Located in Jackson, Inaka Tea Company launched in October 2020 and is the first of its kind in the United States. Inaka is a brand of bottled, ready to drink, roasted grain teas, bringing the delicious, centuries-old East Asian tradition of roasted grain teas to Mississippi.
Founded in 2019 by Yazoo City native, Chat Phillips III, Inaka Tea Company was born from a desire to share a flavorful, refreshing, and caffeine-free beverage with everyone. Known as mugicha in Japan, boricha in Korea, and damaicha in China, barley tea is a roasted grain-based infusion made from barley. Because it is naturally caffeine-free, Inaka Tea can be enjoyed by anyone anytime.
The idea for Inaka started with a simple sip on a hot day in Japan. “I first tasted barley tea during a college semester abroad,” said Phillips. “When I returned home, barley tea was nowhere to be found, so after years of roasting the grains myself and brewing it at home, I decided to launch Inaka.”
Phillips says the launch process was not easy. “We had to build an entire supply chain from scratch, and the pandemic caused even more unforeseen challenges. We persevered through the uncertainty and have created a brand and product we are proud to share with everyone.”
Inaka uses a blend of roasted barley and corn to create a family of ready to drink teas. The grains are roasted until they are caramel in color and have a deep coffee-like aroma. The roasted grains are then gently simmered until the tea is fragrant and amber.
With three flavors: original, mint, and ginger, Inaka is designed to be flavorful, refreshing, and aid overall physical health. Each tea is brewed and bottled at peak freshness, using only real ingredients and no artificial flavors. The original and ginger flavors have zero grams of added sugar and are just five calories per 16-ounce bottle of tea. The ginger corn tea is made from strictly roasted corn which means it’s naturally gluten-free! The mint barley tea is a refreshing combination of organic peppermint, roasted grains, and just a hint of organic sugar. At just 30 calories per bottle, Inaka’s mint tea is a rich, bright flavor with just a touch of sweetness.
As natives of Mississippi, it was important for Phillips to first share Inaka with his home state. “I grew up in the Mississippi Delta, my wife, Stevie, on the Gulf Coast, and we call Jackson home”, said Phillips. “Inaka Tea Company is built upon the values of hospitality and hard work that are embedded in our Mississippi roots”.
Inaka Tea can be purchased at all three Corner Market locations in Jackson: Maywood Mart, Fondren, and Belhaven, as well as Livingston Mercantile, Coffee Prose, and Shoebird Café (Belhaven University). Inaka is also available at Corner Market’s Hattiesburg locations, TBones Records & Café, and more retailers to be announced soon.
For more information about Inaka Tea Company visit their website at www.inakatea.com.
