Bigelow CEO Appears at Quinnipiac University

Press release

Bigelow CEO talks tea, culture and success in putting ‘others before self’ during Quinnipiac fireside chat

HAMDEN, Conn. – Cindi Bigelow, the third-generation president and CEO of family-owned Bigelow Tea, talked about the keys to running a successful business during a fireside chat Feb. 11 at Quinnipiac University.

As the leader of the No. 1 tea-producing company in the United States, Bigelow joined Quinnipiac School of Business Dean Holly Raider and an audience of students, faculty and guests to share expertise and insights into building a successful company culture. The key ingredient, she believes, is steeped in “putting others before self.”

“We're very good about never doing anything that would be negative for the consumer perspective, from a quality perspective, from an employee perspective, from a community perspective,” said Bigelow. “A lot of our growth is based on that continuity and the culture that I wanted which was ‘others before self.’”

Under her leadership, Bigelow Tea became the top specialty tea company in 2002 and was named the country’s No. 1 overall tea company in 2020.

“It's really about doing ‘the right thing’ every single day, which means never compromising on quality. And I think that just really starts to resonate,” said Bigelow. “We’re not even the No. 1 specialty tea, we’re the No. 1 tea company … from a little town in Connecticut, run by a woman, 100% family owned. How can we even possibly be competing with these really large companies?”

Before assuming the role of CEO, Bigelow spent over 20 years in all areas of the company that her grandmother founded in 1945. The makers of “Constant Comment,” Bigelow Tea remains a 100% family-owned business and employs 450 people, producing over a billion tea bags annually in the U.S. Recently, the company was certified by the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) as a woman-owned and operated small business in the United States.

“I do think in a family business you have the opportunity to truly understand your impact on the culture and doing the right thing every day,” said Bigelow. “A family business can be very painful, but done well and with love, I think you have an opportunity to create a really good space, a fair space, a kind space, a driving space, a never compromising, never settling space.”

As she guided the discussion, Dean Raider touched on the personal bond consumers can create with a product such as tea, product that touches lives in meaningful ways.

“My theory is that everybody, whether they are directly a tea drinker or they know someone who is a tea drinker, there is a personal connection to a product like tea that is playing a role in our daily rituals and in our life events,” said Dean Raider. “And you develop an emotional connection to that product.”

During his opening remarks, Mostafa Analoui, director for Quinnipiac’s M&T Bank Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, called Bigelow a visionary leader who has "exemplified the principle of strategic leadership, adaptability and innovation. All qualities that are more critical than ever in today's external world.”

Bigelow spoke candidly about her experiences as a CEO who also happens to be a woman and the consequences of impending tariffs in driving the costs of goods in the U.S. She also spoke about the challenges of running a family-owned business, the power of mentorship and offered advice on how we can all help to create a culture where people feel valued, beyond monetary compensation.

“I tell my team we make 2.3 billion cups of joy. In all the daily struggles that come our way, I tell them, don’t lose sight of what we do,” said Bigelow, before leaving the audience with one final thought. “I hope you know that each and every one of you can make a difference every single day. It's just recognizing the power you have to make the world a better place. No matter who you are or what you do, remember, you really do matter.”