The
Future 500 Rising Stars
The Observer – November 2007
Sharyn Wortman, Today was Fun
Over a pot of tea, Sharyn Wortman decided it was time to ‘put
something nice into the world, have fun doing it, learn something
from doing it and drink a lot more tea while doing it.’ Operating
from her London barge, Wortman now runs Today was Fun, an organic
tea company that dispenses philosophy with your cuppa. Each of the
five hand-blended teas comes with a bon mot. Take her Friendship
Tea (a blend of marigold flowers and hawthorn berries) - the packet
reads: ‘I’ll be sad if you’re sad, happy if you’re
happy’. Actually, they’re rather funny and yes, they
taste good.
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Gorgeous!
And Ethical too
The Guardian G2 – November 2007
For romantic types who like to take an afternoon break: a hand-blended
tisane of organic rosebuds and petals with coriander and liquorice,
in a caddy with organic cookies.
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The
Antipreneurs
The Times Magazine – February 2007
The Tea Lady Sharyn Wortman, 36, founder of Today was Fun, the organic
tea company she runs from her London barge.”Who says you need
a flash office with an expensive sofa to run a successful company?”
asks Sharyn Wortman, the founder of organic tea company Today was
Fun.
When she first set up shop, she was embarrassed that it was a one-woman
show, run from her home on a floating barge in Putney, London. Six
years on, she knows better. “Clients love coming to the boat;
we have a tea on the top deck. When they leave, they say they feel
as through they’ve had a holiday.” An unusual HQ hasn’t
stopped the company scooping several awards. Last year, its Sleepy
Tea won best new organic food product at the Organic Industry awards.
This year, its trophy product is Green Green Tea (the second green
being for its eco-friendly, carbon neutral status, of which more
later). It has won or been nominated for four awards. Wortman is
not sure if she’s an antipreneur. “I think it’s
more that I’m stubborn and I like doing things differently.
It took me three years to start making money; there were times when
I despaired.”
An ability to churn out original ideas saved the day, a skill honed
in a previous life as an advertising art director. “I was
coming up with hundreds of ideas every day,” she says. “Most
of which went to waste because companies weren’t brave enough
to implement something different.”
Today was Fun gave her a chance to try them out. Take Tomorrow’s
Soup, the newsletter that features recipes, news and tips on how
to be a happier, healthier and greener individual. It’s the
result of being told in a café that the Soup of the Day was
off, but that there’s tomorrow’s soup. “I liked
the idea that whatever ingredients we put in the pot today, we’ll
be living off tomorrow.” Then there’s the birthday cards
she sends to customers, having asked for their date of birth (“Most
people forget that they’ve given it to us and are astonished”).
While working on Green Green Tea, Wortman got in touch with the
Carbon Neutral Company to find out how she could create the first
carbon neutral tea. Based on emissions - from the miles the ingredients
travel from China, to the energy used in running the packaging machine
- she buys carbon credits. “the worlds has I don’t know
how many green teas already’ our product needed an edge and
a reason to exist,” she says. Is there a risk that the company
will grow beyond her eco – ideals? “ I have to keep
checking back,” she says. That’s why I called it Today
was Fun. I wanted to remind myself to keep asking: ‘Am I enjoying
this?”
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Six
Kitchen Greats
The Times Magazine – February 2007
2. Nothing says “I love you” like a rose petal cuppa.
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6
Kitchen Greats
The Times Magazine – December 2007
Everything you need for an
emergency tea break.
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Secret
Admirer
Easy Living – November 2007
In the frenetic run up to Christmas, spoil someone special with
this tea and cookies set. The Love Love Tea blends organic rose,
coriander and liquorice and the heart-shaped cookies have an affectionate
message secreted in them. Don’t we all want to be told, ‘you’re
perfect just as you are’?
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Women
on a mission to save the world
She Magazine – May 2007
Sharyn Wortman, 37, runs Today was Fun, an organic tea company.
Its Sleepy Tea won a Soil Association award in 2005. Sharyn lives
in London with her fiance, Chris, 37.
“It’s vital for us to protect the environment. We’re
already seeing altered weather patterns – and things will
get worse if we don’t start changing the way we live.
I started Today was Fun at my kitchen table in 2001. My first tea
recipe was a mixture of hibiscus flower, rosemary and cardamom.
I called it Happiness Tea because that’s how I felt when I
made it. Customers constantly tell me it puts a smile on their face.
I’d worked in advertising for 10 years and got tired of the
constant pressure, but it taught me some useful marketing and packaging
sills. I wanted to create a product that put something nice back
into the world, and tea seemed perfect. And it had to be organic
because I felt responsible for the good of people and nature.
I took my first batch of Happiness Tea to a gift shop and a week
later they’d sold out. From there it grew and we now supply
over 150 stores.
I think our teas are successful because we’re also encouraging
people to think about the bigger picture. Our company is completely
carbon neutral. I’m part of a car- sharing scheme and I’m
even having a green wedding.”
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Tea
for Two
Practical Parenting – May 2007
Expectancy Tea, from £4.99 for 40g, from Today was Fun (www.todaywasfun.com),
contains raspberry leaf and peppermint. It’s great for mums-to-be
nearing birth.
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Ask
Amy De Vine
YOU Magazine – February 2007
Besides a good beer, what might we drink with our home Oriental
cooking?
Consider the pretty new Love Love Tea by Today was Fun (the names
would be great as Chinese characters). It includes whole rosebuds
and petals, plus coriander and liquorice root – that last
one is a familiar Chinese grocer aroma. Done up in a pretty pink
packet tied with cotton – almost like a red paper envelope
of luck money for the New Year. Serve in Oriental-style lidded tea
mugs.
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