Something we’re all extremely accustomed to when meeting someone for the first time, is to shake, greet and introduce ourselves - but of course you knew that! However, there’s more… it’s never complete and a conversation can never start until someone asks: “So, whadya do?”

Seems like it’s such an instinctive part of us to need to know the famous Ws; who’s the new face we just met? which school did he study in? where’s she working at now? what music do you like? So as it is, EB has been around for about 2 and a 1/2 years till today and much as we’ve made our lil’l handshakes with many out there, it seems our humble little story of how we came about has faded down memory lane…

It all conceived with a little spark that got things brewing in our minds. A good buddy of mine and I were exchanging ideas one day in early 2003 and the topic landed on tea, a drink we both enjoyed. At that point, what crossed our minds was not just the health benefits and history of this drink but also an opportunity to introduce it to others in a way never or hardly done so before.

We knew introducing tea solely in it’s traditional form wouldn’t garner much following since the idea only conjures images of an older generation brewing the drink with old tea pots or Victorian ladies sipping afternoon tea. Hence, we came up with an idea to build a lifestyle lounge concept around it.

This was when my 4 partners and I came together and brainstormed on how to make our idea into reality. We all used to be classmates from the same alma mater where entrepreneurship was an idea preached about and advocated even during the school assemblies. Probably seems that’s why we all gravitated towards the same direction.

…after a year plus of planning, recipe testing and messing around my home kitchen every weekend in between work or studies, we finally conceptualized the idea into a soon-to-be-reality, Essential Brew! (Actually, that wasn’t our original name but I’ll save that for another day) =)

We then set out to achieve a few simple goals: To introduce the wonders of Tea, sharing the knowledge and enjoyment of it, by offering an easy approach to appreciate the drink through our modern blends and cozy concept. To offer only good quality products, and delighting our patrons through warm and friendly service.

Essential Brew opened its doors on 6th July 2004, without any fanfare or ribbon cutting ceremonies, but just by warmly welcoming our very first customers who happened to chance by our place along with loved ones and friends who came to support.