Gryphon Tea Company
Background
Founder
Gryphon Tea Company is a tea wholesaler founded and headquartered in Singapore. It was started in 2006 by Mr Lim Tian Wee, a fourth generation tea blender and tea lover.[1][2]
Mr Lim’s interest in sparking tea appreciation in Singapore started from a young age, when he used to help out in the family tea business, Lim Lam Thye Pte Ltd, by opening wooden tea chests and blending tea with shovels in the warehouse, earning S$5 a day in doing so.[3][4]
Origins
Gryphon Tea Company stems from Lim Lam Thye Pte Ltd, a family-owned business in Singapore that has been in operation for over 100 years.[2] Seeing as there was a demand for quality Chinese teas, Lim Lam Thye Pte Ltd opened in 1918, and became one of Singapore’s largest tea importers by 1976.[5]
In 2006, Mr Lim borrowed $2,500 from this father to start the company as a subsidiary of the family business.[4]
Products
Gryphon Tea Company has over 200 teas in its product range and these can be split into three categories - Loose Leaf, Sachet and Ready-To-Drink.[6]
Some of Gryphon Tea Company’s bestsellers include: Pearl of the Orient (Green), Osmanthus Sencha (Green), Lemon Ginger Mint (Herbal) and Earl Grey Lavender (Black). Each sachet is sold for $21.35 from the website.[5][7]
In 2017, the company’s Cold Brew Sparkling Tea collection was launched. As one of their popular products, this range can be found at selected supermarkets islandwide.[8] Gryphon Tea Company’s teas are also stocked in hotels such as Capella Singapore and Fullerton Bay Hotel.[1][3]
Business expansion
Since Gryphon Tea Company started, it has enjoyed a strong double-digit revenue growth, with $5 million in annual revenue.
Gryphon Tea Company ventured overseas to Malaysia in 2007, and continued to expand to other countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, Brunei, Japan and Indonesia from 2012-2013.[5] In 2014, the brand made its mark on the European market with stores in France. It then expanded into the Asian-Pacific region, opening stores in South Korea and China in 2016 and 2020 respectively.[5]
E-commerce presence
Gryphon Tea Company ventured into E-commerce by starting its online store in 2014, where products can be purchased from the website, as well as on e-commerce platforms such as Shopee, NTUC Fairprice.[1][5][9][10]
The company has two sister brands, Pryce Tea and Monogram Tea that specialise in Chinese tea and customisation and personalisation services respectively.[11][12]
References / Citations
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Quek, Eunice. “Gryphon founder Lim Tian Wee grows a tea business beyond Singapore”. The Straits Times. March 2, 2015. Accessed on 3 March 2022.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Gryphon Tea Company. “Gryphon Tea Company LinkedIn Profile”. LinkedIn. Accessed 3 March 2022.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Sek, Victoria. “Gryphon Tea Founder Spills The Tea On How He Built A Global Brand With A S$2.5K Investment”. Vulcan Post. August 21, 2019. Accessed on 4 March 2022.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 “Overview”. Gryphon Tea Company. Accessed on 4 March 2022. Retrieved from https://www.visitsingapore.com/madewithpassion/brands/gryphon-tea-company/
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 “Our Story”. Gryphon Tea Company. Accessed on 7 March 2022. Retrieved from https://www.gryphontea.com/our-story.html
- ↑ “All Teas”. Gryphon Tea Company. Accessed on 3 March 2022. Retrieved from https://www.gryphontea.com/tea.html
- ↑ “Bestsellers”. Gryphon Tea Company. Accessed on 3 March 2022. Retrieved from https://www.gryphontea.com/tea/collection/best-seller.html
- ↑ Wong, Kylie, Hong, Natasha & Utomo, Delfina. “The best local tea brands from Singapore to stock up on”. TimeOut. September 13, 2020. Accessed on 4 March 2022.
- ↑ Gryphon Tea Company Official Store. Shopee Mall. Accessed on 4 March 2022. Retrieved from https://shopee.sg/gryphonteacompany?gclid=Cj0KCQiA64GRBhCZARIsAHOLriIP8QmH8vMM5QN_LojiFk-LZai0LyQ5lfs1tIxH_BD8DmbGSUPU5vIaAlsPEALw_wcB
- ↑ Gryphon Tea. FairPrice. Accessed on 4 March 2022. Retrieved from https://www.fairprice.com.sg/search?query=Gryphon%20tea
- ↑ “Pryce Tea”. TimeOut. June 6, 2019. Retrieved on 4 March 2022.
- ↑ “Experience Monogram”. Monogram Tea. Accessed on March 4, 2022. Retrieved from http://www.monogramtea.com/experience/