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Q. What is Masala Chai?

A. Masala Chai is traditionally a milk tea that is made by blending and brewing spices with a black tea. After it is strained, it is served sweetened and generally mixed with hot milk. The tradition continues from India and Tibet to many middle eastern countries. Our “Traditional Masala Chai” is a true brewed black tea that has been naturally flash dried to a powder, and blended with our six signature organic spices to make a balanced and delicious chai. There is no steeping or straining necessary with our chai as it completely dissolves in hot liquid.

Q. So… I have tried lots of instant chais and usually they are over-sweetened and pumpkin-pie tasting. What makes Blue Lotus Chai different?

A. We took a lot of care in developing our formulas. They are extremely well balanced and pleasing to a wide variety of tastes. We are always delighted to offer a taste of our chai to someone like you who has become jaded…just to see the great reaction!

Q. Are there any health benefits from drinking your Masala Chai?

A. All the elements of our chai have been used for centuries by many cultures for their profound healing and rejuvenating properties… we encourage you to read our page Health Benefits.

Q. How many calories are in Blue Lotus Chai?

A. There are no calories until you add a sweetener or milk to the chai powder.

Q. Is Blue Lotus Chai vegan and gluten free?

A. Yes, and it can be prepared with alternative milks and sweeteners for those who are sensitive to milk-lactose and sugar. Many people are using their favorite alternative milk with our chai such as almond, soy, rice, coconut, etc. We suggest that you add more milk than water with thinner milks for maximum yummy creaminess!

Q. Oh come on… does it really only take 1/4 teaspoon of your chai to make an 8 ounce cup?

A. Yep, we swear it’s true!

Q. Is there any caffeine in Blue Lotus Chai?

A. Yes, because our Traditional Masala Chai is black tea based; there is approximately 15%, or 1/7 of the caffeine in coffee. That means you would have to drink seven cups of our chai to equal the amount of caffeine in the same size cup of coffee. BLC actually has less caffeine than black or green leaf tea.

Q. Do you have a caffeine-free version of your Masala Chai?

A. Yes, since September 2012 we have offered our delicious Rooibos Masala Chai, which is naturally caffeine free.

Q. Can I buy Blue Lotus Chai wholesale?

A. Yes, if you have a bona fide retail business, restaurant or café, tax ID number and meet our requirements to become one of our wholesale clients. For more information call 541.683.6391 or e-mail info@bluelotuschai.com.

Q. Can I buy Blue Lotus Chai in bulk, re-label and/or repackage it for sale under another name?

A. Sorry, you may not. Besides being against FDA regulations, we worked hard to come up with our proprietary blend and are proud of its uniqueness. When you’ve met our requirements as a retailer, you may sell it in bulk, properly labeled as Blue Lotus Chai, in your store.

Q. How can we get our local grocery store to carry Blue Lotus Chai?

A. Most stores will be interested in suggestions for products provided by their customers. You can ask to speak with a manager or grocery buyer and give them your feedback on BLC. In addition, here is a link to a printable letter that you can give or mail to a buyer. Or let us know the name of your favorite store. Finally, you can always check our Retail Store Locator to a find a store near you that carries us.  We really appreciate your loyalty to our chai!

Q. Can you cook or bake with Blue Lotus Chai?

A. Absolutely! Because our chai dissolves completely in hot water it lends itself beautifully to cooking. Lots of BLC fans are sending us pictures and descriptions of dishes they have come up with. The sky is the limit! You can view some on our Videos & Recipes page and our Blog. Feel free to post your recipes using Blue Lotus Chai on Faceook, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube–just tag it #bluelotuschai and #chairecipe . Creative cooks have made everything from apple pie to ice cream to pancakes to kombucha. Even mixed drinks…try Irish Cream Chai…

Q. How about BLC’s packaging? Do you try to keep sustainability in mind?

A. For starters, we have purposely designed our top selling 2 oz. and 3 oz. tins to be reusable and refillable. We sell our chai in bulk sections of many stores to encourage people to refill their tins. We designed the tins without a paper label and printed directly on the tin, which saves paper and trees. The tins are beautiful which encourages people to reuse them. Even the ¼ tsp. measuring spoons in each tin or pouch are made from renewable bamboo.

We package our 1 lb. and 5 lb. bags of chai for bulk buyers, in fully compostable bags, made of a revolutionary material that is designed to break down in water or a back yard compost pile, leaving a bit of plant food behind. We are continuously researching compostable labels, inks and label glue. One would think that it should be simple to find, but, so far we have only been able to find the ink in an inorganic version. (We think someone could and should start a service and profitable business offering compostable labels and glue!) We also recycle everything that we possibly can and reuse packing materials.

Q. Are the numbers on the bottom of the tins expiration dates?

A. No, they are blending batch and packaging lot numbers to track our chai.

Q. What is the shelf life of your chai?

A. It is two years if kept in our original containers (or a sealed container). Over time, light, moisture, air and heat can degrade some of the subtle flavors of the spices in our chai.

http://bluelotuschai.com/faq/