Yu Sung Eo, Armaan Bindra, and Jo Touthang ’11 Got Tea: An Alumni Family Affair!

Transcribed by Sehar ’23

Meet Armaan Bindra, Yu Sung Eo, and Jo Touthang all Class of 2011, founders of Delhi-based bubble tea company Got Tea. Founded in 2019, Got Tea’s story is as Woodstock as it can get and is truly an example of how our school experiences continue to inspire our lives outside in the world.

The idea for Got Tea was born during a return visit to Woodstock by Yu Sung and Armaan in 2018. The vision? To build a small community around a space offering bubble tea and more where people can engage with South Korean culture at an intimate level. Got Tea’s second store opened in Gurgaon earlier this year, and additional stores in Delhi and Gurgaon are in the works. The founders have exciting plans to launch many more stores by 2025.

With Woodstockers at the helm and so many more committed to the business idea, Got Tea is truly a Woodstock Alumni Family Affair. Going through their company blog you’ll learn about more than half a dozen other Woodstockers who’ve been directly involved in Got Tea: Ajai Thandi ’13, Ariella Blank ’12, Tariqa Tandon ’11, Rishabh Bhasin and Taditraj Hazarika ’10, and Jagrato Roy ’09 have all lent a hand in one way or another. At the link below Sehar ’23 transcribes a video conversation with Yu Sung, Armaan, and Jo in which they talk about how their time at Woodstock impacted their approach to their business venture Got Tea.

Got Tea Website: https://gottea.in/ https://www.woodstockschool.in/alumni-spotlight-gottea-video-series/

More about Got Tea’s Bubble Tea

Got Tea is a company that serves bubble tea, a cold milk beverage served with tapioca pearls. Tapioca pearls are made of tapioca flour made from the cassava plant. Got Tea has a variety of vegan options as well made from water- and soda-based drinks to almond milk alternatives. They use 100% sustainable items like reusable can-shaped glasses and stainless steel reusable straws.

“What was your favourite part about Woodstock, and how has it helped you in life after graduation?

Jo: Studying at Woodstock, a school with people from multiple backgrounds, has really broadened our perspective. There were a lot of different things that we learned from school. It opened my perspective to different cultures, which has really played a big role in setting up Got Tea.

Yu Sung: My favourite part of being a Woodstock Tiger is that I was part of that community. When you talk about Hanson field, Char Dukaan, and so many other hillside things - you instantly connect. When we started this company we wanted to create that kind of community. People from diverse backgrounds come in and enjoy the experience. Because of the perspective that we have gained from school, we are on the same page. That has really pushed us to think bigger in terms of not just creating a business but also building a culture.

Armaan: My favourite part about being at Woodstock was that the focus wasn't always just on academics. We all went for activity trips, hiking all around Mussoorie, care activities where we were helping the local community, and just fun clubs like baking. I really felt like we got involved in a holistic experience living with our friends in the dorms, going to school, and studying. Always looking forward to the next day, we found the whole experience Woodstock gave to every individual really connects them on a much deeper level. I realized that a lot of my friends from Woodstock have been long-lasting friends, and I am still really good friends with them. We are constantly connecting, and whether we meet up after one year or ten years it feels the same. For example, the three of us have known each other for 10 to 15 years and have now started a company together. I think it is because of the way the Woodstock experience is and the way it brings everybody together.