SUCCESS STORY FOR

Mimi Jo’s Fruit Tea

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Mimi Jo’s Fruit Tea launched in 2016 after owner Nerissa Rollins set up a homemade fruit tea stand to accompany her neighborhood garage sale. Aside from offering a refreshing drink to her neighbors and friends, she also positioned the stand to attract garage sale shoppers to her street’s sale. Immediately following the garage sale, neighbors began knocking on her door asking when the fruit tea stand was going to be open again. Many others sought her out asking for her secret recipe so they could duplicate the delicious and refreshing drink for their family and friends. It was then Nerissa knew her grandmother’s family fruit tea recipe was something to share with the world.

Nerissa approached the TSBDC in Murfreesboro in January of 2017 for insight on how to bottle and sell her fruit tea at events and outdoor markets. TSBDC consultants worked with Nerissa on a business plan and retail pricing structures with the goal of having her fruit tea ready for summer 2017 markets and festivals. It wasn’t long before larger distributors such as a local chain restaurant and Nashville International Airport were interested in selling Mimi Jo’s Fruit Tea, buying it from Nerissa wholesale. Nerissa worked with TSBDC consultants to come up with a wholesale pricing structure as well as a strategy to bring production costs down to a level where she can sell her product at a profitable wholesale price. Mimi Jo’s Fruit Tea is now sold at Nashville International Airport, the Music City Center, the Margarita Hotel in Nashville, and in gift basket retailers in twenty states.  In addition, Mimi Jo’s is a featured product on Tennessee’s Pick TN line of locally made and distributed items.

The TSBDC continues to support Nerissa and Mimi Jo’s Fruit Tea with research and marketing. Nerissa states, “The TSBDC has watched and listened to me as I have made mistakes along the way, and they have cheered me on with all of my successes so far. I sincerely appreciate all of their help and guidance over the years.”

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