Today we’d like to introduce you to Rainy Wang.
Rainy, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I started Ben Wong’s Tea because I’ve always enjoyed desserts, drinks, and trying new ideas. Our Midlothian location was the first store we opened, and it’s been around for about three years now. In the beginning, we mainly focused on bubble tea, mochi donuts, Korean corn dogs, and other Asian-style desserts.
As the business grew, we later opened our Richmond bakery location, which focuses more on cakes, pastries, and handcrafted mousse cakes.
A lot of what we do today came from learning little by little over time. I’ve personally spent a lot of time experimenting with recipes, learning different techniques, and developing new products myself. I’ve also had opportunities to learn from Taiwanese pastry chefs and through training and travel over the years, which helped inspire some of the cakes and desserts we create today.
Many of our products are inspired by a mix of Asian baking styles, including Taiwanese and Chinese bakery culture, while also combining more modern mousse and pastry techniques.
Over the past year, we’ve especially focused on creating 3D mousse cakes, which became one of our more unique specialties. I enjoy working on different cake designs and seasonal flavors, especially using fresh fruit and lighter mousse textures.
Running a small business definitely hasn’t been easy, but it’s been rewarding seeing customers continue supporting us and watching the business grow over the years.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely hasn’t been easy. One of the biggest challenges was learning everything little by little while running the business at the same time. A lot of our desserts and mousse cakes came from trial and error, and there were many times things did not turn out the way I wanted.
Managing two different locations with different styles has also been challenging, especially trying to keep the quality consistent every day. But over time, I learned a lot through the process, and I think those challenges helped the business grow.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Ben Wong’s Tea started as a small bubble tea and dessert shop in Midlothian. Over time, we slowly expanded and opened our Richmond bakery location, which focuses more on cakes, pastries, and mousse desserts.
We are known for our fresh desserts, handcrafted mousse cakes, and creative seasonal drinks. Over the past year, we especially focused on developing our 3D mousse cakes and lighter fruit-based desserts inspired by both Asian and modern pastry styles.
One thing that makes our business different is that we are always trying new ideas and creating products ourselves instead of only following trends. A lot of our recipes came from personal experimentation and learning over time.
I’m most proud that we’ve been able to slowly grow while keeping our products fresh and unique. We want customers to feel like they can find both comforting and creative desserts when they visit our stores.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
My biggest advice is to be patient and give yourself time to learn. In the beginning, not everything will go the way you expect, and a lot of things come from trial and error.
I also think it’s important to keep trying new ideas and not be afraid of mistakes. A lot of the desserts and products we have today came from experimenting little by little over time.
Looking back, I wish I worried less about being perfect in the beginning and focused more on improving step by step.
Pricing:
- Mini pastries and desserts starting around $1.50+
- Drinks and desserts typically range from $3-8
- Regular mousse cakes, sliced cakes, and 3D mousse desserts range from approximately $6–13
- Whole cakes are available in different sizes, with standard cakes starting around the mid-$30 range
- Custom cakes available for birthdays, weddings, and special events
Contact Info:
- Website: https://benwongstearva.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benwongstea
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BenWongsTeaRichmond
