Selling tea on bicycle is Raveen's cuppa

PUTRAJAYA - Believing that tea has the power to attract people from all walks of life, L. Raveen brings teh tarik and masala tea to his prospective customers on a bicycle at the Senai International Airport, Johor.

After starting the business under the name of Mr Chai Empire on June 1, 30-year0old Raveen and an assistant can be spotted pushing a bicycle at the departure hall of the international airport from 8 am to 8 pm every day to approach customers.

Raveen is also the owner of the Chutneys & Chai restaurant operating at the airport since 2021 which sells seven types of chai or tea, biryani rice, and south Indian cuisine.

"The airport management actually offered me a stall to sell tea. But I proposed using a bicycle that meets all safety-related features because it is difficult to move with a bicycle in crowded areas.

"I also believe in the concept of reaching out to the customers and thankfully the airport management accepted the proposal,” he said when contacted by Bernama recently.

Raveen’s hot masala tea is priced at RM5 per glass, teh tarik at RM4 and biscuits at RM1, and according to him, Mr Chai Empire sells up to 12 litres of tea or 80 to 100 glasses per day.

In conjunction with this year's National Day, Raveen will distribute 66 glasses of tea for free on Aug 31 at the airport as a token of appreciation to customers who have supported his business over the years.

He said Mr Chai Empire had also been visited by the Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi who was fascinated by the cycling concept, as well as Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan.

Raveen, who graduated in accounts and finance, said he invested RM4,000 as capital to run Mr Chai Empire, which received recognition from the Malaysia Book Of Records as the first Bicycle Tea Stall in an Airport in Malaysia, early this month. - BERNAMA