PLAIN-T

What PLAIN-T does

PLAIN-T is a privately-held, founder-owned boutique tea company headquartered in Southampton, New York, operating under PLAIN-T, LLC. The company sources and sells hand-selected premium whole-leaf teas from "the world's most prized gardens," offering a portfolio that spans Black, Oolong, Green, White, Pu-Erh, Flavored, Exclusive Blends, Rooibos, Herbal Infusion, Grand-Cru, Wellness, Chai Latte, Matcha, and Iced Tea categories, alongside a dedicated wellness line (Thrive & Rest, Thrive & Defend, Thrive & Glow, Thrive & Digest, Detox), gift sets, teaware, and corporate gifting solutions. Its technology stack is built on the Shopify e-commerce platform, which powers the direct-to-consumer storefront, subscription management (5% discount on monthly/bi-monthly/quarterly cadence), and the Shopify Collabs-powered ambassador program offering 10% commission on referred sales.

PLAIN-T serves four primary customer segments: individual tea enthusiasts seeking premium specialty blends, corporate clients purchasing curated gift sets (ranging from $55 to $180 for the Signature Tea Box), B2B wholesale accounts across New York's high-end hospitality sector (hotels, restaurants, coffee shops), and event hosts commissioning bespoke tea service experiences. Its core technology is essentially a Shopify storefront with biodegradable, plastic-free, glue-free tea packaging as the primary proprietary differentiator; there is no proprietary software, no API surface, and no AI/ML capabilities. Revenue mechanics span one-time product sales, recurring subscriptions, transaction-fee wholesale distribution, and professional services for events, with unit pricing ranging from $13 to $25 for individual teas and $55 to $180 for gift sets. The company employs 1-10 people and has no institutional funding or parent organization, reflecting an independent, lifestyle-business operational scale.

Name

PLAIN-T

Legal name

PLAIN-T, LLC

Website

https://plain-t.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

PLAIN-T is a founder-owned boutique tea company in Southampton, NY that sells premium whole-leaf teas, wellness blends, gift sets, and teaware through Shopify D2C e-commerce, New York hospitality wholesale, special events services, and The T-Loft retail showroom.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Tea

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (31192), Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920)

akta.pro primary industry

Tea (Leaf, Bagged, Instant, Concentrates) (CRADAHAE)

Keywords

• Specialty tea products
• Loose-leaf tea
• Wellness tea blends
• Corporate tea gifts
• Wholesale tea supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Southampton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Direct E-commerce Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of teas, teaware, and gift sets through their Shopify-powered online store. Products include loose-leaf teas, biodegradable pyramids, wellness teas, and specialty blends.
2. Wholesale Distribution: B2B wholesale supply to hotels, restaurants, coffee shops, and cafes. Has been supplying commercial establishments across New York for over a decade.
3. Subscription Services: Subscription model offering recurring deliveries with 5% discount for monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly delivery options. Auto-renewing subscriptions with customer management through order confirmation emails.
4. Special Events Services: Corporate and private event tea service offerings for functions including corporate retreats, holiday parties, weddings, and celebrations. Creates memorable tea experiences for discerning clients.
5. Corporate Gifts: Curated gift sets and corporate gift solutions for business clients, including Signature Tea Box ($180) and themed gift sets.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

PLAIN-T is a boutique tea company that hand-selects, blends, and sells premium whole-leaf loose teas, biodegradable pyramid sachets, wellness tea blends, and curated gift sets across categories (Black, Green, Oolong, White, Pu-Erh, Rooibos, Herbal, Matcha, Grand-Cru, Chai, Iced). The company supplements retail-style product sales with wholesale distribution to hotels, restaurants, and cafes, corporate gifting programs, subscription tea deliveries, and bespoke tea service for corporate and private events. All teas are produced/branded under the PLAIN-T label at the company's Southampton, NY headquarters and The T-Loft retail showroom.

Product overview

PLAIN-T is a boutique tea company offering hand-selected whole-leaf teas sourced from gardens worldwide. The core product portfolio includes individual loose-leaf teas across multiple categories (Black, Oolong, Green, White, Pu-Erh, Flavored Scented, Exclusive Blends, Rooibos, Herbal Infusion, Grand-Cru, Wellness, Chai Latte, Matcha, Iced Tea) sold in biodegradable pyramids and loose-leaf formats. Supporting offerings include wellness-specific tea lines (Thrive & Rest, Thrive & Defend, Thrive & Glow, Thrive & Digest, Detox), gift sets (Relaxing Gift Set, English Breakfast Gift Set, Signature Tea Box), corporate gift programs, teaware accessories, and an ambassador partnership program. The company also provides special event catering services. Founded by former professional athletes Alessandro and Tathiana Teixeira, PLAIN-T serves both direct-to-consumer through its Shopify e-commerce platform and wholesale channels to hotels, restaurants, and coffee shops across New York.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Matcha Classic – Premium Japanese Matcha Premium Japanese matcha tea sold loose-leaf for individual consumers and tea enthusiasts; best-selling PLAIN-T SKU, priced at $25.00 USD.
• English Breakfast Tea Blend of Darjeeling, Assam and Ceylon teas for individual consumers seeking a sophisticated, strong and brisk black tea experience.
• Ceylon Mango Decaf Tea Ceylon tea combined with mango flavor in a decaffeinated format, priced at $14.00 USD for individual consumers.
• Finest Sencha Green Tea Premium Japanese sencha green tea rated 4.0/5.0, priced at $16.00 USD for individual consumers.
• Detox Lemon Ginger Mint Wellness detox tea blend combining lemon, ginger, and mint, priced at $15.00 USD for health-conscious individual consumers.
• Mint Herbal Tea Herbal mint tea sourced from China, packaged in eco-friendly biodegradable tea bags free from plastic and glue, available in 2oz ($13.30 USD) and 1/2 lb ($45.00 USD) sizes.
• Lymphatic Flow Herbal Tea Caffeine-free herbal blend of rose petals, elder flowers, dandelion leaves, licorice root, burdock root, ginger root and safflower designed to support lymphatic health and natural detoxification; available in sizes from 2oz ($19.00 USD) to 1 lb ($130.00 USD).
• Detox Cistus Incanus Organic superherb Cistus Incanus from Greece, marketed for antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune-boosting properties; mild berry-like flavor in a 2oz size at $14.25 USD.
• Sampler Tea Box A selection of 9 tea types packaged in biodegradable pyramids allowing consumers to explore PLAIN-T's classics, rare finds, and specialty blends, priced at $12.00 USD.
• Signature Tea Box Luxury gift box composed of the finest whole-leaf teas from the world's most prized gardens, presented in a leather box, priced at $180.00 USD. Targeted at premium personal and corporate gifting.
• Relaxing Gift Set Caffeine-free gift set including 2oz Chamomile from Egypt, 4oz Rooibos Passionfruit and a stainless steel tea spoon, priced at $55.00 USD.
• English Breakfast Gift Set Gift set bundling an 18oz teapot with stainless-steel infuser, 4oz English Breakfast tea blend (approximately 25-30 servings), and a stainless steel tea spoon, priced at $75.00 USD.
• Gift Card Digital gift cards for purchase through the PLAIN-T online store for use by individual consumers and corporate gifting programs.
• Corporate Gifts Program Curated tea gift sets designed for corporate gifting programs, including the $180 Signature Tea Box, offered to business clients for client entertainment and employee appreciation.
• Teaware Collection Tea accessories and vessels sold alongside teas, including an 18oz teapot with extra-fine stainless-steel infuser, for individual consumers building out a home tea setup.
• Tea Kits & Sets Bundled tea accessory and starter sets offered to individual consumers as all-in-one entry points into PLAIN-T tea preparation.
• Tea Subscription Service Recurring tea subscription program offering a 5% discount with monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly delivery options for repeat individual tea purchases.
• Special Events Tea Services Boutique catering and tea service for corporate retreats, holiday parties, weddings, bar/bat mitzvahs, lunch/dinner events, and afternoon parties, offered to discerning corporate and private clients in the New York region.

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• INSPIREcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Brazil-based fashion company collaborated with PLAIN-T on the 'Wellness Teas & Fashion for a Cause' campaign. INSPIRE designed black crew-neck tees made with Egyptian cotton and elastane, plus matching hats. A portion of sales donated to East End food pantries.
• ShopifycoreTechnology or IntegrationE-commerce platform powering PLAIN-T's online store. Provides payment processing, store hosting, and infrastructure for the D2C channel. Also powers the Ambassador/Collabs program.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• T2 Tea: Australian-born premium tea brand selling loose-leaf, wellness, and gift teas through DTC and boutiques. Overlaps strongly on premium positioning, gift-set retail ($50-$150+ tier), and experiential retail format, though primarily operating outside the U.S.
• Tea Drops: DTC-first specialty tea brand selling pressed tea "drops" with a strong gifting and subscription focus. Comparable on DTC-first, gifting-led, and subscription model mechanics, though differentiated by form factor.

Direct peers

• Republic of Tea: Specialty tea brand offering premium loose-leaf teas, wellness blends, and gift sets through DTC and wholesale channels. Closely comparable product mix (including wellness functionals) and similar premium gifting positioning.
• Harney & Sons: Established U.S. premium tea brand selling loose-leaf and packaged teas wholesale to high-end hospitality and direct to consumers. Direct competitor in PLAIN-T's core category with similar product breadth, premium positioning, and multi-channel (DTC + wholesale) GTM.
• DAVIDsTEA: Specialty tea retailer with strong DTC and physical-store presence, offering loose-leaf teas, wellness blends, and tea accessories. Direct competitor across the same product categories and price points, with a comparable premium-but-accessible brand voice.
• Adagio Teas: Online-first specialty tea retailer offering loose-leaf teas, samplers, and customizable blends. Comparable in DTC e-commerce orientation, broad tea catalog, and sampler-led customer acquisition.
• Smith Teamaker: Boutique craft tea brand offering small-batch loose-leaf and whole-leaf teas with a strong emphasis on sourcing and storytelling. Highly comparable in positioning, packaging aesthetics, and premium price points to PLAIN-T.
• Teatime Bookshop / In Pursuit of Tea: Boutique premium loose-leaf tea company with a focus on single-origin and rare teas, sold DTC and to high-end restaurants. Closely comparable sourcing narrative and direct-to-chef distribution model.

Broad incumbents

• Celestial Seasonings: Large, well-established herbal and specialty tea brand owned by Hain Celestial with broad grocery and mass-channel distribution. Represents the scale incumbent that competes for the same end consumer at lower price points.
• Stash Tea: Established specialty tea company with broad retail distribution and a wide portfolio including loose-leaf, bagged, and wellness teas. Competes in the same category but with mass-retail distribution and a wider product range than PLAIN-T.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/plainteany
• Instagraminstagram.com/plainteany
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/plaint

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about PLAIN-T