ONTARIO— When Helmi Ansari, president of Grosche, a manufacturer of coffee and tea accessories, decided it was time to focus on building a company that essentially gave back to his community and beyond, he turned to tea, loose tea leaves to be exact.
In 2006, Ansari and his wife Mehereen transformed their laundry room into a storage space, packing tins full of loose tea leaves which they sold door-to-door at night and on the weekends. Soon tea sales transformed into tea ware, coffee accessories and water filtration products and the company’s charity— the Safe Water Project. It also holds the B Corp. certification, a for-profit company certified by the nonprofit B Lab.
“Our goal was to develop a company that was fully sustainable. We wanted to create a legacy that created a positive impact for the future,” said Ansari. “The proceeds from the loose leaf tea tins were donated to various charities. Ultimately we formalized the Safe Water project.”
According to Ansari, each sale of a Grosche product funds the company’s Safe Water Project and provides more than 50 days of safe drinking water to communities in need. The project is 100% funded by the sale of Grosche products.
“The Safe Water Project developed from a personal experience of what can happen when you don’t have safe water. My daughter experienced this in Asia and became very sick. We saw the affects and wanted to focus our efforts on safe water,” said Ansari. “Unlike most other brands, the entire purpose of our company is to provide safe water to those who need it. It was always our goal to build a company that would leave a positive legacy.”
As for the products that help fund the Safe Water Project, Ansari explained that the company designs and manufactures an array of non-electric coffee and tea makers such as its Monaco loose leaf tea pot (SRP $34.99) and the Madrid premium French press (SRP $49.99) that comes with a German Schott Duran borosilicate glass beaker. Grosche also carries a variety of water filtration products like its infusion water pitchers and general glassware.
The company’s product assortment is sold in a variety of retailers in the U.S. including Bed Bath and Beyond, Target.com, Walmart.com and smaller independents as well. In its home country of Canada, Grosche products are carried in major retailers such as Hudson Bay and Home Outfitters, where it is the exclusive beverage brand.
Ansari believes that the company has grown due to not only the quality of its products, but also how its charitable Safe Water Project is a strong differentiator from other companies.
“Our products are competitively priced. We match the leaders in the marketplace and offer consumers the chance to do goodwill. By focusing on the consumer, we feel we have our intent in the right place,” he said. “Today’s Millennial consumer is looking for brands they can trust, brands that are more about than just making money. Our Safe Water Project provides to them the transparency and authenticity they seek from today’s manufacturers. We feel that the housewares industry has tremendous ability and potential to create social good in the world and feel we are the first company to grow not despite of it but because of it.”
As for what’s to come, he said to be on the lookout for several new craft coffee and tea products to be introduced at the upcoming International Home + Housewares Show, to be held in Chicago, March 18 to 21. Ansari noted that the design and function of the new products are fueled by the continued trend of craft coffee and tea makers.
“The manual brewing aspect of craft coffee- and tea-making enables people to interact with their artisanal brewing process. It has a strong presence,” he said.
