How we first started

 

Divine KapiTea was started in 2009 as a small family run tea business based in Porirua, Wellington. The business was run by Ray and Aymie David. Ray was a local lad from Titahi Bay and his wife Aymie was a Singaporean who has made New Zealand her new home.

​

Having been introduced to the divine taste and goodness of tea, as well as the beauty and wonders of true tea experiences in Singapore, Ray and Aymie became true tea converts and tea lovers. When they decided to have a “mid-life” career change from an IT professional (Ray) and a teacher (Aymie), the tea business was without question the ideal choice!

​

When they first started, the home basement was their storage space and the shopping mall kiosk, food shows and events, as well as business social clubs were their retail spaces. They found their very own tea blender from Sri Lanka and together with a business partner in Singapore, launched their first tea brand under “Victoria’s Favourites”. ​

​

Our First Retail Outlets​

​​When the opportunity arose, they started their first retail outlet in North City Shopping Centre in Aug 2010, followed by another outlet in Lambton Quay in November 2010. Running the retail outlets provided them with great opportunities for enjoyable and rewarding customer interactions, and allowed them to provide customers with outstanding service and retail experiences with a difference.

 

​Our New Vision

​In 2011, nearly 2 years after starting their first retail outlet, in between having a baby who grew up in the tea shop and another little bub on the way, Ray and Aymie had a new vision of a new tea brand with a distinctive New Zealand image and a strong local as well as overseas appeal. Hence the birth of the new tea brand “KapiTea”, named after the beautiful coastal region of Kapiti and linked with the idea of a divine “Cup of Tea”.

 

​Relocation

In April 2012, in conjunction with the launch of the new brand “KapiTea”, Ray and Aymie decided to relocate their retail shop to the beautiful Kapiti Coast. This is the region where Ray used to spend his childhood days in the 1970s at his dad’s seaside bach. The beautiful and tranquil setting now serves as the base for their retail shop.

 

Ray and Aymie created a very cosy and exquisite space at their retail shop located at the tranquil Lindale Shopping Village in Kapiti Coast. They provided outstanding and memorable retail experiences to so many. A year later, they expanded their retail shop to include a Yum Cha/High Tea restaurant. They continued to provide tea appreciation ceremony as part of the drink drinking experience. It was a dream come true for them to be able to bring tea appreciation to a new level.

​

A Tragic Loss

 

Very sadly, the universe has other plans. Just as the retail and restaurant business was taking off, Ray made his transition from this world very suddenly in December 2013. It was a devestating loss for the family and the business. Aymie kept the retail business and restaurant going for a number of years. It was both challenging and fulfilling at the same time to keep the dream going. 

​

Eventually, Aymie made the hard call and made the tough decision to close the retail shop and the restaurant. She returned to her original calling and went back to teaching. However, her passion towards the tea business remains strong. She remodelled the business and is now focused on serving her customers through her online store and wholesale business. Her goal is to remain connected to her customers through her online presence on social media as when as the occasion trade shows and market fairs.

​

Please continue to join us on the next chapter of our tea journey. Blessings to all as we venture through life! Appreciating Tea, Exploring Life. TEAze your Senses, Live Life to the Fullest.

​