| Couple
Brews Business from Home Recipes |
By Anthony Paradise
Observer Staff Writer |
| Ron Spiegel planned to meet a woman when he returned to
Israel in 1999, but he didn't know that while he was courting
his wife, Ester, he would take the first step in starting
a business the couple now operate out of their Sterling home. |
| Their company is "2FLARE," an acronym for "To Feel Lively
And Relaxed Every time." The company sells instant spiced
chai tea and coffee, regular and decaffeinated. |
| It's what the products lack, according to Spiegel, that
give them their distinction. "The first thing we provide is
all natural products," he said. "The only thing that makes
it unique are the spices that come together. It's healthier
than others. It has no sugar or caffeine. It's low calorie
and low fat. As simple as it sounds, that is what drives it." |
| The products are Chai Flow, a spiced instant tea with creamer,
and and Coffee Flow, a spiced coffee with creamer, with both
available in regular and decaffeinated varieties. |
| The Spiegels also sell Spice Flow, a spice mix for coffee
and other hot drinks. Spiegel said 2FLARE began offering Spice
Flow because, "We had people that liked black coffee but wanted
something a little more." |
| Decaffeinated chai is the top seller. "It's surprising since
we thought the coffee would be," Spiegel said. "But I guess
it shows how health conscious people are becoming." |
| Spiegel said frustrations on his previous job led him to
launch 2FLARE with his wife, Ester. "I was a government contractor
for VSE Corp. in Alexandria for nearly 11 years," said Spiegel,
a native of Israel who immigrated in 1987. "I was frustrated
with timing. It's frustrating when I had an idea and it wouldn't
develop for another three years." |
| His life changed in April 1999 after he met Ester online.
Spiegel went to Israel to meet her and they were married three
months later. Although the couple met over a cup of coffee,
Spiegel found his taste for the drink had diminished. |
| "Ironically, right after I was married, I stopped drinking
coffee," he said. "I started drinking chai." |
| His first encounter with his wife's chai mix came when she
served it to their son Ben, daughter Eve and their children's
friends. "They were drinking chai," Spiegel said. "I asked
what was in it. I found out there was no sugar, caffeine or
preservatives." |
| From there, Spiegel said he expected this drink could be
something big. "I thought if four kids were drinking it, why
couldn't 14,000," he said. "Next thing I know we had a company.
I realized it wouldn't be difficult to move forward." |
| Regardless of who drinks it, Spiegel gives his wife all
the credit. "I give her 100 percent credit for the company,"
he said. "It's her name on the recipe. I'm just a laborer." |
| Ester Spiegel admits coming up with the recipes was stressful.
"It's a lot of stress," she said. "It's ‘what if or how can
I improve?' But you reach a point where you say this is the
final product. I like it. I've served it to friends and family.
I drink it all the time." |
| The Spiegels started last year by giving away the tea and
coffee items in small packets at the Sterling Fest to gain
feedback on their offerings and to plant seeds of interest.
People told them it was too weak, but the Spiegels believed
in the ingredients. Offering it in single-serve packets was
the problem and they began offering their products in 3.4
oz. cans. |
| The company was licensed last November to sell its products
and to solicit financial backing. Its online store—www.2FLARE.com—launched
a week before Christmas. The products are also sold at Sawdust
Specialties and More and at the Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum. |
| Spiegel said the local market is plenty to support the company's
growth. "At this point, we like to stay local," he said. "By
that we mean in Virginia, Maryland and Washington D.C." |
| However, the product could be sold in Arkansas friends.
"We have friends that bought a bed and breakfast in Arkansas,"
Spiegel said. "They use the product there and it seems to
work." |
| Five months into 2FLARE's operations, Spiegel can describe
a typical customer. "We have two styles," he said. "We have
the teenagers and students who want to try new things. They
like to imitate and they like new trends. |
| "On the other side, we have the more mellow crowd. They
have a reason to drink it—it's more healthy. They don't use
it as a new trend." |
