Client Zero:
The Bottleneck of Traditional Trade.
Caraway Tea Company, a mid-sized importer based in Poughkeepsie, NY, sources premium botanicals from remote suppliers in Asia, Europe, and South America.
​
Despite having strong relationships, their supply chain was choked by the banking system:
​
-
Slow Liquidity: Wire transfers took 3–5 business days to clear, delaying shipments.
-
High Friction: Intermediary banks charged $35–$50 per wire, plus unfavorable FX rates.
-
Trust Gaps: Suppliers often demanded payment before shipping, forcing Caraway to take 100% of the risk on unseen quality.
Physical Verification + Digital Settlement.
Caraway Tea migrated their purchasing workflow to the Pekoe.trade pilot program.
​
1. The Physical Node: Instead of relying on paper promises, goods were routed through Pekoe’s New York Verification Node. Physical inspection immediately validated the weight, moisture content, and grade of the tea.
​
2. The Smart Trigger: Upon verification, the Pekoe protocol automatically triggered a USDC (Stablecoin) payment.
​
3. Instant Liquidity: The supplier received funds in their digital wallet in seconds, not days.
The Impact by the Numbers
Settlement Time
Traditional Bank Wire
​
3-5 Days
Pekoe.trade Protocol
​
< 2 Minutes
Supplier Satisfaction
Traditional Bank Wire
​
Low (Waiting for funds)
Pekoe.trade Protocal
​
High (Instant Capital)
Transaction Fee
Traditional Bank Wire
​
$45 + FX Spread
Pekoe.trade Protocol
​
< $0.01 (Solana Network)
Quality Verification
Traditional Bank Wire
​
None
Pekoe.trade Protocal
​
100% Tested and Verified
Financial Risk
Traditional Bank Wire
​
High (Blind Payment)
Pekoe.trade Protocal
​
Zero (Verified Payment)
Reconciliation Effort
Traditional Bank Wire
​
Manual (Hours of Admin)
Pekoe.trade Protocal
​
Automated (Instant Sync)
"The tea industry runs on thin margins and cash flow. Pekoe didn't just save us fees; it increased our velocity. We can turn capital over three times faster now that we aren't waiting on the Swift network."
— Founder, Caraway Tea Company