chaya

What chaya does

Chaya is a Danish specialty tea retailer founded in 1981 by Bente Valbak and operating as CHAYA ApS, headquartered in Kongens Lyngby, Denmark. The company curates and sells approximately 80 varieties of tea alongside accessories, delicacies, and gift sets, and operates a multi-channel footprint that includes two physical tea shops (Kongens Lyngby and Charlottenlund), the chaya.dk online store, the Dronning Louises Tehus café (leased since 2008), the Paradehuset event venue, and a warehouse in Skovlunde.

The business generates revenue across three primary segments: direct-to-consumer retail both in-store and online; corporate gifting, which the company has operated since 1996 and serves businesses of all sizes; and experiential revenue from Afternoon Tea service and private event hosting at the Paradehuset venue. Operations are led by Sales Director Kirstine Laurents, who joined the company in 2000, with a headcount in the 11-50 range.

Chaya is privately held with no disclosed external funding and operates exclusively within the Danish market. Recent strategic activity has centered on operational focus — exiting the Ordrupgaard Museum Café lease in 2023, renovating the existing shops in 2022, and developing plant-based pyramid tea bags in partnership with engineering firm COWI under the company's Green Key sustainability program.

Name

chaya

Legal name

CHAYA ApS

Website

https://chaya.dk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Chaya is a Danish specialty tea retailer founded in 1981, selling approximately 80 tea varieties and accessories through two physical shops, an online store, a café, and an event venue, serving both individual consumers and corporate gift buyers in Denmark.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Tea Retail

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920), Other Specialty Food Retailers (44529)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Tea Rooms & Tea Cafes (THAFADAF), Specialty Tea Shops (Loose-Leaf, Tea Bars) (THAFAKAD), Bulk Beverage & Coffee/Tea Supply Stores (Retail + Wholesale) (CRAHAMAH)

Keywords

• Specialty tea retail
• Afternoon tea service
• Tea accessories
• Corporate tea gifts
• Private event venue

Headquarters

HQ city

Kongens Lyngby

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Sales (Tea, Accessories, Delicacies): Revenue from selling tea (80+ varieties including black, green, white, oolong, rooibos, herbal blends, matcha), tea accessories (teapots, mugs, matcha accessories, iced tea pitchers), and delicacies (chocolate, cakes, jams, honey, coffee, sparkling tea). Products sold in various sizes from sample tubes to bulk quantities.
2. Corporate Gifts (B2B): Since 1996, Chaya has sold corporate gifts to businesses of all sizes.
3. Café and Event Services: Revenue from Afternoon Tea service at Dronning Louises Tehus, private event hosting at Paradehuset, tapas evenings, and tea events. Dronning Louises Tehus operates from Bernstorffsparken in Gentofte.
4. Event Hosting: Paradehuset (18th century greenhouse) and Dronning Louises Tehus are available for private events including weddings, christenings, and birthdays.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Chaya is a Danish specialty tea retailer that sells approximately 80 varieties of tea (black, green, white, oolong, rooibos, herbal blends, matcha, organic and seasonal), tea accessories, and delicacies through an online shop, two physical tea shops in Kongens Lyngby and Charlottenlund, and a historic afternoon tea café (Dronning Louises Tehus) plus an event venue (Paradehuset) in Bernstorffsparken. The company also supplies tea-based corporate gifts to businesses.

Product overview

Chaya is a Danish tea company operating as a traditional tea retailer with both physical stores (two tea shops in Lyngby and Charlottenlund) and an online shop. The core product portfolio centers on approximately 80 varieties of tea including black, green, white, oolong, rooibos, herbal blends, and organic teas, available in loose leaf format and pyramid tea bags. Tea accessories include teapots, mugs, matcha accessories, and iced tea pitchers from brands like ForLife, Bredemeijer, Hario, Kinto, and Per Bo. The delicacies range includes premium chocolates (Summerbird, Valrhona), jams, honey, cakes, and freshly roasted coffee. The company also operates Dronning Louises Tehus and Paradehuset in Bernstorffsparken for Afternoon Tea service and private events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tea (Sortiment) Core product range of approximately 80 curated tea varieties including black, green, white, oolong, rooibos, herbal blends, matcha, and seasonal/premium organic teas, sold as loose leaf and pyramid tea bags to private consumers and corporate customers.
• Tea Accessories (Teudstyr) Tea brewing and serving equipment including teapots, mugs and cups, tea cosies, matcha accessories, iced tea pitchers, tea tins and tea-related books, sourced from brands such as ForLife, Bredemeijer, Eslau, Kinto, Hario, Birkerød, Per Bo, and T-bar.
• Delicacies (Delikatesser) Fine food accompaniments including Chaya chocolates, Summerbird, Valrhona, Cluizel and Anker chocolates, candy, cakes, jams and honey, sparkling tea, and freshly roasted and ground coffee sold on the day of roasting.
• Dronning Louises Tehus Afternoon Tea Service Weekend afternoon tea service in a historic 18th-century teahouse featuring antique silver tea sets and English porcelain, with tapas evenings, tea events, and a To Go service. Reservations typically required.
• Private Events at Paradehuset and Dronning Louises Tehus Private event hosting at the 18th-century Paradehuset greenhouse and Dronning Louises Tehus for weddings, christenings, birthdays and other celebrations, including tea-themed events and corporate functions.
• Corporate Gifts (B2B) Tea-based gift solutions for businesses of all sizes, including customized packaging, invoice payment terms, and curated selections for client and employee gifting.
• Gift Cards and Gift Packages (Gaver / Gavekort) Pre-assembled tea gift packages and gift cards available for purchase, usable across Chaya's tea, accessory, and delicacies assortment.
• Chaya Online Shop E-commerce storefront offering the full Chaya assortment of tea, accessories, and delicacies, with Danish and English language versions, PostNord shipping within Denmark, 1-3 business day delivery, and free shipping on orders over DKK 450.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 25 years of customer relationships - many customers have been with Chaya since 1981
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• KLS PurePrintminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Since 2018, Chaya has collaborated with KLS PurePrint, a company striving to become the world's most sustainable printing house. Their brochures, postcards, and printed materials are produced in partnership with KLS.
• COWIcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2018, Chaya began collaboration with COWI to examine their tea bag and its environmental and social impact. This partnership led to tangible improvements: Chaya's pyramid tea bags are now 100% plant-based and free from microplastics, and are industrially compostable.
• VANA.dkminorOthersChaya is a member of VANA.dk, which administers producer responsibility for packaging and single-use products. This includes reporting and paying for packaging placed on the market, ensuring proper collection, sorting, and recycling.
• Marius Pedersen A/SminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAcross all five locations, Chaya handles waste management in collaboration with Marius Pedersen A/S, who tracks waste volumes and provides CO₂ reports that help reduce environmental footprint.
• Haver til MaverminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUsed tea from Dronning Louises Tehus is composted by Haver til Maver - a school garden project in Bernstorffsparken where children learn about natural cycles, sustainability, and food production. Starting autumn 2025, used tea becomes part of an educational project on composting and resource cycles.
• Haver til Maver / Busses SkoleminorOthersIn December 2025, Chaya welcomed 22 children from Busses Skole for a morning at Dronning Louises Tehus where tea was the focal point for stories, knowledge, and sensory learning.
• Arla UNIKAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChaya has experimented with Arla UNIKA cheeses for tea and cheese pairing recommendations on their blog, creating content that promotes both products.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Lupicia: Japan-based specialty tea retailer with own boutiques across Asia and international online presence, known for seasonal and limited-edition blends. Comparable to Chaya's emphasis on curated seasonal teas, premium loose-leaf retail, and gift-oriented merchandising, though primarily operating in Asia rather than Europe.

Direct peers

• Teapigs: UK premium tea brand built around whole-leaf pyramid tea bags and a curated assortment, distributed via grocery, own D2C site, and cafés. Comparable to Chaya's premium tea-bag format and emphasis on quality leaf grade and brand storytelling.
• Le Palais des Thés: French specialty tea brand operating boutiques and an online store, focused on single-origin and flavoured teas. Comparable to Chaya in its curated, education-led approach and emphasis on premium loose-leaf retail.
• Bird & Blend Tea Co. UK-based specialty tea brand with a network of physical tea shops, subscription model, and broad online assortment. Comparable to Chaya in curating distinctive blends, blending in-store experience with e-commerce, and targeting premium gift occasions.
• T2 Tea: Australian specialty tea retailer operating flagship stores globally plus a strong online channel and tea-bar concepts. Closely comparable business model to Chaya's combination of curated loose-leaf retail, accessories, in-store tasting, and direct-to-consumer e-commerce.
• Mariage Frères: Paris-based heritage specialty tea retailer with flagship tearooms, a curated global assortment, and a strong mail-order/online business. Highly comparable to Chaya's heritage positioning, in-store tasting service, and emphasis on provenance and seasonal teas.
• Whittard of Chelsea: Long-established UK specialty tea and coffee retailer with high-street stores plus online. Comparable to Chaya in combining heritage brand, multi-category tea-and-accessories assortment, and corporate gifting / gift sets as a meaningful revenue stream.
• Harney & Sons: US family-owned premium tea company with online sales, a tasting room, wholesale to hospitality, and curated blends. Comparable to Chaya's family-owned heritage model, premium positioning, and blending of retail / wholesale / on-premise channels.
• Kusmi Tea: French premium tea brand with own-branded retail boutiques across Europe and a strong online presence. Comparable to Chaya in premium positioning, curated assortments including matcha, and combining heritage brand storytelling with modern retail.

Broad incumbents

• Twinings: Global heritage tea brand owned by AB Foods, with a broad mass-market and premium portfolio sold through grocery, foodservice, and own-branded retail experiences. Comparable to Chaya as a broader benchmark for tea category positioning, though at vastly greater scale and breadth.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Chaya.Danmark
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chaya-te

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 chaya