Today we’d like to introduce you to Firdaws Ashiru.
Hi Firdaws, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Food and Business has always been a huge passion of mine but incorporating it into my life was the challenge. When I was a little girl, I spent many holidays with my grandmother. My grandmother was known to always drag her feet in pain. She was also an avid soda drinker. Although we never put those two together, we later found out that her excessive intake of soda had expedited her knee issue, causing her to have arthritis. 2010 was a challenging summer for me. Watching my grandmother go through surgery and physical therapy brought me so much sadness. This was a turning point in my life. First of all, I stopped drinking soda and second I made a promise to myself to live a healthy balanced lifestyle starting with what I drink.
During my second year of college, my longing for building something in the food industry began to creep on me. There was a drink I had growing up drinking as a child that brought so many fond memories and was also used in medicinal and herbal ways. This was the hibiscus tea. Knowing the history of Louisiana and their love for the forgotten red drink and current love for ice/sweet tea, I began my venture into making the best hibiscus tea that Louisiana and surrounding areas will eventually fall in love with. I made sure that what we put out there would always inspire other to live a healthy balanced lifestyle while also supporting local food pantries as our giving back initiative. In the summer of 2017, I started Fresh Hibiscus Tea and never looked back.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I wish it had been a smooth road. I always pray to God to make this journey easy for me because I’ve heard many mention how hard the food/beverage industry is. Personally, the obstacles I faced were learning a new industry, getting the paperwork and certifications, pacing myself, and time management.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I own a tea company that specializes in hibiscus and health. I specialize mostly in the design of my work. In the food industry, presentation is everything. Food presentation is one thing I take very seriously and so do my customers. I am most proud of giving people the option of a better tea alternative. Usually, when a drink is healthy its really hard to drink and when it’s unhealthy, it’s usually overly sweet. We give our customers a delicious and healthy drink to enjoy. What sets me apart from others is the authenticity that comes with our teas. Our recipe is inspired by my birth country in Nigeria, which allows me to understand the hibiscus flower and best ways to enjoy it for its taste and benefits.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I am in the tea industry and it has a projected compound annual growth rate of 8.2% in 2020. The industry is trending and more people are beginning to add tea to their list of grocery items. About 71% of Americans buy teas from the supermarkets. This is exciting news for us. Last fact, besides water tea is the second most drank liquid in the world.
Contact Info:
- Email: freshhibiscustea@gmail.com
- Website: https://freshhibiscustea.com/collections/all
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freshhibiscustea/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/freshhibiscustea/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/freshhibiscus
Image Credits
Carpemomentumnow Freshhibiscustea
