Agnes Tea Wins Gold
The Gladstone Observer 2/11/19 Liana Walker
‘RELIEF’ is the word Rebecca Domorev uses to describe her win at the recent Golden Leaf tea awards.
She’s been operating the tea business Tielka for 10 years, the past six of those years at Agnes Water.
At the awards the business received five golds, one silver and one bronze for a variety of its teas.
“The relief is that we hold a really high standard and just to have that recognised,” Mrs Domorev said.
She said what made her product unique was she sold brews that would traditionally be loose leaf in pyramid tea bags.
The philosophy behind the business is to help find joy in hardship and find a place of rest.
It’s a way of life Mrs Domorev has had to relearn herself over the 10 years.
On February 14, 2018, she gave birth to her third child Andrew who on his second day of life needed lifesaving surgery. The family stayed at the Ronald McDonald House in Brisbane while he was in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit where they discovered he also had Down syndrome.
Now, 20 months later, raising her son and juggling a business still comes with its challenges for Mrs Domorev.
“There is that uncertainty but the journey so far has been challenging but it has been so rich,” Mrs Domorev said.
“I see my family and my other two boys and the way they love Andrew, it is really touching.”
Winning at this year and last year’s awards has been a business highlight.
“It’s a long process. It’s very slow and it’s something when in the day to day you don’t see big jumps,” Mrs Domorev said.
“But when I look back I think we’ve come a really long way. “It’s that journey and that commitment and persistence that helps keep us going.”
Tielka Tea are available at Foodworks Agnes Water and Clinton, the 1770 Marina Cafe, Cafe Discovery and Little Bloom Room.