In the May 2024 issue of “Strefa Biznesu”, Sylwia Mokrysz talks not only about tea

About tea and more

Interview with Sylwia Mokrysz, the co-owner of MOKATE

How did you start working for Mokate?

I was already involved in Mokate’s commercial correspondence in English and German during my school years. In my first year at university, I created an advertising campaign for the company with the slogan: “Mokate Cappuccino – a Star among Coffees”. I even appeared personally in one of the spots. At that time, this TV commercial was the first completely Polish production and thus entered the canon of national advertising art. Since then, ‘Mokate’ has become synonymous with the cappuccino product.

What are you most proud of?

A major breakthrough for both Mokate and myself was the new market sector we entered in the autumn of 2002 with the acquisition of a large tea producer, Consumer. It was a completely different product, consumer and operating philosophy to what we knew from our experience in the coffee industry. However, we had no time to think about what to do. We had to introduce the tea products seamlessly into the Mokate range. To give them a new image in line with the company’s vision.

I was put in charge of the newly created department. I have to admit that I was apprehensive at first – I didn’t know the product, I didn’t know what possibilities it offered. I discovered all its richness during my training at the Thompson Lloyd & Ewart tea house in London. There I met passionate people who knew almost everything about tea. They infected me not only with their passion, but also with the desire to discover more and more of the secrets of the world of tea.

This enthusiasm was also passed on to the team I started to build for the needs of the new department. Based on my previous experience, I was looking for people who were not only great professionals, but also able to create a mutually motivating team. We set about creating a new tea portfolio – refining the design and recipes. Consumers welcomed these changes with satisfaction.

Today, our teas: Minutka (Just a Minute), Loyd or Babcia Jagoda top the sales charts, both at home and abroad. Every year we manage to introduce new innovations, combine often unobvious flavours, and offer new compositions.

The Tea Team is my great professional pride.

What helps you achieve your goals?

Success is the result of skill, knowledge, effort, experience and also luck. To quote Brian Tracy: “Your fate depends on your habits.” If you’re not entirely happy with what you’re doing and the results you’re getting, take a look at your daily habits. Think about whether your mornings are chaotic and put you in a bad mood when you leave the house because you didn’t have time to eat breakfast or read the newspaper with a cup of your favourite coffee (Mokate, of course :-)). Work out your morning routine, which over time will become a habit that will make you a happier and more content person.

The way we approach difficulties and everyday situations affects our emotions and the mood we project onto everyone around us. “Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what allows you to persevere.” So let’s try to develop habits that will help us on our way to success.

What is Sylwia Mokrysz doing now, after achieving so many successes?

I continue to work on delighting our consumers…

In 2023, I founded the Coffee & Tea Market Research Institute (based in Ustron and London), where we conduct research based on scientific methods in the area of business behaviour in the food and beverage market, including the coffee and tea market.

I would like to launch a platform for young inventors. Anyone with interesting ideas: for new products, ways of serving, promotions, ecology, reducing production costs, automation, etc. will be able to describe and register their ideas there. We look forward to receiving exciting concepts from potential grant recipients.

Interviewed by: Urszula Kosiór