Most karak counters sell the same few cups: plain karak, cardamom, saffron and ginger. This guide explains how each one tastes, where it fits on a café or vending menu, and how to serve all of them from premix.
Start a karak menu with plain karak and cardamom karak, add saffron as the premium cup, and bring in ginger for colder months. Those four cover what most karak stalls sell. All four can be made from premix with hot water alone.
Cardamom. The classic, fragrant karak most people order. Saffron. Floral and golden, sold as the special cup. Ginger. Warm and peppery, a cold-weather favourite. Plain karak. Strong tea, milk and caramel sweetness, the base for all of them.
Cardamom is the flavour most people expect in karak: sweet, fragrant and slightly citrusy, it lifts the strong tea without hiding it. If a menu carries only one flavoured karak, this is it. Our Cardamom Chai Instant Premix is a cardamom-flavoured milk tea premix made with permitted flavour.
Saffron gives a floral, honey-like note and a golden colour. Because saffron is the costliest spice, saffron karak is usually priced as the special or premium cup. Our Zaffrani Chai Instant Premix is a saffron-flavoured tea premix made with permitted flavour, so it gives that profile at an everyday cost.
Ginger adds warmth and a gentle bite, and sells best in winter and in the evenings. Our Ginger Chai Instant Premix is ginger-flavoured, made with permitted flavour.
Plain karak is strong tea, milk and a caramel sweetness: our Karak Chai Instant Premix, made with brown sugar and milk powder. For customers from India and Pakistan, a masala chai sits well next to it.
| Menu slot | Suggested premix |
|---|---|
| Everyday karak | Karak Chai |
| Signature flavour | Cardamom Chai |
| Premium cup | Zaffrani (saffron-flavoured) Chai |
| Seasonal | Ginger Chai |
| For South Asian customers | Masala Chai |
All five come in 1 kg packs and can be mixed within one case of ten, so a new counter or vending route can trial every flavour in one order. Each uses the same printed dose, 3 teaspoons (about 15 g) in 100 ml of hot water. Compare their cost per cup with our calculator.
On a two-canister machine, plain karak and cardamom make a natural pair; with more canisters, add saffron and a coffee. Refill canisters from resealed packs and clean the mixing bowl regularly so flavours do not carry over. For the full picture, see the karak chai premix guide.
Cardamom. It is the flavour most people expect in karak, so a menu with one flavoured karak usually makes it cardamom.
Saffron is the costliest spice, so saffron karak is usually sold as the premium cup. A saffron-flavoured premix gives the profile at an everyday cost.
In winter and in the evenings, when people want a warmer, spicier cup.
Yes. Our chai premixes come in 1 kg packs and can be mixed within one case of ten.
Our cardamom, saffron (Zaffrani) and ginger chai premixes are flavoured with permitted flavours, as their ingredient lists show.
We make karak, cardamom, saffron-flavoured, ginger and masala chai premixes at our FSSC 22000 plant in Hyderabad, in 1 kg packs that mix within a case.
Outside India? See export & international. Or email sales@theteaplanet.com.