Meet Monica Sunny | CEO & Founder of The Chai Box

We had the good fortune of connecting with Monica Sunny and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Monica, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Growing up in an Indian household, I started drinking Chai at the age of two and blending teas at the age of twelve. For me, Chai is more than just a drink, it is a part of my culture and heritage. The journey of creating The Chai Box started when I had my three boys. I wanted to instill the love of Chai and a tradition of having family chai time. Every Friday after school, I would have “chai time” with my three boys to make sure my kids experienced the same ritual I shared with my parents as a child. We started sharing this ritual with family and friends which ultimately led to the creation of The Chai Box. Furthermore, I was not happy with how Chai was represented at local coffee shops and wanted to create something that showcased the Chai I grew up drinking. What started as a side-hustle in my basement has now grown to a full operation in a 4,000 square ft. facility.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
The Chai Box is a sustainable and ethically sourced small batch Chai company bringing the traditional craft of chai making to the mainstream. We source our single origin spices from small scale farmers in Kerala, India who practice regenerative farming. We specialize in small batch Chai Concentrate and 14 Loose-Leaf Chai Blends that are all free of any pesticides or preservatives.
The goal of The Chai Box is to implement an ethical business process from start to finish. Our farmers have inherited their lands and have been cultivating their spices for generations. We compost the mulch left over from the production of our chai concentrate and we have implemented minimal and biodegradable packaging.

Chai is made differently in every household and I wanted to showcase this through teas inspired by different regions in India. But I think Oprah said it best when she said we have a “chai for every mood” when picking us as one of her Favorite Things in 2021! Making it to Oprah’s list was on my vision board and has been one of my proudest accomplishments to date!

When launching the business, as a woman I faced many barriers when it came to the sourcing of our spices. The spice trade in India is largely male-dominated and at the time did not often value women in leadership positions. In order to overcome product delays and timelines, I learned to be more assertive and prove myself as a worthy entrepreneur by outlining the demand and standing my ground.

Historically, the chai industry (and in particular the chai concentrate industry) has been dominated by non-South Asian influences which has resulted in challenges in converting customers from “Starbucks” chai to traditional chai. As a female, Asian-owned Southern brand, I faced a lot of push-back when trying to explain to coffee shops why our product was different from the competitors. Focusing on the “traditional” aspect of chai was a turnoff to most businesses. However, with continuous education through social media platforms and exposure through media publications I have been able to change the narrative, but there is still work to be done.

I love the process of making Chai, deciding on what spices to use on a daily basis to change up the taste and feel and matching it to my wellness needs for the day. Most importantly each morning I look forward to making Chai by myself (and a few thousand of our Instagram followers) and enjoying it for a few moments of Chai Meditation. This morning meditation has allowed me to connect with so many of our customers in a meaningful way! We don’t just sell Chai, we educate our customers on traditional ways of making Chai and now even have Chai Blending Classes in person every month with virtual classes coming soon!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend was visiting Atlanta, I would start off at the Peachtree Road Farmer’s Market on Saturday morning. We have been a vendor there for a few years now and love to see the diversity of food, beverage, and more that Atlanta has to offer. I love grabbing a pastry from Little Tart Bakeshop or some English muffins from The General Muir. No visit to Atlanta is complete without immersing yourself in the food pop-up scene. I’ve had the good fortune of getting to know many of the AAPI Woman-Owned businesses in Atlanta and love the diaspora of food offerings they have brought to this city. For lunch, I would take my friend to Buford Highway for Mia and Carlo’s pop-up turned restaurant, Kamayan, for a family-style Filipino meal that will truly blow you away. I would also order pastries and dessert from a few pop-ups such as Three Lolas Bakeshop and Milla’s Macarons. We would end the night at my house eating dumplings hand-crafted by Candy of SoupBelly Atlanta.

But no weekend would be complete without Chai and Indian/Pakistani food. There is no better match in my opinion. My favorite restaurant is Zyka, located in Decatur. I always order their chicken curry, Hyderbadi Biryani and lots of fresh naan! And if you are looking for something truly unique, I recommend Heirloom Market BBQ for some Southern BBQ with a Korean flair.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I wouldn’t be where I am today without the support of my parents, husband and kids. My mom and dad have always been supportive of my dreams. In particular, my dad has been my unofficial business consultant since the start of The Chai Box (and even before). I call him every single morning to seek his advice. He has always encouraged me to work hard and be open to all the possibilities! I definitely get my work ethic from him!

And The Chai Box wouldn’t be where it is today without my husband Sunny and our three kids Ethan, Evan and Ian. Sunny is the man behind the scenes that keeps us alive and our resident “Brew Dad” (aka our Master Brewer for our Chai Concentrate). I developed the Chai Concentrate with our eldest son Ethan after taste testing 174 batches together. And Evan and Ian have been involved in various aspects of the operations including production and sales. I can’t thank them enough for supporting my dreams. It’s a family affair and I love it!

Website: https://thechaibox.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thechaibox/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monica-sunny-88383620a/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thechaibox/