Teas Etc - Tea Blog

World Tea Expo Blog Photos

2009-06-01T17:40:00.005-04:00

So I started this post as soon as I got home from the 2009 World Tea Expo 3 weeks ago. My schedule definately delayed the release along with my difficulty in lining up the pictures in "blogger." The original post is below. I have tons of pictures so keep scrolling to see the faces and fun at this years expo!

Original Post
We are all still recovering from the unbelievable energy from the World Tea Expo show! It is an amazing experience to be surrounded, literally, by like minded tea enthusiasts and professionals.

Our trip to Vegas began with a day of relaxation and presentation tweaking at "TheHotel" where we bunked this year, instead of Mandalay Bay. We definitely made the right choice for us.

The Teas Etc guys, Matt, Rafael and Newman spent the majority of Thursday putting together our show giveaway bags in the New Business Boot Camp Office, thanks Stacie.

Friday began early kicking off my 2009 expo experience with a day of teaching at New Business Boot Camp. Giving the NBBC's Marketing Segment is a lot of fun for me. This years group were extremely engaged and enthusiastic about their "tea" future. Thanks to all who so energtically participated with lots of questions, ideas and great marketing pieces from the "shameless self promotion"

I had the luxury of not having to worry about the show floor execution because of our great team in Las Vegas. That team was headed by Rafael our warehouse manager, who works under the direction of Ward Sener, Head of Operations. Thanks Rafael and all for a job well done!

Our booth looked amazing!

The expo is the one opportunity during the year that we have to reconnect and renew with friends, some whom we have not seen in years! It's great to put a face with a name to those individuals we have spoken with but not formally met.

This year we added a fun new cupping event which took place in our booth twice daily. Each session focused on a specific tea category; black, green, white and oolong and was conducted as professionally as possible. Participants had a chance to sign up to take part prior to the show.

We extended some special invitations for the cuppings and were excited to have Lindsey Goodwin and Jason Walker at a couple. Thanks to all for taking part and giving us your time and evaluations.

The highlight of the show was most definately the World Tea Championship! We asked individuals in a variety of different industry genres to sit at the "Teas" table which made for an interesting, fun evening. We had bloggers, media, authors, buyers, 4 different tea companies (Village Tea, Teakoe, The Teahouse, Tea Willikers, East West Tea Emporium) and some other exhibitors (Village Tea, Quality Certification Services). We developed new friendships and renewed others.

When the first award of the evening was announced, Signature Famous Teas - Assam Category, I was completely caught off guard, which was obvious by my response when they announced the winner "Teas Etc" .... OH S_ _ T! I was totally suprised! I did not expect to win that particular category. I know we have great tea. I knew we entered teas that we sell and that we feel confident and proud of. I also knew that we were in competition with companies that have dominated the black tea categories in the past.

We followed up that win with the next, Signature Famous Teas - Ceylon Category and then our Organic Golden Monkey took 2nd place in the Signature Famous Teas - Yunnan Category! We did not have any wins in the General Teas Categories which is where I thought we would have the strongest showing. This competition gives us an opporunity to see what others in the industry are doing. To discover more about what to look for in the cup by learning from the esteemed judges. Most important it gives buyers and consumers a true evaluation of quality tea at its best. I feel strongly that this will elevate our industry "specialty tea" and the teas being sold as such.

It was an amazing night! I am personally honored to have the opportunity to participate on this level with some of the finest companies and teas from around the globe. It is a particularly proud moment for me, once agian being the only female owned company with winner's in the World Tea Championship, Hot Tea Category.

After the energy and excitment of Saturday night it was difficult to get out of bed on Sunday morning for my Organic presentation with Ram from QCS, Quality Certification Services. This intimate presentation was specifically developed for those companies interested in becoming USDA organic certified and was a road map to getting it done simple and effeciently.

Sunday afternoon brought about the Teas Etc vendor presentation which was a success with an interactive disscussion between myself and the audience, just the way I like it. The day wrapped up with a World Tea News video interview by Lindsey Goodwin, thanks Lindsey!

While many folks left on Sunday the show floor was still non stop for us on Monday! The energy in our booth never seemed to diminish and we all stayed busy non stop.

I would like to express special thanks to the following people for there support, friendship, insight and willingness to help; Lisa Richardson, Richard Guzakaus, Maria Seemer, Martin & Village Tea Team, Dan Robertson, Skip and the folks from Cirqua, Ken Rudee, Scott Shivula, Benjamin Harrison, Planet Can It, David Walker, Ram & QCS, Jason Walker, Lindsey Goodwin, Nicki Means and Sungarden just to name a few.

I would also like to express how nice it is to work with the group of professionals at World Tea Expo and World Tea News. A special thanks for all you do to help exhibitors succeed, Kim and George Jage, Stacie Woods, Kim, Vanessa, Nate, Tim, Kari and Heidi.

Until next time, Beth

Tweens Tea Essay Contest

2009-05-28T18:10:00.024-04:00

Teas Etc is excited to co-sponsor with Laura Schaefer author of The Tea Shop Girls a Tweens Tea Essay Contest!

A link to the press release is here for anyone who wants to share. I have also included most of the details below. We are hoping to have a lot of participation and are really encouraging young people to express their own creativity and have fun while discovering specialty tea as a healthy beverage alternative.

Here is an overview of the contest details;
The contest will be judge in two separate age groups 7-10 and 11-14. Stories will be judged on creativity, writing style, voice and grammar.

Everyone that registers receives complimentary samples of tea from Teas Etc as inspiration for writing their story.

To register for the contest fill out the form by following this link
http://www.TeasEtc.com/Tea-Essay

Essays must be;
400 words and submitted between June 1st-30th, 12 midnight EST.
Submit your essay on The Tea Shop Girls website - www.TeaShopGirls.com - click here

Most important you must have fun and use your imagination. Don't let the tea topic intimidate you. Stories can be fairy tales, science fiction whatever you dream up.

We've Got Prizes
Prizes will include a free copy of the book The Tea Shop Girls signed by the author Laura Schaefer personally to the winner in each age group. Also included will be a Flowering Tea Gift Set complete with a Ceremony Side Handle glass teapot and 8 handcrafted flowering teas that bloom as they brew.

Winners and their essays will also be featured in the World Tea News, a weekly online publication dedicated to providing the latest and greatest happenings in the tea world to subscribers across the globe. People in China may read your essay, how cool!

So express yourself, receive free tea samples and maybe even win some great prizes Register Today click here

Until next time, Beth

The Tea Wedding

2009-05-17T19:37:00.064-04:00

With the World Tea Expo behind me, at least temporarily, the wedding is at the top of the agenda and the long anticipated day was quickly approaching. We had the resort reservation, the low down on the weekend plans and our bags were packed.

We left Friday and headed across alligator alley from Florida's east coast to the Bonita Springs on the west coast. Never having been in on the alley I really enjoyed the natural landscape.

Nicole picked Chris up from the airport,our son, who flew in for the big event. Sneaking away from finals for a couple of days Nathan and Chris are like brothers and he would not have missed it.

The Hyatt at Coconut Pointe is fabulous and there is a lot to do. Surrounded by the natural habitat the property is beautiful and is "green" certified resort, we like that. We plan a Saturday morning boat ride and I plop into the jacuzzi for a soak. The spa like atmosphere is still very family friendly but large enough to find quiet, serene spots.

Chris found his happy place!

The 6:30 pm wedding and reception was being held outside and the weather was nice. There was a beautiful breeze blowing and the elegantly simple ceremony included vows that the couple had written for each other, readings from Lao Tzo, I Ching and Tao Te Ching.

Another intricate part of the celebration was a tea ceremony preformed by both the bride and groom for each others parents as a symbol of respect and reverance. Then the couple each added tea to one cup, each drinking from the single cup as a sign of the joining of two to become one.

It began with Nathan preparing the special tea the couple had created with meaningful ingredients intended to bring peace, longevity, prosperity, romance, love and life to the marriage.

Qian He Cha, 1000 Cranes Blend

With the parents served the couple then drank from one cup symbolizing their unity.

Adding to the romance and atmosphere, as the couple finished their vows a light rain began to fall, perfect.

The reception was delicious with lots of food, tea, dancing and celebration. The wedding toast was done with champagne and the award winning sparkling white tea by Golden Star.

We adore Nathan & Nicole and wish them many years of health, happiness and laughter together.

Until next time, Beth

Tea Wedding Approaches

2009-05-11T14:00:00.001-04:00

Nathan and Nicole's wedding is only 6 days away. As the wedding approaches we are getting excited, Newman and I, to see how the couple have "infused" tea into the ceremony and reception.

Nathan joined the Teas Etc family 4-5 years ago after he and Newman had a chance encounter at an area green market. As Nathan waited to purchase tea Newman was dealing with a somewhat difficult customer. Nathan came to the rescue satisfying the customer and sparking the conversation that lead to his employment. Immediately fitting in, as a foodie and fellow tea lover, Nathan has been with us in some capacity ever since. Once we discovered that he had graduated with a computer engineering degree he never bagged tea again!

O.K. enough history now to the reason for this post. Once Nathan got to know Nicole things moved quickly. Nathan decided to ask Nicole to marry him. It's not that he asked but HOW he asked that makes this a "story."

The happy couple was spending the afternoon at one of their favorite places, the Morikami Museum in Delray Beach. There is a Japanese saying that if you give a 1000 cranes and/or receive a 1000 cranes you are granted one wish. It was that day that Nathan presented Nicole a rather large box to open. Inside the box there were 999 white origami cranes that Nathan had laboriously folded 1 by 1. At the bottom was a larger, gold crane number 1000. In that gold crane was the ring which was followed by the proposal. How romantic!

Nathan and Nicole put together a list of ingredients with special meaning met me at the office on a Saturday where the 1000 Crane Blend was created. I was so confident in the quality of that blend that it was entered into the World Tea Championship! Of all the teas we entered I had really hoped that one would have won but it was not to be. Because of the overwhelming response to the blend and the story we have begun offering their blend commercially, now for sale on the website and to wholesale accounts.

We wish Nathan and Nicole years of happiness and good tea. We are excitedly anticipating their intimate celebration and are honored to be a part of this very special occasion.

Until next time, Beth

Two Winners at World Tea Championship

2009-05-02T23:00:00.002-04:00

I just plopped down on the couch in our room at The Hotel in Las Vegas. What a night! We had a diverse, fun, energetic group of people at our table at this evenings World Tea Championship reception at the 2009 World Tea Expo.

We were getting settled in, and to be honest I was in the middle of telling Newman that we needed to get our guests drinks, when they announced the Signature Famous Teas, first category Assam. And first place goes to …….. Teas Etc…..oh s__t I remarked totally off guard. Yes I know I shouldn’t be telling you this but I wanted to tell you before someone else did and honestly it was just my response because I was really floored!! Breakfast tea is next and that went to Lyster Group I believe, truthfully I was still trying to catch my breath. The next category is Ceylon and the winner is Teas Etc! You have got to be kidding me I think to myself.
I was also very proud that our Organic Golden Monkey received 2nd place in the Yunnan category, I can’t wait to try the tea that beat us out! The great thing was that our tea placed higher than a lot of the significantly more expensive teas in the category and we were definitely up against some of the big boys for sure, second place seems a fine achievement to me.

The rest of the night was equally as thrilling especially when folks like Ken from Barnes & Watson won, 2 categories green oolong in the hot tea category and another in iced tea, go Ken! And others that are more from the “under dog” realm like Puripan with their Tartary Buckwheat herbal, interesting.

Anyway, I am really very grateful for the recognition and appreciation that specialty teas are getting in the US. I feel strongly that World Tea Expo and the World Tea Championship has a big part in pushing our industry forward in a very positive direction.

Winning is absolutely fun but win, lose or draw I am privileged to compete and be a part of a competition that will improve the quality and exposure of tea, an industry that I truly love.

Until next time, Beth

Spring Teas

2009-04-28T09:49:00.003-04:00

We have been receiving tons of tea samples from Amy in our China office and have been so busy cupping has been a challenge, can you imagine?

What we have cupped and purchased is a very limited harvest bai hao silver needle that is amazing. When white teas are straight from the garden like these there is an amazing freshness and almost "warm" aroma and a complex character that unfolds on your tongue. This is why I work so hard for moments like these!

Anyway we have tons of cupping to do when we get back from the World Tea Expo! I am very excited about the show but wont be disappointed to get back and do some serious cupping. We have a variety of distinctive black, green and green oolongs awaiting.

Look for World Tea Expo updates, until next time, Beth

World Tea Championship Samples

2009-04-21T09:35:00.002-04:00

I sent the paper entries in to World Tea Expo last week for the Championship. Today the actual tea samples were sent on their way to judging.

Once again we entered 10 teas. After much discussion we decided to enter new tea categories this time and are excited to be there on Saturday, May 2nd in Las Vegas to see the results!

I am really glad that World Tea Expo decided to do an awards reception. I think it will add more anticipation and excitement to the Championship making it fun for everyone.

I intend to send updates right from the reception on twitter so check it out.

Until next time, Beth

Best New Product Award

2009-04-18T22:13:00.009-04:00

I am totally excited about winning the World Tea Expos "Best New Product" for 2009! Our new tea line, Get Real Get Loose, is a fun, easy, happy take on tea. I like to call it a serious tea with an approachable attitude.

The concept is to make specialty loose leaf tea accessible, affordable and easy to prepare, for everyone.

If you are reading this blog chances are you are already a tea lover. I have been a part of the tea revolution since 1998. I have seen a lot of change in the industry. A huge shift in consumer trends and the products that are offered in the market place.

I sometimes feel that tea has become too serious and can be somewhat intimidating to those not yet comfortable with good tea. I want tea to be for everybody. Get Real Get Loose includes filters on each totally eco-friendly package so preparation of premium loose leaf tea is simple.

Anyway this is not a commercial but rather a celebration of the hard work and efforts by everyone associated with the project; Amy the graphic designer who worked endlessly on helping to create my vision of an upbeat, vibrant package that induces smiles while being truly "green" packaging. Matt who measured, engineered, tested and withstood endless conversations and heated debates on what works best and what consumers want. All of those friends, relatives and clients who were willing to honestly share their ideas and opinions allowing us to develop Get Real Get Loose with end users in mind.

Most important I would like to thank my husband Newman who endures my creative projects more than anyone else. He lives the day to day, when things don't go right, or at least the way I want them to go. The days when someone tells me "no you can't" or something that I have been working on doesn't work out. And thankfully the days like last Friday when we receive the recognition that makes all of the hard work over the past 12 months worth it, The Best New Product Award! Amazing.

If you are going to be at the World Tea Expo, May 2nd - 4th, in Las Vegas stop by booth #600 and get a taste of Get Real Get Loose. Check out the green packaging of pre and post consumer recycled tin and paper. Compostable non-bleached brewing filters and the biodegradable package they come in. We have utilized water based inks, environmentally friendly adhesives and put every effort into making this a truly green product package.

Until next time, Beth

World Tea Championship

2009-04-15T15:57:00.003-04:00

When the World Tea Expo initiated the first ever World Tea Championship in 2008 I was extremely pleased! In my opinion this was the first step in establishing tea guides and a rating system that could aid buyers, wholesale and retail alike. Education is the only way to teach end users, and those in-between, what to look for and expect in a cup of specialty tea .

Yes there were people who complained about the way the Championship was conducted; who the judges were, the cupping methodology, the brewing vessels. While it was not a perfect system the WTE is the only group that has had the gumption to take on tea quality, trying to develop benchmarks and ratings. They called on well respected industry leaders asking for their input to create a fair, well organized competition and frankly they did a great job!

What was lacking, in my opinion, was the positive feedback of what went right, offers of support and help and the acknowledgement of how important this is for our entire industry.

In my experience complaints don't generally come from wanting to make things better but rather from fear. I challenge those unhappy with the development of the World Tea Championship to ask themselves what their real motives are? Do they want consumers to learn about quality or is the status quo o.k.?

Ratings could benefit buyers, of all levels. They could be used to taste, learn and purchase quality teas. Hopefully buyers will begin to use this tool, especially those buying to resell, taking note of those companies willing to enter teas whether they are winners or not.

The WTE and the Championship is leading the way to improve tea for us all. As the only female owned company to have a winner in the hot tea category I feel proud to be a small part of the bigger picture. Come to think of it we are the first ever female owned company to have a winner!

Coming soon more about how the Championship works.

Until next time, Beth

World Tea Championship - How it Works

2009-04-10T16:05:00.004-04:00

With the launch of the first ever World Tea Competition came a lot of consumer questions about how to enter and what the judging criteria was.

Because we participated first hand in WTC and are entering teas again this year I thought it might be nice to explain some of the new elements of this year competition.

First of all WTC is an independent competition judged by professional cuppers and commercial buyers. There are 2 categories; hot tea and iced tea, each with its own set of criteria and judges. One change is the addition of 1st, 2nd and 3rd place awards, last year there was one winner and then top 5 finalists.

There are specific tea/region categories such as Yunnan or Earl Grey and then general categories like white tea. The categories were developed with the help of industry experts and much debate. Unlike last year there will no longer be any "super" categories, a good thing in my opinion.

Awards for both hot and iced categories will be recognized the evening of Saturday, May 2nd, the first day of this years expo May 2nd - 4th being held in Las Vegas, NV.

For more information about WTC visit http://www.worldteaexpo.com/ and look for results sure to include Teas Etc!

Until next time, Beth

World Tea Expo Update

2009-04-05T09:25:00.007-04:00

I am teaching at the expo again this year. First up will be the marketing track at the New Business Boot Camp a pre-conference soup to nuts new tea business intensive, beyond the typical tasting and tea identification classes.

Second is the Core Conference - Organic Cost to Compliance class. This in-depth class will cater to a very specific audience interested in becoming NOP certified organic handlers & processors. I will review best practices and system plans accompanied by the Director of Quality Certification Services.

The education aspect of the expo is only one small element of the largest tea event of the year!

More to come.

Until next time, Beth

Tea Wedding

2009-03-30T10:09:00.007-04:00

Nathan has been part of the Teas Etc family for the past 4 years working as our website guru. As a hardcore tea guy it was no surprise that when he and Nicole announced in 2008 that they would be getting married, which we all knew anyway, that they checked the World Tea Expo show dates to be sure there were no conflicts!

I can't take credit for converting Nathan, he was a tea guy long before he joined the ranks of Teas Etc. He has been an integral part of cupping's and tea evaluations since the beginning and is a valuable contributor on many levels. His business card reads "webmaster and oolong enthusiast" probably his favorite category although like everyone else his tea horizons continuously expand.

We are thrilled to be a part of this intimate affair of which tea is a central theme. They will be serving tea to the parents during the ceremony. Have tea wedding favors. Are serving tea extensively at the reception with a full tea station set up and the non alcoholic toast option is Golden Stars sparkling jasmine white tea. Nicole was not a big tea drinker when she met Nathan but all that has changed now.

They couple spent the better part of last Saturday creating and cupping what became their "wedding" tea blend which is a lovely combination of white teas, rose petals, strawberry....We will feature their wedding blend to the general public somehow either just before or just after the wedding I dont have all of the details worked out yet.

If you are going to be at WTE stop by the booth for a cup of tea and congratulate Nathan on his upcoming nuptials as he will once again be a part of the team working the Teas Etc booth.

Look for the wedding post and pictures in late May.

Until next time, Beth

World Tea Expo 2009

2009-03-25T09:00:00.003-04:00

This years expo is going to be great! Yes despite the "bad" economy...which I do not buy into at all and am very tired of hearing!

I have been working on the floor plan and visual aspect of our double booth this year which I am designing very minimalist and clean. Cant wait to see it all come together.

We have so much going on, web casts (will be seen on the website), the manufacturers track (a 30 minute showcase of Teas Etc) which already has 155 attendees signed up, the World Tea Championship.

We have planned a lot of special tasting events that will take place in the Teas Etc booth #600 right in the front of the show. We will be handing out our daily "happenings" schedule and will be booking private cupping appointments on a first come first serve basis.

Some of our other "special" events are under wraps to be unveiled closer to the start of the show May 2nd in Las Vegas!

Until next time, Beth

Tasting Teas for The World Tea Championship

2009-03-21T19:44:00.004-04:00

We started cupping teas this week for the upcoming World Tea Championship. Some of the entries require no thought, golden monkey organic, bai hao silver needle organic a couple of our current favorites. We will end up with about 8 teas for the hot tea category. The championship is changing a bit this year but more about that at a later date.

When it came to selecting iced teas it was a bit more difficult. I don't really drink tea cold, its not my preference, I just like tea hot. So Matt came up with a great idea, cold brewing! We spent 2 days prepping, tasting, blending, re-tasting. A lot of work but the end results were terrific. We have some really cool stuff we are unveiling at WTE in May.

Until next time, Beth

Jamacia and the last day at sea

2009-01-27T21:46:00.002-05:00

Excited about the day ahead we woke up to incredible weather. Docked at the port of Ocho Rios we walked to find our excursion, a 90 ft. yacht that was taking us to Dunn River Falls.

OCHO RIO JAMAICA

I almost never drink coffee and when I do it is light and sweet, really more about the sweet than the coffee. After reading through the available trips Newman and I decided that this one sounded good because they were serving Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee! On a tea cruise taking excursions for coffee?

Regardless of the 8-10 foot seas we enjoyed our cruise to the falls. The ocean is a beautiful, crystal clear blue/green. The crew is friendly and we have quickly learned the phrase of the day "ya man"!

Despite the number of people the falls are gorgeous. The brisk fresh mountain water rushes down to the ocean shore and you can feel the water temperature change as you approach the falls. We meet our guides, one of whom is filming our trek up the falls. Yes we are hiking up the falls while the water is rushing down.

It takes us about 1 hour to do the entire trip up and we have an absolute blast! At different points along the way I did some rock sliding and Newman and I dive backwards off the rocks. The foliage around us is incredible, the guides are fun and well versed on where we should and should not go and the entire experience is awesome.

After a fun filled day and another delicious dinner we sit on our balcony enjoying the ocean breeze.

Our final day on the ship wraps up the learning portion of the cruise. I teach my last two "tea" sessions which is followed by a graduation ceremony. The class presents me with a singing pirate as a token of their appreciation and everyone reflects on the fun they have had.

The entire experience has been a good time! Great food, good company, fun excursions and lots of relaxation. Even though this was a working trip the time away was a much needed escape.

Until next time, Beth

Grand Cayman Island

2009-01-26T22:40:00.007-05:00

We wake to the sun beaming in our sliding glass doors and get up to quickly grab breakfast before heading down to catch the tender. We run into Dawnya, April and Brian and ride to shore with them. We are going horseback riding on the beach but are going a bit early to explore.

We are greeted by pirates and trip vendors looking for customers. The port is well organized but nothing really to write home about. We venture a block or two into the "town" and it is a sea of shopping, mostly jewelry. It's National Hero's Day in Grand Cayman, a big deal based on the number of people gathered and all the pomp and circumstance in the street.

When we hook up with our tour guide Newman and I along with several other folks from the ship are driven to the north side of the island for a secluded ride. The horses are almost ready to go when we arrive so we mount up and head out. We ride onto the beach for a 5 mile trot along the shore.There are only a couple of people on the entire ride just white sandy beaches and the incredibly blue green Caribbean sea. We do encounter some locals para sailing. I say locals because these guys were catching some serious air, 6-8 foot jumps, they do this frequently.

After the beautiful, leisurely ride we head back to port. Troy, our guide, is an island native and shares some interesting facts on the return trip. The Cayman Islands consist of 3 small islands south of the western tip of Cuba. The islands top 3 sources of revenue are banking #1, real estate development #2 and tourism #3. Only 40,000 indigenous people live on the small island, although it is the largest of the 3, with the bulk of the population being foreigners who come seeking employment.

Construction is everywhere and Troy points out that many VIP's either have homes or frequent the island, like Oprah. He also tells us the islands have no taxes of any kind and goes on to explain why establishing a business in this paradise is an economically good idea. "This is a great place for a tea company" he says. This guy is a great ambassador for the Cayman Islands!

We wander around for a little longer. Newman buys me a beautiful bracelet. We pick up some post cards and camera stuff and catch the tender back to the boat for a well needed lunch.

We meet some of the other tea cruisers at dinner and enjoy another scrumptious meal. The food on this ship is really good. Our wait staff is great, thanks Namesh. At dinner April suggests that we go ice skating and then climb the rock wall. I am game so we change and head to the on board ice rink. Yes ice rink!

TAD, MARCIA & NAMESH

I have to sign a waiver before receiving skates? Being a Florida native I have been on skates only a few times and that was while living in New York a long...time ago. I figure that it wont be any worse on my body than the horse was so I sign the waiver, strap on the skates and hit the ice.

TENTATIVELY GETTING STARTED

DAWNYA & APRIL HAVE SOME MOVES

STRIKE A POSE

After ice skating we head up to the rock climbing wall. I must be crazy! You have to understand April is very motivating! Anyway the doors open onto the top deck and we are almost blown away. It's so windy the rock wall is closed...thank goodness.

Newman and I are off to bed excited about tomorrow and the next port of call Ocho Rios Jamaica!

Until next time, Beth

First Day at Sea and Training

2009-01-25T21:00:00.008-05:00

The day starts with a cup of tea and breakfast, via room service, on our balcony. The weather is fabulous and I am wishing that I could sit here and not move! Knowing that is just not possible I prep myself and my materials and I am off for my morning session on marketing.

We catch the last 15 minutes of Lady Dawnya's presentation which is great. Not having had the opportunity to hear her speak previously I am throughly impressed.

I quickly find that this is a great group, enthusiastic and not short on ideas or the confidence to share them, exactely the way I like it! We spend 2 solid hours talking about gathering customer data and venues to look for marketing opporutunities.

After a delicious lunch and tea break we are back for this afternoons tea tasting and slide presentation, which includes some of my travels to China's tea gardens.

We cup Bi Lo Chun from East West Mountain, Dragon Well from Hangzhou, Guo Lu and Keemun from Anhui Province. Agian the group does not disappoint, they are throughly engaged and interested in cupping and quality evaluation techniques. I discuss my experiences and relationships with growers and the various tea growing regions cooridinating with the afternoons teas. I share my Lu Yu sightings and my visit to the National Tea Museum in Zhejiang Province.

MY AFTERNOON TEA BREAK

LADY DAWNYA & APRIL READY FOR THE TASTING

We talk about quality issues in the US and the fact that while we have come a long way in the last 10 years we have so much further to go. Many US wholesale buyers still purchase marginal quality teas for a variety of reasons; lack of knowledge, lack of experience and a misunderstanding about price versus quality. Yes you can buy one gunpowder tea for less than another but that does not mean you are getting a better value or a good deal. Just as prices vary do does quality.

We wrap up for the day and everyone is all smiles anxious to arrive at our first port of call, Grand Cayman, tomorrow. The ship is due to arrive around 9 am. Newman and I have preplanned an excursion in Grand Cayman which will start tendoring to shore first thing.

We skip getting dressed, it's formal night, and opt for a quite dinner in our cabin and another wonderful nights sleep with the ocean breezes.

Until next time, Beth

Ready, Set, Sail on the 2009 Tea Cruise

2009-01-24T21:00:00.010-05:00

We set sail on the 2009 Tea Cruise aboard Royal Caribbeans Navigator of the Seas bound for the western Caribbeans Grand Cayman and Jamaica islands. As this years speaker I look forward to meeting my fellow tea cruisers, the training sessions and traveling to new places. The best part is that I only have to unpack once, one of the best features of cruising.

After a delightful ride to Ft. Lauderdale, thanks Barbara and Skylar Limo service, we were quickly on board for a nice buffet lunch and a walk around the ship.

Much larger than the last ship we sailed on, I am estimating, this vessel must accommodate upward to 3000 guests. Well appointed the ship is clean with tons of amenities the first one I visit, of course, is the spa. I make appointments on the spot while Newman tours the gym, both feature great views.

Our stateroom is great we have a nice sitting area as well as a sleeping nook and best of all a balcony overlooking the ocean! There is a small gift bag on our door from Lady Dawnya of Tea Events who is hosting the cruise. Included an agenda for our 2 "working" days at sea, an invitation to meet the rest of the tea cruisers for dinner and bon voyage bubbles which I promptly blow from our balcony.

OUR SPACIOUS STATEROOM

BLOWING BUBBLES

We are scheduled to set sail at 5 so after the emergency drill we unpack, relax and enjoy a cup of tea on our balcony. Both Newman and I are ready for this trip and the much needed time away with a nice change of scenery.

THE VIEW AS WE SET SAIL FROM FT. LAUDERDALE

We head to dinner and are greeted at the dining room entrance by Lady Dawnya and her husband Brian who escorts us to the table where we meet the other tea cruisers; April from Kansas, Tad & Marcia from Naples, FL, Debby & Michele from Arkansas, Lourie & Kit from North Carolina and Rosetta from San Fransisco.

After enjoying a yummy dinner I am back in the stateroom preparing for the following days training and with the ocean breezes blowing an incredible nights sleep.

Until next time, Beth

Looking Back and Turning Over a New Leaf in 2009

2009-01-17T22:48:00.017-05:00

2008 was a whirlwind and such an incredible year for me personally and professionally! Starting with my trip to China in March/April. Traveling in the mountains, choosing exceptional teas and having the opportunity to cup with masters throughout China is incredible.

What most people didn't know was that I signed a lease for a much larger office, production facility the night before I left the country. And with little done while I was gone I jumped in after being back 3 days and completed "green" renovations. With an aggressive move date of May 1st Cody, Penelope and I, along with others worked overtime to get done, and we did.

The move was exhilarating and really paved the way for the growth that was to take place ahead. Even I could not have imagined such amazing growth and industry recognition.

Right after the move World Tea Expo (WTE)and the New Business Boot Camp (NBBC) was held in Las Vegas. With our energy high the Teas Etc team made its way to Vegas and was excited to have such positive feedback and results. The NBBC was an awesome experience, very emotional and fulfilling. Becoming a new WTE Advisory Board Member gave me an opportunity to get even more insight into our complex and very small industry. Hopefully I can be a part of positive change for the industry that I love.

A personal high for me, for all of 2008, was being the only female owned company to have a winner in the World Tea Championship Hot Tea Category!

Without missing a beat we returned home and the pace didn't seem to slow down. You know how you always think and/or say "I will relax after this" well I have yet to get my "after this".

With a gift show in September and lots to fill the time inbetween. Many hours spent developing our new product line to be launched in the next couple of months. Planning marketing and out reach for the months ahead. Appearing for Macy's Martha Stewart tea event in late summer. And of course the exciting opportunity to be featured on QCV in November and Decemeber both of which far exceeded our expectations.

Our success at the September show spearheaded our decision to lease a permanent showroom at the Atlanta AmericasMart which opened January 2009. That show was unbelivably sucessful!! The Friday marTEAni party. The Sunday Tea Presentation in the main demo kitchen, the one that Tyler and Rocco appeared in just a day before! Lots of fun stuff and the showroom really is lovely, pictures to follow this week.

The success of the January show was 2 fold for me personally. Having that time out of the office and being with potential customers really let me see that it is time for me to get back to my roots, sharing my enthusiasm for our quality products with others. That is what I Love and I work hard so I can do what I love, important to remember.

Atlanta was truly a great start to the year of the ox, the Chinese New Year or Spring Festival which begins this week. Happy New Year of the Ox.

Next is the tea cruise which sails January 24th heading to the western carribean, Grand Cayman and Ocho Rios. I will be teaching several marketing classes for tea professionals on the cruise as well as sharing my personal tea journeys abroad with stories, photos and teas. I am looking forward to some down time with Newman, my husband who works just as hard as I do in the background at Teas Etc. Believe me I could never accomplish 1/4 of what I do without the help of many friends and coworkers behind the scenes.

Tomorrow I have the chance to spend the day with my girlfriend Barbara at the spa for some much needed R&R.

O.K. so on 1/1/09 I made a resolution to commit to blogging more regularly and here it is the 17th and this is my first post! Progress is a good thing, at least it's not February 17th!

Until next time, Beth

Teas QVC Debut

2008-11-18T13:35:00.007-05:00

Tomorrow, I am scheduled to debut the company’s Self Steeping Brew Mug on QVC, one of the world’s largest multimedia retailers, between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. EST.

The presentation of the unique, all-in-one Self Steeping Brew Mug Gift Set, packaged especially for QVC, will take place on the QVC Morning Show, All New Gifts.

The Gift Set has two glass brew mugs with infuser baskets and lids. Each one contains two pre-measured packages of premium organic loose leaf tea, one of which, Lemon Ginger Organic Green Tea, was an award winner at this year’s World Tea Championship.

For me, the most exciting part of this experience is the opportunity to expose a broader audience to the taste and benefits of loose leaf tea.

Tune in and wish me luck!

Fun Pictures from World Tea Expo

2008-06-15T18:23:00.027-04:00

Having Fun

The Crew

Nathan Brewin It Up

Matt prepares for the Iced Tea Competition

The World Tea Expo

2008-06-08T10:08:00.025-04:00

The World Tea Expo rocked again this year in Las Vegas!

Group Strategy Opening Day!

I had a great time visiting with attendees over the 3 day tea trade show and was ignited by the energy and enthusiasm on the show floor. The response to our booth and products was clear by the traffic we had. An interesting side note, we got exactly, exactly the same number of scanned contacts as last year so I decided that was a sign from the gambling gods....

It paid off at the tables and with customers. Our show floor sales more then doubled over last year and that trend has continued since returning home. We apprecaite the chance to serve all our clients new and exsisting, thanks!

We got such positive feedback on our booth display, wow.

We were glad to have our son Christopher back on staff at the expo! Set up, photography and helping customers he did it all.

The End of Day 1 and off to a good dinner at Mix a top of the Mandalay Bay.

The World Tea Competition was certainly a highlight for us, with 6 finalists in 4 categories! And we only entered 10 teas! We are proud to have brought home a winner in the Herbal Chamomile Category our Organic Chamomile Lavender.

Another highlight for me was the networking mixer on Saturday evening. The band, the food and the company were terrific. I had a great time laughing and socializing around the room and seeing so many new success stories, Ono tea for instance you go hot Asian chic!

Founders and show operators, George & Kim Jage, and their entire staff are obviously detail and quality driven. Responsive to customer comments and suggestions this show is growing at a time when many trade shows are experiencing a decline in attendance and exhibitors.

It has taken lots of moisturizer, I know Vegas is dry but the Mandalay Bay was ridiculous, lots of sleep and a few days to catch back up. It was worth every bit of the recovery and I am already looking forward to next year!

Check out some of the set up pictures below and look for more World Tea Expo pictures posted later on the blog.

Until next time, Beth

Set Up

World Tea Expo New Business Boot Camp is a Blast

2008-05-31T00:10:00.040-04:00

The New Business Boot Camp, at the 2008 World Tea Expo, was a great success!

Attendees, primarily from the US and Canada, attended this 2 day, 16 hour, intensive tea business training learning from 8 speakers on various aspects of opening a tea business.

Speakers and topics included;

Jane Pettigrew - Tea 101
Karen Durkin - Creating a Business Plan
Elisabeth Knottingham - Hiring Staff
Charles Cain - Buying and Merchandising
Bruce Richardson - Reality Check
Ronald Eng - Technology
Karen Schnieder- Basic Legal
Me - Marketing

Attendees were enthusiastic and ready to learn. Marketing is such a huge topic and tough to cover in a short 2 hour time frame. I stuck to simple techniques that are inexpensive and easy to implement.

In the last 15 minutes of my presentations we broke into mini groups, each assigned to create a marketing piece on a random product, this was the fun! I had the pleasure of watching these very creative people work together to come up with the most interesting ideas and great marketing content. It was clear that they got it!

Each group selected a "Vanna" to display the product and we had some real stand outs! Some of the product uses were amazing and hysterical; Weight Loss Waistband Clips (paper clips), Orange Marmalade Facials, The Single Mans Mayo, and a mustard presentation that included the tag line "Mayo will need to work hard to Ketchup with Mustard" great stuff!

I was honored to be included in such an elite group of speakers for the first ever NBBC. I was overwhelmed by attendees positive feedback and energy levels that continued throughout the show as they stopped by our booth taking pictures and giving out hugs. This was truly an amazing experience for me both personally and professionally.

Until next time, Beth

World Tea Competition at the World Tea Expo

2008-05-11T18:20:00.007-04:00

We have 6 finalists in the World Tea Competition at the World Tea Expo!

We entered 10 tea & herbal house blends into the first ever World Tea Competition in the end of March. With the late harvests in China I really stepped out of my comfort zone, my first submission choices would have been the more purist, specialty teas like Dragon Well, Bai Hao Yinzhen, Qi Lan etc which I am completely confident that we are offering superior quality and some of the finest in the US.

I always say "for every problem there is a solution" so I sat down with the Teas Etc team prior to flying out to China to discuss what would be good alternatives.

The following blends we selected ended up in the finals in the categories indicated;
Black Blended & Flavored Category
Citrus Berry
Organic Mint Fusion

Green Blended & Flavored Category
Organic Lemon Ginger, this tea blend (no flavor)has been one of our most popular for a few years both commercially and for retail customers.

Herbal - Chamomile
Organic Cold Comfort Herbal
Organic Chamomile Lavender Herbal

Oolong Blended & Flavored
Ginseng Oolong

As you can see our organic selections did well. The only submission that is not a house blend is the Ginseng oolong and all but the Citrus Berry are blended with no flavoring, something that we as a company, and I personally, am more fond of.

The 4 entries that did not make the finals received honorable mention as well as high ratings, in the categories indicated;
White Blended & Flavored both of these were awarded a rating of 80 or higher!
Organic White Rose
Strawberry White

Earl Grey
Rosy Earl Grey we took a real chance with this entry and were fully aware of that prior to the competition. This house blend includes jasmine green tea which is a real twist on a black earl grey!

Rooibos Blended & Flavored
Mango Nut

The most interesting part of this process for me is that unfamilar feeling of stepping out of my comfort zone, something I don't do to often. When forced to do so, with the late harvests in China and not wanting to enter 2007 teas, it opened a whole new arena for Teas Etc with our delicious house blends that don't always get the same "air" time from me. Just goes to show you I really don't know everything.

The World Tea Competition (WTC) and World Tea Ratings (WTR) are going to change the face of the US Tea Industry. It is a good thing, in my opinion, for the industry and especially for consumers. WTR is a buyers guide, similar to the wine rating guide, listing all finalists, 5 in each of the 25 categories. All WTE attendees, the show is in Las Vegas May 30th, 31st and June 1st, will receive a copy of the WTR Buyers guide.

Another thing I found curious, of all of the tea companies in the US only 30 entered teas into WTC. You would think that this is the perfect venue to showcase and promote what they do well? Maing me wonder why?

Any time innovative change is occurring it tends to make people uncomfortable, good, bad or indifferent. There is no doubt that educating consumers on quality and guiding them to terrific teas and companies that consistently provide buyers with fine choices can only be a positive thing.

Hats off to Kim Jage and the Wordl Tea Expo staff for working so hard to make this critical competition happen!! The World Tea Competition is here to stay! YEAH!!!!!

In addition we have 2 entries in the Iced Tea Shake Off which is being held at the World Tea Expo. We have a black tea and rooibos entry and some interesting preparation techniques that should be delicious and fun!

Look for my post on the Shanghai Tea Expo. With pictures!

Until next time, Beth

Traveling throughout China by Air, Rail and Road

2008-05-08T11:00:00.001-04:00

Traveling in China may not be as difficult as you imagine, even if you don't speak Mandarin Chinese. Modern day China is much more welcoming to foreign guests and many Chinese are especially considerate and accommodating to western visitors.

Airline travel within the country is particularly easy as announcements in most airports are in Chinese and English and getting through security is not as much of hassle as it is here at home.

Train travel can be challenging but is still very doable and very affordable. The biggest challenge lies in what you carry. Many stations require going up and down stairways to and from trains which can be difficult with heavy bags. Trains can be crowded especially in major cities like Shanghai. Be forewarned the Chinese are all in a hurry to get on the train and courtesy is not at its best in this environment.

Regardless to your load or destination I suggest always booking train travel in advance. Most good hotels have ticketing services and schedules can be easily found online. Select "soft" seats or cars depending on what is available and the length of your trip. Soft seats are the equivalent of first class. In some cases you must choose between "first class" or "regular" soft seats. Soft cars are semi-private sleeping cars with a total of 4 bunks a small table and a shared bathroom, in the hall. Soft car is the best choice and considered first class even if it is not by western standards.

When possible choose bullet trains with their new cars and fast service!

Hotels may not be as reliable as travel and trust me you definitely get what you pay for! Top hotel chains which may be a safe bet in the states are not necessarily the way to go in China. If available and you like clean accommodations always select 5 or 4 stars, anything less and you are going to be disappointed. Even 4 stars can be sketchy at times and I suggest that you request a look at your room before making a final decision.

Having said that there are really nice hotels in China as well. The Sofitel in Suzhou and the Hangzhou Hyatt are marvelous! The Sofitel in Hangzhou on the other hand is not! A perfect example of why you cannot rely on a name.

When booking a room ask if breakfast is included in the price, pretty standard all over the country. Also be sure to ask whether you will be charged for an internet connection. Many times it is included but if not prices range from flat daily fees to per minute charges.

With the 2008 summer Olympics in store China is anxious to show the world the China of today with its booming economy, wealthy neighborhoods and technological advances. A great example of "modern" China is the new Beijing airport a masterpiece of function and design.

If you do visit China I recommend adding Hangzhou to your list of stops for a visit to the beautiful West Lake area. West Lake is easily going to take one day to walk the perimeter and spring is a lovely time to do that. One of my personal favorites not only because of the natural beauty of the gardens surrounding the lake but also because of the terrific spa at the Hangzhou Hyatt! This full service spa has a variety of treatments and I will be back to take advantage of the great spa values! Try the 4 1/2 package of services for under $200 that includes non stop massage, exfoliation and pampering. It was a great time out for me especially after traveling so much.

Until next time, Beth