To celebrate the arrival of the 2012 spring harvest of teas we decided to update all of our images on the driftwood tea website.
Tea essentially is a product to be consumed however, selling it online there are obviously some limitations to trying it before purchase. Every tea I select for driftwood I have done so because I believe it tastes fantastic. While I try to describe them as honestly as possible - and seek different opinions on each to check others agree with me - one of the first things I remember being taught at Le Cordon Bleu was that as humans we are visual creatures, consuming with our eyes before our mouths.
Over the course of my career, firstly as a personal chef and then more recently in the media, I’ve been fortunate to work with some outstanding food stylists and photographers. I’ve always been astonished at how creatively they can present dishes.
When it comes to photographing tea there’s a fine line tread by all online retailers as we try to show our teas in their best light without too heavily stylising and misrepresenting them. I really hope an honest representation of our teas is something we’ve managed to achieve with our new naturally light images. By photographing them this way the white tea remains white without being artificial. The same with our green teas and oolongs, we feel we’ve captured their natural beauty, and that now they look as good as they taste.
James
I’m selling prints of my latest illustration, pick one up here: http://society6.com/Monstertree/Tea-Camellia-Sinensis_Print
Chicco Chou, Owner of Mountain Tea, agreed to an interview and answered some of my questions on what it takes to start a tea company. Here’s what he had to say about tea business 101:
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What first interested you in tea?
I’ve always been around tea. I grew up in an Asian household and tea was central to all of the important events. All of my relatives are also involved in the tea business. It was kind of inevitable.
What is your favourite tea?
Right now I have two favorite teas.
One is our Medium Roast TieGuanYin. This tea was slow roasted for 1 month, with careful attention to how the flavors were changing throughout the process. The goal was to caramelize the natural sugars within the tea to produce a a naturally fruity/sweet tea while imparting depth and smokiness. The result is an extraordinary tea with smoky wood, toasted fruit, and floral flavors.
The other is our award winning Imperial Pearl. We picked only the tender buds of our prized oolong plants and allowed them to fully oxidize. The result is an exceptionally smooth black tea that tastes of spice, wildflower honey, and orange peel.
What is your favourite “tea ritual”?
I really enjoy tasting our teas for quality control because I’m a dork and I think the professional cupping method is really cool. Here’s a video! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDVd81hTeiI
What are the goals of your company?
Mountain Tea aims to bring a level of sophistication and quality, not before associated with tea. Just like there are people who enjoy single malt scotch, vintage wines, and single origin coffee, we want to foster the same appreciation for tea in its purest form: without milk, sugar, or flavorings.
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What do you find is the hardest part of running a tea business?
The hardest part for me was realizing that I have to stay humble and open minded. Just because I have or think I have the best tea ever, does not mean everyone else will like it.
What is the most rewarding part of running a tea business?
As a food & tea lover, I have to say owning thousands of pounds of tea and being able to drink as much of it as you want is the best part. It’s also wonderful when you’re able to connect with a fellow tea lover and surprise and delight them with your products. Because we grow our own teas, we’re tied so intimately to them; it feels incredible when we hear people say great things about our teas.
What do you think is the most important thing when establishing a new business?
In no particular order:
1)A worthwhile mission & philosophy. Believe in something good and worthwhile and it will push you and those around you; don’t do something just for the money. As the adage goes: “Lovers work harder than workers.”
2)Integrity & Selflessness. It’s not about money (see rule #1). It’s about growing a community that’s passionate about what you’re passionate in.
3)Advertising. You’re all set up. You have a clear mission. You’ve invested tons of money. Now all you need are the customers. How are people going to find out about you?
You might notice that I didn’t mention a “good” product. And this really ties back in with the first question. There is no such thing as a best tea because everyone wants something different. The real product is yourself. Having a clear mission and passionately working towards that is what’s going to attract people.
Is there any training that you would suggest to someone wanting to open up their own business?
Know your craft. Read about tea. Drink tea and drink it often. Compare teas. Talk to others about tea. Connect with farmers, professionals, and successful people and ask them how they did it. Then go out, be scrappy, fail quick, and learn fast.
Would you suggest going into business with a partner or independently? Why?
I would suggest having a partner. I have a partner and even then there’s still tons of work to do. I can’t imagine doing it by myself. If you can find someone who you work well with, communicate well with, and has the same vision as you then go for it.
Hi Loves,
I’m so sorry for the lack of updates but I’ve actually been having a hectic time. I actually am currently on bed rest because of a cinnamon problem (packing too much masala chai tea and I wasn’t wearing a mask so the amount of cinnamon caused a burn in my throat and after a short visit to the hospital i’ve been restricted to bed rest and using an inhaler every so often… but i’m doing better!)… so hopefully this will give me a bit more time to update the blog :)
I missed you all<3
Liz-Tea
absolutely love rishi’s new wesbite :3
April 16, 2012 - Teavana Holdings, Inc. announced that it has reached an agreement to acquire the assets of Teaopia Ltd., a leading mall-based specialty tea retailer in Canada, for an all-cash purchase price of $26.9 million.
“We are excited to rapidly advance Teavana’s expansion in Canada with the Teaopia acquisition,” said Andrew Mack, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Teavana Holdings, Inc. “With this acquisition, we immediately establish a strong foothold in many of the best mall locations in Canada. Teaopia’s prime mall locations, similar store branding and focus on premium loose-leaf teas, and great store employees and managers all make this opportunity a natural fit for us. As we integrate and rebrand the Teaopia stores, we look forward to leveraging our shared best practices and welcoming the Teaopia employees into the Teavana family.”
David Bellisario, Teaopia’s founder and President stated, “I am excited for Teaopia to become part of the Teavana family. Teaopia will represent a stellar addition to Teavana, arguably the largest and most successful specialty tea retailer in the world. I look forward to working with Andrew and his team on this transition and watching the Teaopia stores thrive as part of Teavana.”
