Steeped in Success: Georgia Tech Brews New Opportunities for Chai Startup

When Monica Sunny taught her three sons how to brew chai, it was never about starting a business. It was about tradition. She wanted her boys to experience the same flavors and customs she cherished as a child in India — simmering spices, sweet aromas, and the family connection that comes with sharing a pot of tea. Friends and neighbors who tasted it began asking for more. Word spread — and what started in her Marietta, Georgia, kitchen became The Chai Box, a company selling hand-blended chai made with spices sourced directly from Kerala, India.

But scaling a family recipe into a national brand required more than passion. While grocery buyers were interested, selling to major retailers meant navigating complex food safety audits and documentation. That’s when Monica and her husband, Sundeep, turned to Georgia Tech’s Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership (GaMEP), a program within the Institute’s Enterprise Innovation Institute.

“Working with Georgia Tech has been a lifesaver,” Monica said. “They come into your business and hold your hand and walk you through every step in a remarkable way.”

“Without Georgia Tech’s involvement, we wouldn’t be where we are today. Their expertise didn’t just make our business better; it put us on the radar for new opportunities we never imagined.”

GaMEP Food Safety Specialist Wendy White helped them write their first safety plan and trained the team on compliance. She later introduced them to GaMEP Food and Beverage Project Manager Andrea Hines, who guided The Chai Box through Costco’s rigorous audit process.

“Andrea was a godsend,” Sundeep said. “She showed us how to document, track, and build systems that would let us grow with confidence.”

The payoff was immediate. The Chai Box easily passed its Costco audit, fueling a 20% revenue boost from the first Costco order and paving the way for national exposure — including being featured in Forbes.

“Without Georgia Tech’s involvement, we wouldn’t be where we are today,” Monica said. “Their expertise didn’t just make us better; it put us on the radar for new opportunities we never imagined.”

Georgia Tech’s role went far beyond food safety. Automation experts fixed production issues The Chai Box had wrestled with for months, and strategic planning sessions prepared the team for sustainable growth.

“In one quick visit, they solved a problem we’d been stuck on for half a year,” Sundeep said. “It’s incredible what access to the right expertise can do.”

For Hines, her partnership with the Sunnys reflects the mission of hands-on research.

“This is a family legacy,” she said. “Their chai isn’t just a product — it’s their culture, their story. Helping them share that with the world is why I do what I do.”

The Chai Box is what research for real life looks like — Georgia Tech expertise turning tradition into opportunity, and Georgia businesses into national successes.