About CJC | चार्ली जो के बारे में
CharlieJoe Chai (CJC) is a Colorado-based beverage company specializing in chai tea. Inspired by the chai wallahs of India who serve up little cups of sophisticated deliciousness, CharlieJoe spent 20 years perfecting his signature blend of tea and fresh ground spices. Although he first encountered this amazing drink during his numerous visits to India for humanitarian work, CharlieJoe’s mission to share authentic chai started over his own stovetop where he would brew up batches of fresh chai for neighbors and friends. As word of this incredible concoction spread, requests for a way to easily recreate the same epiphany of flavor began to pour in. So, CharlieJoe partnered with trade experts to develop a chai concentrate that delivers all the flavor with none of the fuss. Now, CJC is featured at Ziggi’s Coffee, a leading specialty coffee shop and drive-thru franchise with 68 locations nationwide and over 100 additional units in development.
In keeping with their humanitarian roots, CJC works directly with Rungajaun Tea Estate in Assam, India, that ensures a living wage for its employees and an enhanced quality of life for its community. Also, in cooperation with Life for the Innocent, a portion of all CJC’s proceeds goes to help prevent, rescue, and restore children in India from experiencing the horrors of human trafficking. For the entire year of 2022, Ziggi’s Coffee Franchise is matching CJC’s donations for rescuing lives! CharlieJoe is on a mission to simultaneously become America’s Chai and make a meaningful difference in the lives of millions, one cup at a time.
To learn more about CharlieJoe Chai and how you can become a retail outlet email us at charles@charliejoechai.com or follow Facebook and Instagram. #CJC #chai4life
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I WENT TO INDIA.
I went on my first trip to India in 1998. I was in college, eager to change the world and thirsty for adventure. So, I volunteered to join a student group on a 21-day service trip to work with a children’s home in Visakhapatnam, India. We thought we were there to help, but those amazing kids did more for us than we did for them. Their unending smiles, unbreakable spirits, and untainted joy opened my heart in unexpected ways. At the end of each hot, hard-working day, our team would sleep on the roof of their humble facility – the cool night breeze making us all the more grateful to be a small part of their story. To put it plainly, I fell in love – with India, its beauty, its rich culture, and above all, the incredible people who call it home.
I TASTED REAL CHAI.
It was on that trip that I first tasted real chai. I’ll always remember the moment that complex, comforting, adventurous beverage hit my tongue. I’d worked as a barista and juice bartender – and wasn’t bad either, if I do say so myself – but I was completely stunned by the EPIPHANY OF FLAVOR I experienced that day. Then, it got even better. To my delight, I discovered that there was a CHAI WALLAH* on almost every street corner, serving up little cups of hand-crafted, sophisticated deliciousness! Like liquid jazz, each chai wallah puts their own unique spin on the beverage – and that’s what we’ve done! (*Chai Wallah means “Tea Merchant” in Hindi, basically, a Chai Barista!)
I HAD TO SHARE THE EXPERIENCE.
Over the past 20 years, I’ve returned to India numerous times. The people, culture, and flavors of that incomparable nation continue to inspire me to no end. From 1998 up to this very minute, I’ve been on a quest to perfect my own chai recipe – learning from the best and getting to know THE 8 WONDERS OF THE SPICE WORLD! I love showing up at parties and family gatherings with my suitcase of spices, serving everyone chai, and seeing those big happy smiles when they experience the same “EPIPHANY OF FLAVOR” I enjoyed decades ago.
OUR MISSION...
In a way, I owe it all to those kids. And, I’m committed to paying them back. As a result, CharlieJoe Chai donates a portion of all proceeds to India. We support the very same children’s home that welcomed me in my college years. We’ve also extended our efforts to care for India’s children by partnering with LIFE FOR THE INNOCENT– an astounding nonprofit organization that works to prevent, rescue, and restore children from experiencing the horrors of human trafficking. Our dream is to save a million children... as a start. Find out more about our mission and how you can get involved.
