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Q&A What are Antea Jolene Seow

Social’s selec-
Founder of Antea Social,
tion criteria for
opened its first modern
tea? contemporary teahouse in
We think it is important to know the source of our Singapore last June.
teas, and therefore strive to work directly with the
tea makers whenever possible. Basically, we only
sell tea that we would drink ourselves. It is also
particularly comforting to know that we are able to
share stories from the makers to the drinkers.

What kind of lifestyle do you practice? How
does tea make a difference?
As a business owner of a new brand, there are
usually never-ending tasks on my to-do list. I am
a huge fan of the slow life, so having tea always
makes things better, and gives me space for some
quiet moments.
Antea Social offers three different workshops
– Tea Blending Workshop, Hens Night Parties, and What does Antea Social break the stigma
Corporate Workshop, to meet the requirements of and balance between traditional tea tasting
groups in different sizes and at different times. and specialty tea?
They are designed to be fun, engaging, and hands- For hot tea service, for example, we created a
on, where participants can learn more about tea little tea ceremony experience which is adapted
and some technical information. from the traditional Chinese tea ceremony. The
Jolene also chose another localization plan tea gets served in a tray where there is a teapot,
taking advantage of the spread of social media. an hourglass (to time the steeping duration), a
When she started her business, she received a good fairness cup, and the teacup. It is basically a much
response from the young Singaporeans, many of simpler adaption of the traditional tea ceremony
whom are receptive to trying new and different so that it doesn’t appear too intimidating while
teas. Therefore, she and her team try to source and still allowing us to share the spirit of traditional
create teas that are suitable for the local palette. tea brewing.
They also try to share and explain the taste profiles
of some teas using local food and workshops to
connect with their customers.
Antea Social sees a lot of potential in the
future of specialty tea and contemporary teahous-
es, as consumers get more discerning and their
demand for new products and new experience is
growing. “There is a growing interest in artisanal
goods, and people are getting more interested in
taste profiles, origins, and stories of the different
products,” said Jolene. “The world of tea is really
huge, and in Singapore, I think what we have in the
market is just the tip of the iceberg. There is so
much more to explore and as consumers get more
curious, we hope to be there to share this tea jour-
ney with them.”

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