Based in Dublin, Niks Tea is an award-winning Irish specialty tea brand.
The love and care that goes into building a brand from the ground up is often not celebrated enough. Kicking off her business at a kitchen table blending teas for local farmers’ markets, Nicola Kearns has pour blood, sweat and tears into her company Niks Tea. With humble origins, the tea is now stocked by major retailers, food stores and premium grocery boutiques across the country.
Here she shares the story behind the brand.
How did NiksTea begin?
In 2012 Niks Tea was founded from a chance menu with my family in Spain. In a small local café ordering tea I was offered a leaf tea menu. A light bulb moment. I loved different teas, ordered leaf online, why can’t we have this at home? A nation of tea lovers. So I spent a year studying and visiting various tea companies and trade shows and there it began, in the Kitchen blending and bagging teas for local Farmers Markets, hoping I’d find likeminded tea enthusiasts.
My Dad who had passed away that year called me Nik, I felt him on my shoulder that day in our local Spanish cafe. From these humble beginnings and a dream, to walk into my local Lidl in Terenure to see Niks Teas on display is a real pinch me moment. The exposure and good will from family & friends when they see it is so rewarding.
As a business owner, what does self care and finding personal joy mean to you?
Self care has evolved over the years with maturity, experience and circumstances. Time with family has always been a priority having brought up two children alone, I wasn’t my priority. The children and the business were the focus but that isn’t sustainable to have clarity for making decisions.
Starting a business is like having another family – it’s nurtured, grows up, you celebrate the highs and get through the lows, and it’s so rewarding and fulfilling. It’s important to do something outside of these so I returned to playing tennis regularly, I’m very lucky to have life long friendships to share music, food and new experiences. I discovered meditation a few years ago and love that too.
If you could have a cup of tea with anyone in the world, who would it be?
I would say my dad. I’d love to ask him what him what he thinks of my business now, after he planted the idea years ago. I know he’d also tell me to start playing golf again, it was our ‘thing’ and he’s often on my shoulder again with a tricky shot. Aside from that I’d say Bob Geldof, such an interesting, cool guy who’s lived life to the full, believes in dreams. A family man, great musician – I think we’d need a huge pot of tea.
What can we expect from you next?
This year, Niks Tea was acquired by Independent Irish Health Foods, so the brand is on a steep growth path with a fantastic team to nurture Niks to new heights. Lidl Kickstart coming up in September is an example of this growth with new branding created for the event that showcases Niks and other great Irish produce offering households nationally an opportunity to try our wellness and traditional tea blends. I’m excited to see where Niks will go.
