Lovingly hand crafted in a one bedroom loft style apartment in South Fremantle by a solo muma with two very enthusiastic toddlers underfoot who are also my biggest chai fans, you can usually find us enjoying the daily ritual of chai and a tiny bit of dark chocolate, sitting at the kids' table.
For the love of Chai, I have had a twenty-year affinity with this mystical brew. In the midst of a sweltering train journey from Deli to Varanasi, it was the hot chai that reached out to my 21-year-old self, preferring perhaps a cold beer, yet embracing the wisdom of my Muma's words: 'like cures like.' That first sip began a love affair with the spicy goodness of traditionally brewed chai.
Fast forward through 15 years, chai held my hand through healing and heartache, through failed IVF and morning sickness, through lonely lockdowns with with my first born and many virtual chai dates.
A sense of community emerged while traveling, from Bondi to the South Coast of Sydney, from Tassie to Perth. Chai became a daily ritual, a bridge to connection, a way to feel out places and build community.
With the birth of my daughter Rumi, a dream was awakened, a parallel life was stirred. In Fremantle's embrace, my child found her first breath, and so too was Rumi Chai born, a creation nurtured by a mother's love.
In those tender months that followed, a dance began between mother and child, creator and creation. As I cradled Rumi to my breast, nourishing her tiny form, I also nourished the vision of Rumi Chai. For four sacred months, we rocked in harmony, my heart and thoughts traversing the miles to a beautiful designer in Serbia. Together, we wove the fabric of Rumi Chai's distinct packaging and branding, a melody in colors and shapes.
A few months prior to the launch of Rumi Chai, the kids Dad and I separated. In a world swirling with opinions and uncertainty, I chose to stride forward. Amidst whispers that it was a mad time to birth a business, I embraced the chaos. This time in my life would always be messy, and I chose to add the growth of a third baby to the fold. Rather than pour my grief into an empty bucket, I let beauty blossom from it. I turned heartache into creation, a transformation as natural as a caterpillar into a butterfly. A year and a few months on, I revel in joy and pride at how it has grown.
The brand, like my precious Rumi, was grown from the womb, nurtured with love, passion, and the gentle rhythms of life's beautiful dance. My heart bursts with pride as my children share in the dream, lifting Muma's chai brand with their tiny hands, constructing it with their boundless imagination. Always at their learning ladders, they place their tender imprints on the brand, their small hands joining mine. Together, we dance and pack, weaving magic into each bag, so that the love might be felt, one cherished cup at a time.
I thank you for listening to these gentle ramblings, for walking this path with us. In the days to come, I promise to share more of our journey, unfold the depths of my 'why,' and reveal our earnest endeavor to give back to the very communities that nurture and grow our product. The tapestry is rich, and the story continues to weave.
Bye for now. Rani, Rumi, and Van.
