Newcomer entrepreneur brews his own Canadian success story
When Helmi Ansari found that the choices in the market were not really his cup of tea, he went ahead and launched his own line of tea and tea and coffee-related products.
“What can I say, my wife Mehreen and I really love our tea!” says the engineer and marketing man who has worked with PepsiCo Foods Canada, Frito Lay and Heinz.
And thus Grosche was born. They packed loose leaf tea in tins after the kids were in bed and sold them door to door on nights and weekends.
“We cashed in our RSP savings and invested it,” says Ansari. “We started in 2006 in our laundry room, expanded to the living room and garage in 2007 and into our first warehouse in 2009.”
Today, Grosche is an international brand. Their products, made in Europe and the Far East are exported from six warehouses to 29 countries and are available locally at Hudson's Bay, Home Outfitters and Bed Bath & Beyond as well as on Amazon.
Ansari’s title is CEO and Chief Sustainability Officer.
Their safe water project has provided safe drinking water to 5000 people in South Sudan, India, the Philippines, Malawi and Pakistan.
They were also paying $16.05 an hour when the minimum wage in Ontario was $11.40.
The Ansaris, who came to Canada in 2000 after 10 years in the US, are happy they are raising their children in Canada.
“Canada has been very good to us from the get-go. Canada gives us a supportive society, where everyone has equal access to healthcare and education, where there are equal opportunities for all races and genders. All land is god’s land – we humans draw the lines – but I think of all the places on the planet people can make their home, this is one of the best.
He tells newcomers that Canada provides tons of opportunities, but they might have to be prepared to take a step back. Be patient for the first couple of years until they learn the system.
“Then ask, not what job can I do, but what contribution can I make? We bring tremendous skill sets and knowledge, use them for the greater good.”