Amala Chai
Amala Chai is on a mission to bring real, authentic masala chai to the UK – no syrups, powders or short-cuts. Their blends are crafted using fair trade and organic teas from Assam and spices from Kerala, sourced directly from smallholder and family farms that often follow traditional organic methods like intercropping, composting and hand-harvesting – practices that regenerate the soil and protect biodiversity. But their impact goes deeper.
By paying farmers up to four times the market rate they’re supporting rural livelihoods and offering full traceability from farm to cup. They provide income now, while supporting long-term resilience – additional premiums go to local cooperatives, funding vital community projects. They also provide low-interest loans to farmers to invest in tools and infrastructure, and when those loans are repaid, the funds are recycled to support the next generation of growers. It’s a regenerative model built on respect, not extraction.
At home in London, Amala Chai brews the chai fresh at market stalls and events from King’s Cross to Broadway market. Served in plastic-free packaging – from the takeaway cups to order-to-home starter kits, everything is designed to reflect the handmade care that goes into the product.
This is chai you can feel good about – ethically sourced, proudly uplifting communities and steeped in tradition.
Akhil Patel, a former data analyst born in London to Gujarati‑East African parents, is behind Amala Chai. He found his calling in 2018 during a trip to the Indian Himalayas, where he reconnected with the deep, communal ritual of proper masala chai – brewed with care, not pumped from a syrup bottle.
Back in the UK, he launched the brand from his sister’s kitchen and at local markets, drawing inspiration from both the roadside vendors in India and his grandmother’s age‑old recipe.
His mission: reconnect British audiences with traditional masala chai, rooted in cultural heritage and built on principles of ethical sourcing and community empowerment.
Founded By
Akhil Patel