director Mary Norden.
InStyle
Choi Time Chinese tea comes in pretty coloured tins and some rather unusual varieties. Try the dried chrysanthemum flowers - regally sipped on screen by our cover girl in Marie Antoinette.
Metro
More exotica can be found at www.choitime.com - superior, white-needle green teas hand-woven with flowers. As you add hot water, the flowers 'bloom' like a cross between a posy and something from the film Alien. This curious brew - drink it in glass teacups for the full effect - is perfumed, refreshing and thought to keep your skin looking dewy and youthful.
Drinking it drew far more intrigued comments than any number of howlingly expensive designer bags.
Now, that's what I call an accessory.
The Beauty Pages
I'm a true believer that beauty comes from the inside and have always been a fan of antioxidant teas.
1. Choi Time.
I've just discovered a new range of green teas from Choi Time and have fallen in love with their flowering Damask Rose tea (from £6). It looks beautiful, tastes delicious, and will make a gorgeous gift for someone special (if you can bear to part from it). www.choitime.com.
Woman
Choi Time's Green Tea is the perfect slimming detox. Three cups a day equates to burning 70 cals. www.choitime.com
Guardian Online
TOP TIPPLE
If you're making a last-ditch attempt to 'detox' before the Christmas parties get underway in earnest, try sipping Choi Time's green tea. Varieties include thousand year red flower and jasmine pearl, and are packaged loose in beautiful tins. Their gift sets would make a lovely present, too. They may not protect you from the onslaught of alcohol to come, but they're worth drinking all the same.
Natural Born Shopper
Fancy a cuppa?
If you're looking for a Christmas gift for someone who loves a good cup of tea, then try Choi Time - in particular, Choi Time Damask Rose Tea.
Not only is Choi Time a beautifully packaged gift, Rose tea is also revered by the Chinese as being a tonic for both health and skin. So if you know someone stressed with all the mayhem Christmas brings, or someone in pursuit of a perfect complexion, Choi Time Damask Rose Tea is available online from www.choitime.com. 20g - £10 or 10g - £6.00
Arts London
An indulgent gift
by Holly Fraser on 03rd of December 2008
Choi Time
If all the chocolate munching proves too much, there's a different kind of treat for you. Choi Time teas are the perfect stocking filler, and are also full of antioxidants that aid beautiful skin and slimming. They even help cure hangovers and come in a range of tasty flavours.