Sales call between Parag (Paper Tube Co) and Elizabeth, a prospective customer launching a loose-leaf tea business. The call covered product requirements, MOQ economics, and a live demonstration of the Razzie Tea scaling model.
Elizabeth is launching a new venture selling loose-leaf tea sachets, primarily through a D2C channel with plans to expand into retail, big box, B2B, and hospitality. She initially inquired about 500 pieces; the call focused on reframing her quantity expectations and demonstrating the long-term value of tube packaging.
Related client: [1]
Elizabeth's initial inquiry was for 500 pieces. Parag walked her through the economics of scaling up:
| Quantity | Notes | Approx. Cost/Tube |
|---|---|---|
| 500 pieces | Below minimum; not offered | — |
| 1,000 pieces | Minimum order; setup fees apply | ~$2.50 |
| 2,500 pieces | Setup and plate fees waived | ~$1.00–$1.50 |
Key insight shared with Elizabeth: For any order under 2,500 pieces, a plate fee and setup fee apply — often doubling the per-unit cost of the tube itself. A 2,500-piece order eliminates these fees, making it more economical even though total spend is higher. Total production cost was estimated at $2,000–$3,000 regardless of quantity tier.
"For a $2,500 production, landed cost on the tube is about $2.50 on your first order. If you're doing 2,500 pieces, fees go away. Your all-in might be somewhere in the neighborhood of $1 to $1.50." — Parag
Parag used Razzie Tea (a PTC client) as a live case study to show how a small tea brand can scale using blank tubes with in-house labeling.
This model is directly applicable to Elizabeth's situation: starting with blank tubes and in-house labels reduces upfront commitment while enabling rapid SKU expansion.