We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Faryal Ahmed. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Faryal below.
Faryal, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. One of the most important things we can do as business owners is ensure that our customers feel appreciated. What’s something you’ve done or seen a business owner do to help a customer feel valued?
We want people to feel seen and valued when they get a cuppa chai from Chai Street & Co. — that’s Pakistani hospitality for you. Even if it’s not on our menu we will try to accommodate it if we can.
After winning ‘The Pitch’ hosted by Parasol Projects, we launched our first pop-up brick and mortar in the heart of New York City to promote sustainability and being eco-friendly with a BYOM (bring your own mug) concept.
On our first day, one customer interaction really made us feel like we were doing something right. Right as we opened the doors, a Twitch streamer, who was trying to find a green tea shop, stumbled upon ours. He came up to the counter asking if we had green tea or matcha, and inquired about dairy-free options, which we regretfully didn’t have on our menu at the time. But that didn’t stop us at all! We found the nearest Whole Foods Market, ran to get some oat milk, and after a little bit of experimentation, fashioned an oat milk masala chai that tastes exactly like our signature masala chai. Best part of it all, they got it for free! By the end of the week, we learned that people are willing to wait on chai with their preferences so we can’t wait to see what creations we will make in the future inspired by the tastes of our neighbors!
Faryal, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Chai Street & Co. is a Pakistani woman owned specialty chai pop-up that focuses on creating an immersive ‘hug in a mug’ experience through each cuppa chai. We start off with the basics and let people know if you’re saying chai tea – you’re saying it wrong! It’s just chai!
After being known in the community for hosting wholesome gatherings for friends and therapy-like one-on-ones with a cuppa chai on the therapy couch — I wanted more people to experience it and knew chai was the driving force behind the ‘hug in a mug’ feeling that allowed people to get more vulnerable and connect. Fostering community has been a huge part of what Chai Street & Co. is about. We want others to feel like they have a third space that they can come to, whether it’s to relax, make new friends, or just to catch up on work. It’s not a quick stop, but a place to gather and make memories. If you’ve ever experienced Pakistani hospitality, you know you’re going to be staying for a while–even after you say goodbye!
We source our chai ingredients from local suppliers and grind the spices in small batches so that every cuppa chai is micro-brewed with pyaar (love). We don’t use any artificial syrups or sweeteners in our chai and make sure it’s as cozy as a hug in a mug, with a taste that is rooted in our Pakistani heritage/culture. So far we’ve had 30 pop-ups, hosted 3 restaurant takeovers, and even had our very first Muslim Singles Mixer event.
Back when we started in July 2023 we offered one chai, which was our classic “hug in a mug” masala chai.
Our end goal is a community space that people can call theirs – a home away from home built on chai, where we can help foster connections and build bonds. We loved bringing that to life by creating a mini version in New York, along with partnering with two local businesses, Rangeen by Mirza and Humaysha Home to give our shop a mini marketplace.
Everyone’s first sip is the reason why Chai Street & Co. keeps brewing and pouring pyaar (love) into every cuppa chai!
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
A lot of people, including me, want to be able to experience the same feeling they get the first time they try a particular product. When people come to grab chai from us, they know they’re getting the same consistent taste, quality, and personal touch with Chai Street & Co.
Creating that trust is key! Whether you find us at a pop-up or book us for an event we are always going to give exceptional customer service, great chai, and finish it with a personal touch! Behind the scenes we work hard to provide a clever chai pun or positive affirmation on each cup. This is just our way to hopefully spark some joy in your day.
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
Vendor markets! If you’re a new brand and have a great product — I can’t recommend this enough! This is the best way to have a ton of people from different walks of life to see what you’re all about along with building relations with other businesses.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://chaistreet.co/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chaistreet.co
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Chai-Street-Co/100094645092235/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/chaistreetco
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/chaistreetco
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/chai-street-and-co-raleigh
- Other: Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@chaistreet.co
Image Credits
Parasol Projects, Ammad Quraishi