Social enterprise, NEMI, is giving refugees the opportunity to focus on rebuilding their lives. They’re doing this by creating employment through selling a variety of teas – and a chai syrup – in London.

This impact driven business aims to tackle the issue of unemployment for refugees. They aim to scale their social enterprise into a franchise model of stalls run and owned by refugees across London and Europe. They also re-invest more than 50% of profits back into the enterprise to help achieve their social-impact goals.

The NEMI tea stalls give refugees the chance to gain confidence and develop employable skills. This empowers them to find a job and better integrate into society.

The tea stalls are hosted at a range of food markets, festivals, events and conferences across London. They sell a variety of tea blends including Spicy Chai and Peppermint Tea, both as loose leaf and in biodegradable tea pyramids. A range of NEMI tea blends are also sold in locations across London and on the NEMI website.

The NEMI Vision

NEMI believe that “everyone in the UK, regardless of whether they are refugees or economic migrants, should get the same chances as all Londoners for a decent quality of life and the opportunity to contribute to London and its development”.

In the future, NEMI want to sell their tea products in cafes, retail stores and offices across the globe. NEMI aren’t content with only building a franchise of refugee run-and-owned stalls across food markets in London. They are also planning to open some hole-in-the-wall tea shops.

Their vision doesn’t stop there. They’re goal is to become the world’s first B Corp that sells tea and empowers refugees.

Fairtrade tea is used in all teas brewed at the stalls as well as in the blends customers can brew at home. NEMI are strong supporters of the Fairtrade movement and believe it can put the power back in people’s hands.

“When tea is bought on Fairtrade terms, farmers and workers benefit in many ways. From improved working conditions through to training in how to improve the way they farm and manage their environment to the opportunity to improve healthcare and education in their community.”

Keep an eye out on the NEMI website and Instagram account for new locations as they expand their operation.