A popular tea room in Richmond is helping a brand tap into the protein market and tailoring it to tea lovers.
Protein coffee, protein shakes and protein powder have long been on the market, but Suna Wellness is looking to make its own protein tea lattes with the help of its co-developer the Paragon Tea Room.
Michelle Cheung, co-founder of Suna Wellness and Paragon Tea Room, said they are seeing more people incorporate green tea and protein in their diet and wanted to make protein powder "easier to consume without the gross taste."
"There is a perception that protein powders or any kind of supplement does not taste good," said Cheung.
"We wanted to find a way to allow tea drinkers to incorporate the important protein nutrients in people's diet without the additional step of supplements."
She added the team at Suna has noticed an increase in people being more wary of what they are consuming since the Covid-19 pandemic.
"With the general increase of awareness when it comes to wellness and health concerns, we feel there is a need for us to step up to utilize what we already know from being a barista and sourcing tea to create something that is good for people."
Cheung highlighted the drinks are to make it easier for people to consume in "one-go without the additional steps of adding protein or collagen powder."
Suna Wellness's protein tea lattes are highlighting its 20g protein and 10g collagen ingredients in four flavours: Earl Grey, royal milk tea, dark roast hojicha and Paragon's classic ceremonial matcha.
Cheung told the Richmond News the collagen component, while known in the beauty industry for improving skin elasticity, is also used in muscle recovery.
"Protein is to build and repair muscles that are damaged or injured after a workout, but collagen also helps with muscle tissue repair as well."
While there is a boba (bubble tea) protein powder drink e-commerce brand on the market already, Cheung said they are not focusing on the bubble tea aspect, but instead the nutrient heavy of protein, marine collagen and antioxidents from Japan-sourced tea leaves.
"Paragon does not cheap out on tea."
Suna Wellness is launching on Kickstarter in March, but before that, the protein tea latte brand will have several free tasting events at Richmond's Paragon location and offer the drinks on its menu for a couple of weeks.
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