Gloucester Township Tea Company Moves Sales Online Amid Pandemic

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ — As the distributors of a healthy iced tea sold at stores throughout South Jersey, Kayvon Jahanbakhsh and Mike Lombardo frequently gave out samples of their Topos Teas at stores in-person.

But like most things in the country, their business took a hit when the outbreak of coronavirus resulted in long lines and nightmare trips to the store.

In-store sales went down and the entrepreneurs were no longer able to hand out samples of their product in person. They soon realized they had to shift their business to an online platform.

“It’s been really challenging,” Jahanbaskhsh said. “It’s not a good time to try to launch a business.”

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It’s not an entirely new business. Their product has been in stores since 2018. The concept they’re using in 2020 is new, and in June, they’ll be releasing their disruptive line of redesigned iced teas direct to doorsteps. They’re using their connections as students at Rowan University to build a community for themselves in South Jersey.

“A big part of this is trust,” said Jahanbaskhsh, who added that isn’t quite there yet because people aren’t sure who they are. So who are they?

Well, Jahanbaskhsh aspired to be a professional swimmer and began his quest at Montclair State University. The more he wanted it, the harder he practiced and the less time he had. Less time led to more stress, and more stress led to more junk food. As a result, Jahanbaskhsh developed a lifelong digestive disorder: Ulcerative Colitis.

When he moved back home, he started researching things to help rebuild the gut microbiome and introduced it to Lombardo, his long-time friend.

Lombardo refocused his efforts from becoming a rock star to starting a tea business.

“We started Topos because of [co-founder] Kayvon’s struggles with digestive sensitivities and with the idea that iced tea could still be fun and flavorful, yet healthy,” Lombardo said. “We’ve crafted a modern take on a classic favorite.”

It wasn’t easy to put together a product that actually tasted good with clinically-backed ingredients.

“After years of groundwork, Topos finally combined healthy ingredients and the sweet pool-side vibes we expect in canned tea (plus the added bonus of fun bubbles),” the owners said. “This perfectly sippable tonic magically lands at less than 4 grams of sugar a can and is meant to be enjoyed morning, noon, and night.”

Topos is caffeine-free, features 4 grams of sugar or less in each 16 ounce can and has 8 grams of prebiotic fiber to support digestive health.

Topos will launch pre-orders of the limited 1,000-case batch early June 2020 on their website www.drinktopos.com. The first 1,000 to sign up for their case will receive a 10% discount using the code “TOPOS1000.”

“Since our goal as a company is to foster happy, healthy bellies it feels natural to partner with South Jersey Food Bank, who’s been doing the same for years,” the owners said. “For every case sold, Topos will donate $1 to the food bank in order to help nourish the families affected by COVID-19.”

Topos Teas can be found on Facebook and Instagram.

Patch has set up a directory business owners can use to let people know they are open. Details on the directory and the form to enter your business can be found here.

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