In an era where wellness and cultural representation are at the forefront of our consciousness, Sajani Amarasiri, the founder of Kola Goodies, is on a mission to blend the two seamlessly. With a focus on creating delicious tea and superfood lattes inspired by her South Asian heritage, Kola Goodies aims to increase cultural representation and equity, from seed to shelf, in the wellness industry.
Kola Goodies isn’t just about crafting beverages; it’s about building cultural bridges and promoting representation. The company’s journey begins with sourcing high-quality, all-natural ingredients directly from smallholder farmers in Sri Lanka.
“Our people and culture are represented at every step of the supply chain — from our partner farmers who own their land, to our team members who create the vibrant packaging and fun social media content,” Amarasiri explained.
Every sip creates a ‘feel good’ ripple effect. Kola Goodies award-winning coffee alternative lattes and better-for-you superfood lattes are made with high quality, all-natural ingredients, directly sourced from smallholder farmers in Sri Lanka.
“When we started Kola Goodies, we wanted to make our cultural beverages convenient for anyone to make. Our superfood-packed Super Green Latte, creamy Sri Lankan Milk Tea, and vegan Oat Mylk Tea Latte are all first-to-market products, rooted in authentic, modernized South Asian rituals. You just have to add hot water and mix to enjoy,” she added.
Amarasiri’s journey as an entrepreneur is deeply rooted in her upbringing. Growing up, both of her parents were small business owners in Sri Lanka, she developed an entrepreneurial spirit at an early age. Whether she was pursuing her education or working full-time, she always found herself involved in side hustles that helped create connection and avenues of expression for her community.
However, it was her move to the United States at the age of 18 that set her on the path to founding Kola Goodies. Working long busy hours in the tech industry, Sajani Amarasiri realized the importance of nutritious food. Browsing the health food section in supermarkets, she noticed a glaring lack of cultural representation. She longed for the nutritious Kola Kanda and invigorating milk tea from her heritage. “I missed my Amma (mom)’s nutritious Kola Kanda and energizing milk tea. These recipes, while delicious, are often time-consuming to make, and it can be hard to find the right ingredients. So, I decided to change that,” Amarasiri reflected on the start of her journey.
With the drive to fill this gap, she left her tech job and founded Kola Goodies in San Francisco and embarked on a journey to connect with farmers in Sri Lanka, forging partnerships that would one day ensure culturally representative and equitably sourced products on every shelf in America.
Amarasiri recalled the challenges facing as a woman of color, “Specifically as an immigrant, not just as a WOC, I would say networking is one of the biggest challenges I face. Everything in the business world is driven by knowing the right people at the right time, who can help your company grow. Anything from getting products onto shelves, to raising funds and getting press coverage. As an immigrant, you are often starting from scratch in a new country. You don’t necessarily have layers of networks you can tap into. So, while building Kola Goodies, I had to intentionally create a network for myself, one person at a time.”
Kola Goodies’ commitment goes beyond sourcing quality ingredients. “In the wellness industry, it’s very rare to see directly sourced ingredients. Our advantage as an immigrant-owned, small business is to be able to deliver fresh, potent products and represent the communities that today’s trendiest wellness rituals come from,” Amarasiri explained.
The supply chain of Kola Goodies follows a short pathway: The ingredients go directly from the farmer-to-farmer collectives & small tea factories, and straight to your mug. This ensures that more money goes directly to its partner farmers, and the ingredients in your latte are the freshest on the market. Additionally, Kola Goodies annually provides school supplies to the children of smallholder farmers, emphasizing the importance of education and giving back to the communities it serves.
“For our delicious Sri Lankan Milk Tea, the Ceylon Tea leaves are sourced from smallholder farmers who own their lands in the high and mid elevation regions in Sri Lanka. We source our superfoods and spices (such as turmeric, moringa, and Ceylon Cinnamon) directly from our partner farmers in Matale and Kandy, Sri Lanka,” she added.
During Sri Lanka’s economic crisis, when no media outlet in America was talking about it, the brand rallied its community to raise funds and donate 100,000 meals to those in need, showcasing the power of collective action.”That was a pretty special moment for me, to be able to give back using the power of our community,” she recalled.
Looking ahead, Amarasiri envisions Kola Goodies as a household name in America. Her dream is to offer every household the opportunity to experience the joy and grounding effects of thousands of years of wisdom, whether it’s through Ayurvedic practices and foods or other South Asian wellness rituals, like tea lattes, while ensuring that tangible benefits go back to the communities that these rituals originate from. “The dream is to keep going and build a diverse, balanced, and happy business where we can continue to spread goodies,” she envisioned.
Kola Goodies has recently launched an exciting new product—the Masala Chai Latte. This instant blend encapsulates the essence of stove-top quality masala chai while embracing modern-day convenience. The all-in-one blend delivers a delicious masala chai experience in under five minutes, without compromising on flavor or quality. “I often crave a grounding cup of masala chai, but don’t love the time commitment or potential stove top mess that comes with it. And I definitely find the cafe chai’s too sweet or not strong enough. Our all-in-one blend gives you delicious masala chai in under five minutes — without any compromise on flavor or quality! It’s shelf stable and comes in portable sachets, so you can have a taste of home on the go,” Amarasiri rejoiced in the new product.
Amarasiri’s excitement about this launch stems from the belief that everyone can now savor the luxury of instant tea convenience, creating a deeper connection with the traditions of South Asian culture.
Sajani Amarasiri’s journey with Kola Goodies is not just about beverages; it’s a testament to the power of cultural representation, equity, and entrepreneurial spirit. Her dedication to bringing cultural wellness to the forefront is an inspiring example of the positive impact business can have on communities and the world.
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