While working in sales for a bottled beverage company, Chris Clark was shocked to learn just how much plastic is wasted. All the bottles, cans, packets, k-cups, tea bags in our favorite beverages add up to a lot of waste. He was inspired to create a beverage that was equally convenient but with no single-use packaging waste. Tea cubes are more than just a way to reduce waste—they’re also delicious and refreshing. Union Kitchen has been the perfect testing ground for Chris’ experiments, and we’re so excited to show off his new packaging.
Read more about Clark’s Tea Cubes and reducing waste below:
Did you always know that you wanted to start your own business?
I’ve always been fascinated by entrepreneurs and their stories for as long as I can remember. I knew I wanted to find something that gave me the satisfaction and passion they had.
Why did you start your business?
I learned about the low plastic recycling rate and could physically see the sheer volume of bottles we were selling at a small bottled beverage company so I thought there had to be a better way to consume convenient beverages without the single-use waste. I finally had an idea that solved the waste problem I’d come to care about, that I could figure out how to make, and that I had a bit of relevant experience in to give me the faith in myself that I needed. So I went for it. All in.
How did you pick the product?
I wanted my beverage cube solution to have the biggest impact possible, so I chose the most widely consumed drink on the planet after water; tea.
What is your biggest business accomplishment to date?
Finding the faith in myself and my idea to decide to commit fully to making my vision a reality.
What's the biggest business challenge you've faced to date?
Figuring out how to produce a product that’s physically different from anything else out there.
What does your typical day look like?
There is no typical day, that’s part of the beauty of it.
If you had to start all over, would you do it again? What would you do differently?
Yes, I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat. Next time I would work on finding a team as passionate as I am much sooner.
What does success look like to you?
For me, success would be making these cubes in a way that is waste neutral and that people see as useful enough to allow me to make a measurable impact on the total waste generated by the convenient beverage industry.
Want to know more about tea cubes? Visit their website to learn more.