Founder Spotlight: Julian Tcherassi (Magiktea)
Meet Julian Tcherassi:
Magiktea
After discovering palo azul, we wanted everyone to know about this extraordinary blue fluorescent tea that's also antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, kidney-protective, and 0 caffeine. That's why we started Magiktea to share organic & sustainably sourced palo azul so that everyone can enjoy Mother Nature's most magical tea!
Location:
Los Angeles, California, USA
When did you launch the business?
2021
Become a VEGPRENEUR member today!
Join the largest plant-based business community!
Startup Stage?
Seed
What led you to where you are today?
I was playing guitar in a rock band, and the singer told me about this incredible blue fluorescent palo azul tea that he used to pass kidney stones, so I started sharing it with friends & family, and it helped improve their health as well. I knew that a lot of people could benefit from palo azul because studies show that it's antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, kidney-protective, liver-protective, anti-arthritic, and anti-diabetic, and it's been used as a natural remedy for centuries, so it's also known as "kidneywood". That's why I decided to work nonstop, read a ton about entrepreneurship, knock on a bunch of doors, and now Magiktea is available in 1000+ health food stores nationwide.
What do you wish you knew before embarking on your entrepreneurial journey?
I wish I would've known more about co-packing and manufacturing because this took me a long time to figure out. Since palo azul is a wood, very few copackers were actually able to manufacture our product, and even fewer were able to cut the palo azul small enough for tea bags. This led to a lot of delays and we've been sold out many times because of these issues, and we're just now starting to figure out how to manufacture our product efficiently and consistently.
What is the most difficult decision you've had to make regarding your business so far?
One of the most difficult decisions I made was changing supplier early on because there was only one palo azul supplier that was certified organic, and we were having quality issues with them. Fortunately, I was able to find a natural reserve that is USDA Organic & Wildlife Friendly certified, which had an abundance of palo azul trees, so I decided that this would be the best move. Initially, we had some customers complain that the Palo Azul looked different; it was cut smaller, and the taste was actually better thankfully. We lost some customers, but now we have many more customers who love Magiktea because we're the only Palo Azul brand that cuts it small and has organic & sustainable certifications.
What can you help the VEGPRENEUR community with?
I've been blessed with a magical-looking tea that has sparked the interest of many event organizers, so I have served tea at a bunch of events in LA, and I would be happy to share these connections with other brands.
How can the VEGPRENEUR community help you?
Any connections to influencers, podcasts, etc, who could help us spread awareness about Palo Azul would be amazing.
Fun fact about you:
I'm a singer/songwriter who has been playing guitar (classical, flamenco, rock) and composing music for 18 years. I discovered Palo Azul while playing in a rock band 11 years ago, and now I'm releasing my music on Spotify @Julian Tcherassi.
Read More On Our Blog
