PERHAM, Maine — When Jan Grieco retired from teaching two years ago, she began to experiment with making herbal teas at her home in Perham, unaware that her hobby would soon turn into a full-fledged business.
One day Grieco’s grandson asked if she knew how to make tea and she made him a hibiscus blend. She felt inspired to experiment more and later found an old recipe from her great-grandmother for an Irish breakfast tea, made from black assam and pekoe.
“I started off with six different tea blends and just went on from there,” Grieco said.
Along with business partner Tracy Roberts of Sinclair, who Grieco met while working at Northern Maine Community College’s Husson University campus, Grieco has created 43 blends of tea that the women now sell as part of Great North Woods Teas & Herbs.
Grieco and Roberts began showcasing their products at local farmers markets and craft fairs, which they still regularly participate in, and created a website. Now they’re taking their business to the next level by placing their teas in area businesses, starting with Annie’s Bake Shoppe in Ashland. The Presque Isle-based Confectionately Yours will begin selling Great North Woods products in October.
Recently, the COVID-19 pandemic brought a major setback for Great North Woods, causing the business to lose half the year’s usual profits. Grieco and Roberts have applied for grants with help from the Northern Maine Development
Jan Grieco (left) and Tracy Roberts, business partners with Great North Woods Teas & Herbs, chat with customers at the Presque Isle Farmers Market. (Melissa Lizotte | The Star Herald)
Commission and now are focusing on creating tea blends for autumn and the holiday season.
Though Great North Woods has many regular online and farmers market customers, Grieco and Roberts want to gradually expand and not become so large that they lose the small business qualities of their mission.
“People like that we use local and homemade ingredients and sell fresh products,” Grieco said. “For us, it’s about building community.”
Grieco and Roberts recently began home deliveries of their products in the Presque Isle and Caribou areas on Tuesdays and Saturdays. For them the greatest rewards of the business have less to do with profits and more to do with seeing their tea bring joy to customers.
“It’s great seeing people smile when they first try our tea and love it,” Roberts said. “We’re looking forward to expanding who we can reach.”
