Origins
Tea You Later! was founded in 2020 by a mother-daughter team as a way to spread positivity during difficult times amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our philosophy has always been that work and play can be the same thing. We like to have fun and do work that makes ourselves and other people happy. It was from this mindset that our first successful business, I Love Speed Skating, was born. Looking to diversify from speed skating, we needed to find something else we love, and we love tea! We decided to share our love for tea by finding the best quality teas made of all-natural ingredients and developing a unique brand with an upbeat personality.
Initiatives
The onset of COVID-19 has been a financial challenge for many, so in trying to survive ourselves, we wanted to help others as well. This is why we created OpportuniTEA and ChariTEA as ways to help sports organizations and nonprofit charities in our local, national, and even global communities. You can read about them here and here.
Sandi Vyse
About Me
Welcome to our store! I’m Sandi, the owner of I Iove Speed Skating, the parent company of Tea You Later. Speaking of parents, I’m also Sylvie’s mom! It has been fun branching out and partnering with my daughter to find some of the finest teas in Canada. My son, Randy lives in the United States. He is the King of Tea Parties and a connoisseur of fine teas. Although far away, he acts as our consultant and quality tester.
Some other fast facts about me that may or may not be interesting…I grew up in northern BC and spent many hours skating around Dawson Creek’s outdoor speed skating oval in all kinds of winter weather, training for the sport I still love. I later moved to Kamloops where there was no speed skating club, so in 1992 I started the Kamloops Long Blades Speed Skating Club where I am still coaching. In 2011 I started my speed skating equipment business, I Love Speed Skating, and now we have added Tea You Later as a new division.
I hope you will find some fun and interesting places to enjoy our teas and if you do, please share a photo and tag us!
Why I Love Tea
My relationship with tea dates back to childhood tea parties with my British grandma. She brewed it strong and black and always served it in a fine China cup and saucer. I drank it because I loved my grandma…I really didn’t love her tea! A substantial pour of milk and several heaping scoops of sugar made it bearable, but still not a child’s delight! Tea has come a long way from the nasty old tea bags from Grandma’s cupboard. Now there are so many blends and varieties and the freedom to use whatever kind of cup you like! My tea shelves are packed with flavours Grandma could never have even dreamed of. However, I still reach for a classic English breakfast or orange pekoe from time to time, just to make Grandma proud.
The tea tradition has since continued down my family line. My mom had tea parties with my kids in a makeshift tea house she created under the stairs, serving earl grey in mini cups with a side of sugar cubes and a few homemade dainties. Both my son and daughter grew to become tea ambassadors to their friends and continue to enjoy the treasure hunt for the world’s best tea. My favourite tea time is spent with my kids, and I hope to have tea parties with their kids one day.
Tea to me is also a fun adventure. I see tea party opportunities where some may not. As much as I value the traditions, I really love finding unique ways to share tea with my friends. I hope you will have a fun tea adventure while shopping on our website and that you will be inspired to enjoy some of our amazing teas in both traditional and unconventional ways.
Sylvie Lloyd
About Me
Hi, I’m Sylvie! In addition to being an avid tea drinker, I am a cat lover, a speed skater and speed skating coach, a recent university graduate (BA sociology), and a certified English as a second language instructor. I partnered with my mom to start Tea You Later! as a way to create my own employment opportunity during a time when jobs are hard to find. My primary roles in the business are the more creative tasks including branding, packaging, product description, and social media.
Why I Love Tea
I love tea because it is restorative for both my body and mind.
I was raised to value an active lifestyle. As soon as I could walk, I could speed skate, and I have been involved in many other sports and activities throughout my life. For me, the hardest part of being active and fit has always been to drink enough water. If all I could ever drink was plain water I would shrivel into a raisin before I ever reached my daily intake. Drinking water is seriously a chore. My instinct when I am thirsty is always to reach for something sugary and delicious, but as much as I love pop and juice, they aren’t exactly compatible with fitness when consumed in excess. My solution? Tea, of course! It’s the perfect middle ground.
While I use tea to support my physical health, it’s even more important for my mental health. Teatime is the antithesis of the busy lifestyle of my generation. In a world where everything is hectic and fast-paced, tea is slow and serene. It’s not just about the taste, it’s about the process. I love taking the time out of my day to choose the perfect blend to suit my mood. I love the quiet ritual of watching the tea’s pigment seep out of the strainer and saturate the hot water. I especially love selecting a mug from my collection and thinking of the sentimental stories behind them–where in the world I bought them, or what special person in my life gave them to me. Setting aside a few minutes every day to curl up with my warm cup of tea and an equally warm kitty cat (or two, or four) kept me sane through University, helps me recharge from tough skating practices, and just gets me through each day, good or bad.