Amanzi sees new franchises as its cup of tea

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Date AddedSeptember 21, 2009 11:00:21 PM

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A company that sells imported, flavored tea from operations in Greer may start offering franchise opportunities in the Southeast.
Amanzi Tea LLC offers over 100 flavors of organic loose teas from all over the world and operates three retail stores. Its first store, Tea Junction, featuring a "cocktail style" tea bar was opened in Haywood Mall in Greenville in 2007.
Raymond Levy, the company's chief executive officer, said he and other company leaders want to expand their locations regionally into such places as Columbia, Charleston and areas of Tennessee - places close to Amanzi's corporate headquarters in Greer "so that we still have control over the quality of our stores and not be too far away."
"We've got stores in New York and New Jersey, and we plan to expand there too because we've got a crew there that can help us," he said.
Levy said those new openings will be under the company's new franchise part of the business. He said the company is preparing the paperwork right now to begin offering franchises.
"We're getting inquiries about (franchises) on a regular basis," he said.
Amanzi Tea is owned by Levy, his wife, Karinna, and his brother, Maurice. Raymond Levy is a native of Zimbabwe and said tea has always been a part of his family's culture and life.
A goal with Amanzi, Levy said, is to make tea available in new, fun, and exciting ways.
"Typically tea has been very stuffy and very formal environments. We want to make it young, fun, hip and trendy," he said.
The company's mission is also to make good quality teas accessible to everybody by keeping it at an affordable price.
Amanzi Tea products were part of the luxury gift packages given to Oscar nominees during the 2009 Academy Awards.