I was recently introduced to Bhakti through my incredible partnership with Sprouts, and now I cannot speak highly enough about their message, the way they bring goodness to the world, and their delicious and nutritious product set.  Thank you, Sprouts, for teaming up on this post.

In these past few months, I’ve received some incredible support from friends, family, readers, and brands in the area.  And while I’ve loved and appreciated every single word, learning the stories of many of you that have thrived after facing extreme adversity has been more empowering than I ever could have imagined.  You are true examples of the light at the end of the tunnel.

This is one of those stories…

Meet Brooke Eddy.

After having two beautiful children, Brooke’s self-described “short” marriage ended.  (Sounds familiar, though I can’t even imagine having children within this journey.)

Brooke, as a true example of inspirational strength, did anything but sit around and sulk.  Instead, she made the life-changing decision to travel to India in 2002.  It was a choice that completely changed the course of her life, and the lives of so many that she would meet later on in her life.

Throughout her travels, she learned about the concept of Bhakti, which means that, no matter your station in life, you have the responsibility to make a lasting impact by contributing to the betterment of the community.

In the communities that practiced Bhakti, families would invite Brooke into their homes to discuss their lives and how Bhakti impacted their communities while enjoying a warm cup of homemade chai.

Once she returned home, Brooke started to brew her own chai to take her back to those beautiful memories that she had made in India.  But what started out as a hobby became a neighborhood staple when her friends and neighbors started to ask her to brew some chai for them to bring home, too!

Finally, in 2006, this brave single mother of twins quit her full time job to create Bhakti – craft-brewed chai that is steeped in social and environmental change.

Bhakti’s Products

Since 2006, Bhakti has grown exponentially, to now being nationally distributed in all Sprouts locations and most natural grocery retailers.  And, alongside that, they have expanded their product set to include the following:

• Concentrate – An ideal ingredient for cooking some delicious dishes.  Packed with antioxidants, this healthy ingredient will bring just a touch of spice to your favorite meals.
• Artisan Teas – Loose leaf tea bags that are fair trade and are traditionally prepared.  (This tea drinker over here is a super fan!)
• Iced Chai – Brooke’s original chai recipe, with a variety of flavor varietals offered.  All flavors are fair trade and organic… and absolutely delicious.
• Sparkling Teas – Carbonated ready-to-drink teas that are still rich in anti-oxidants and give an extra boost of refreshment to your day.
• Limited Edition Partnership with Avery Brewing – For Autumn, Bhakti has partnered with Avery Brewing Co. to develop “Chai High.”  It’s a delicious ale that is brewed with spiced chai tea from Bhakti.  The little spice that’s added is already making me beg for the leaves to change and fall to get here STAT!

Find out where you can find Bhakti near you here.

Bhakti’s Mission

While Bhakti is home to some ground-breaking, health-oriented, tasty products, their mission stands out above the rest.

Most notably to me, as a business, Bhakti started “GITA Giving.”  Gita, in Sanskrit, means “share your story,” but it has also become an acronym for Give, Inspire, and Take Action.

This platform is designed to spread awareness for relatively small projects that are creating large global change.  From the Global Fund for Women, to Urban Action Fund, to Pure Water for the World, GITA Giving provides an outlet for organizations to share their story of social consciousness to drive towards global change for good.

The Lessons…

Brooke’s story is one of inspiration.  From unexpected beginnings, a beautiful business is growing and thriving and making change on a global scale.

From a small business owner’s perspective, we should notice that Brooke first made sales and learned from her neighbors and friends what did and did not work within her original recipe and product set.  If you’re interested in starting your own business, test and make some sales first to see what works before major development.

From what Brooke and Bhakti has created, we can learn that we should always follow our hearts and intuition.  Be unique and true to your roots.  Be kind and the world will be kind back.

Brooke and Bhakti, thank you for being an inspiration.

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