Sivasagar youth Upamanyu Borkakoty gains national recognition for eco-conscious tea startup 'Woolah'

OUR CORRESPONDENT 

SIVASAGAR: A young entrepreneur from Sivasagar, Upamanyu Borkakoty, has been making headlines for his contributions to the tea industry. A resident of Melachakar in Sivasagar town, Upamanyu has gained national recognition through his eco-conscious tea startup, Woolah. He is the co-founder of Woolah, which focuses on sustainable and high-quality tea products.

While talking to media, Upamanyu said he, along with his team, officially launched Woolah in December 2020, but their journey began four to five years earlier. Before Woolah, they started a speciality tea business under the name “TRUEDIPS,” working closely with small-scale organic tea farmers. Their goal was to help these farmers export their products to international markets.

During this venture, they discovered a concerning fact: each tea bag releases around 11.6 billion microplastics into the beverage. This realization led them to rethink traditional tea packaging. They aimed to replace the low-quality tea dust found in conventional tea bags with speciality-grade whole-leaf tea, allowing consumers to enjoy a premium tea experience. This idea eventually led to the development of Woolah’s innovative tea products.

He further stated that starting the business was not easy. Building a team from Sivasagar required immense effort and perseverance. However, their dedication paid off when Woolah reached the platform of Shark Tank India. Initially, they began with an investment of Rs. 1 lakh, and last year, their revenue reached Rs. 2 crore.

Speaking about his presentation, Upamanyu said the Shark Tank India judges were highly impressed by the innovation and unique taste of Woolah’s tea. Recognizing its potential as a global innovation, they saw an opportunity for the brand to expand beyond India into the international market. This led them to support and invest in the business.

Upamanyu completed his schooling at Holy Name School in Sivasagar before pursuing higher secondary education in Guwahati. He then graduated from Zakir Hussain College under Delhi University. After working for several companies, he returned to Sivasagar and ventured into the tea business. Today, his efforts have not only made him self-sufficient but also created employment opportunities for many young entrepreneurs in the region.

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