Tea Biz

Tea has reshaped East Africa for 120 years, evolving from colonial dominion to a vibrant entrepreneurial endeavor producing a third of the world’s tea. Kenya’s 650,000 smallholders are the beating heart of Africa’s tea industry, which provides a livelihood for five million people in ten tea-growing countries. In celebration of International Tea Day, the Purple & Specialty Tea Association of Kenya (PSTAK) will host its inaugural conference in the Nandi Hills on May 22-23. The event, endorsed by the Kenya Tea Board, spotlights Africa’s untapped potential in Orthodox tea production. Representatives from 50 specialty producers in eight nations will attend educational sessions by tea experts, a competition for the best locally produced tea, and festivities. Sessions will be streamed online, enabling the entire global tea community to participate. Conference Chairman Boaz Katah shares his enthusiasm for this long-awaited gathering. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/tea-biz/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

More Support For Small Tea Growers | Low Crop Volumes In Auctions This Year | IMD Predicts Light To Moderate Rain In The Coming Week Signup www.tea-biz.com Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/tea-biz/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

UK Consumer Tea Prices are on the Rise | Twisted Hard Tea Drives a Beer Stock Surge | Researchers Find that Roasted Green Tea Enhances Task Performance Signup www.tea-biz.com Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/tea-biz/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

HEADLINES – UK Consumer Tea Prices are on the Rise | Twisted Hard Tea Drives a Beer Stock Surge | Researchers Find that Roasted Green Tea Enhances Task Performance INDIA NEWS – More Support For Small Tea Growers | Low Crop Volumes In Auctions This Year | IMD Predicts Light To Moderate Rain In The Coming Week Signup www.tea-biz.com | NEWSMAKER – Tumoi Tea Founder Boaz Katah, Chair of Africa’s first Purple & Specialty Tea Association Tea Conference | FEATURED – Africa’s Untapped Potential in Orthodox Tea | Tea has reshaped East Africa for 120 years, evolving from colonial dominion to a vibrant entrepreneurial endeavor producing a third of the world’s tea. Kenya’s 650,000 smallholders are the beating heart of Africa’s tea industry, which provides a livelihood for five million people in ten tea-growing countries. In celebration of International Tea Day, the Purple & Specialty Tea Association of Kenya (PSTAK) will host its inaugural conference in the Nandi Hills on May 22-23. The event, endorsed by the Kenya Tea Board, spotlights Africa’s untapped potential in Orthodox tea production. Representatives from 50 specialty producers in eight nations will attend educational sessions by tea experts, a competition for the best locally produced tea, and festivities. Sessions will be streamed online, enabling the entire global tea community to participate. Conference Chairman Boaz Katah shares his enthusiasm for this long-awaited gathering. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/tea-biz/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

A Tea Value Chain Upgrade | The London Tea Auction in 1679 was a “version 1.0” marvel at connecting buyers and sellers. Price discovery in the world’s biggest tea market was competitive and transparent. Buyers bid weekly on teas from China, India, Sri Lanka, and East Africa. The auction and banking sector enabled brokers and foreign agents to secure a shipload or a single chest of exotic tea. Certified warehouses provided efficient storage, and logistics firms organized delivery to local retailers, blenders, and packers. Three hundred years later, at their peak, the world’s tea auctions captured 80% of the international tea trade by volume, which has steadily declined in the past decade. Joining us this week is Sam Lambert, co-founder and chief operations officer of zenGate Global, a technology company whose Palmyra.app Platform upgrades tea transactions with seamless blockchain traceability for all stakeholders, increasing trust, improving cross-border payment solutions, and conveniently providing access to financing. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/tea-biz/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Not Much to Celebrate on Earth Day this Year | Weak IPO Signals Bubble Tea Trouble | Tea and Tea-Based Beverage Market Projections Show Strong Growth Signup www.tea-biz.com Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/tea-biz/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

HEADLINES – Not Much to Celebrate on Earth Day this Year | Weak IPO Signals Bubble Tea Trouble | Tea and Tea-Based Beverage Market Projections Show Strong Growth INDIA NEWS – India Orders Testing of Every Batch of Imported Nepal Tea | Tata Reports Greater Shift to Premiumization | India Halts Exports to West Asia Signup www.tea-biz.com | GUEST – Sam Lambert, co-founder and COO zenGate Global and the Palmyra Platform | FEATURED – Expanding Markets in an Ever-Shrinking World The London Tea Auction in 1679 was a “version 1.0 one point 0” marvel at connecting buyers and sellers. Price discovery in the world’s biggest tea market was competitive and transparent. Buyers bid weekly on teas from China, India, Sri Lanka, and East Africa. The auction and banking sector enabled brokers and foreign agents to secure a shipload or a single chest of exotic tea. Certified warehouses provided efficient storage, and logistics firms organized delivery to local retailers, blenders, and packers. At their peak, the world’s tea auctions captured 80% of the international tea trade by volume. Joining us today is Sam Lambert, co-founder and chief operations officer of zenGate Global, a technology company whose Palmyra Platform upgrades tea transactions with seamless blockchain traceability for all stakeholders to increase trust, improve cross-border payment solutions, and conveniently provide access to financing. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/tea-biz/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Coffee vs Tea | The Specialty Coffee Association’s annual exposition in Chicago last week attracted more than a dozen tea exhibitors and featured several expert presentations on tea. While most consumers visit grocery and department stores to purchase tea, coffee shops, and cafes are the second most popular retail outlets by value. More than 38,411 branded coffee shops in the United States and 42,800 in Europe generate 10% to 20% of their beverage revenue from specialty tea. In this episode, Tea Biz narrates the highlights of a talk by Youngmok Kim, the principal scientist at Finlays. In his presentation, Kim compares coffee and tea, the world’s most popular caffeinated beverages, with useful insights on distribution, markets, and relative health benefits. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/tea-biz/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Amalgamated PlantationsAPPL Head Resigns | First Flush in North India Sees Low Crop But High Quality Signup www.tea-biz.com Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/tea-biz/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Escalation of Conflict in the Middle East Dims Tea Shipping Outlook | Bubble Tea Brands Lineup for IPOs | Police Recover Stolen Gold Matcha Bowl Valued at 10 Million Yen Signup www.tea-biz.com Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/tea-biz/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

HEADLINES – Escalation of Conflict in the Middle East Dims Tea Shipping Outlook | Bubble Tea Brands Lineup for IPOs | Police Recover Stolen Gold Matcha Bowl Valued at 10 Million Yen INDIA NEWS – Amalgamated PlantationsAPPL Head Resigns | First Flush in North India Sees Low Crop But High Quality Signup www.tea-biz.com | SCA PRESENTER – Youngmok Kim, the principal scientist at Finlays | FEATURED – The Specialty Coffee Association’s annual exposition in Chicago last week attracted more than a dozen tea exhibitors and featured several expert presentations on tea. While most consumers visit grocery and department stores to purchase tea, coffee shops, and cafes are the second most popular retail outlets by value. More than 38,411 branded coffee shops in the United States and 42,800 in Europe generate 10% to 20% of their beverage revenue from specialty tea. In this episode, Tea Biz narrates the highlights of a talk by Youngmok Kim, the principal scientist at Finlays. In his presentation, Kim compares coffee and tea, the world’s most popular caffeinated beverages, with useful insights on distribution, markets, and relative health benefits. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/tea-biz/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Beyond Matcha | Matcha, a shining success story that revived the Japanese tea industry, also paved the way for enthusiasts interested in other Japanese teas, such as hojicha, a light brown colored green tea roasted in porcelain pots over charcoal. Noli Ergas, Senior Account Manager in the Seattle offices of Sugimoto Tea, joins us this week to explain how matcha’s success instills hope for the future of the Japanese tea industry, especially among younger consumers who prefer sweeter, less bitter teas to the traditional “grassiness” of Japanese greens. Texas native Noli Ergas discovered green tea in his teens, researching and refining his palate from Arizona RTD convenience store cans to exquisite artisan “works of art.” After he moved to Japan, his professional journey in tea unfolded with the successful completion of the intense training required of a Certified Japanese Tea Advisor Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/tea-biz/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Tea News Recap | A Swish of Black Tea Kills 99.9% of COVID-19 in Saliva | Expect a Hot Spring | Chinese Celebrate Virtual Qingming Signup www.tea-biz.com Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/tea-biz/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

HEAR THE HEADLINES – A Swish of Black Tea Kills 99.9% of COVID-19 in Saliva | Expect a Hot Spring | Chinese Celebrate Virtual Qingming Signup www.tea-biz.com | GUEST – Noli Ergas, Senior Account Manager in the Seattle offices of Sugimoto Tea | FEATURED – Beyond Matcha | Matcha, a shining success story that revived the Japanese tea industry, also paved the way for enthusiasts interested in other Japanese teas, such as hojicha, a light brown colored green tea roasted in porcelain pots over charcoal. Noli Ergas, Senior Account Manager in the Seattle offices of Sugimoto Tea, joins us this week to explain how matcha’s success instills hope for the future of the Japanese tea industry, especially among younger consumers who prefer sweeter, less bitter teas to the traditional “grassiness” of Japanese greens. Texas native Noli Ergas discovered green tea in his teens, researching and refining his palate from Arizona RTD convenience store cans to exquisite artisan “works of art.” After he moved to Japan, his professional journey in tea unfolded with the successful completion of the intense training required of a Certified Japanese Tea Advisor Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/tea-biz/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Selling Tea in Grocery | When asked where they buy their tea, 89% of Canadian consumers prefer supermarkets. This number is even higher in the US, with 91% of shoppers buying tea in grocery stores. Grocery is a promising but challenging channel for specialty tea wholesalers. These surveys revealed that 36% of shoppers select their tea by brand, underlining the importance of brand recognition in this competitive market. Tea Squared is one of those specialty grocery brands. Tea importer, blender, and wholesaler Frank Weber founded Tea Squared in 2013. His initial intent was to supply tea shops, hotels, and restaurants. However, his business has thrived in these sectors and expanded to 1,200 grocery and mass market outlets. Frank joins us on the podcast to share his insights on the perils and profits of selling tea in grocery stores. Signup http://www.tea-biz.com/ Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/tea-biz/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

India Tea News | April 5, 2024 | Assam BLF Association Factories Stop Production | The Golden Leaf Competition Underway | Elections Present Darjeeling Planters an Opportunity to Seek Intervention Signup http://www.tea-biz.com/ Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/tea-biz/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Tea News Recap | April 5, 2024 | India Bought-Leaf Factories Resume Tea Processing | Three World Tea Expo 2024 Takeaways | Sustainably Grown Tea is Nears a Quarter of Global Production Signup www.tea-biz.com Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/tea-biz/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

HEAR THE HEADLINES – India Bought-Leaf Factories Resume Tea Processing | Three World Tea Expo 2024 Takeaways | Sustainably Grown Tea is Nears a Quarter of Global Production Signup www.tea-biz.com | INDIA TEA NEWS – Assam BLF Association Factories Stop Production | The Golden Leaf Competition Underway | Elections Present Darjeeling Planters an Opportunity to Seek Intervention | GUEST – Frank Weber, founder of Tea Squared, Toronto, Canada | FEATURED – Selling Tea in Grocery | When asked where they buy their tea, 89% of Canadian consumers prefer supermarkets. This number is even higher in the US, with 91% of shoppers buying tea in grocery stores. Grocery is a promising but challenging channel for specialty tea wholesalers. These surveys revealed that 36% of shoppers select their tea by brand, underlining the importance of brand recognition in this competitive market. Tea Squared is one of those specialty grocery brands. Tea importer, blender, and wholesaler Frank Weber founded Tea Squared in 2013. His initial intent was to supply tea shops, hotels, and restaurants. However, his business has thrived in these sectors and expanded to 1,200 grocery and mass market outlets. Frank joins us on the podcast to share his insights on the perils and profits of selling tea in grocery stores. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/tea-biz/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Tea outsells every beverage in Japan. Bottled green teas are far more popular than soda. Hot tea consumption, however, has declined by half from more than a kilo per capita. Loose leaf volume spiked briefly during the pandemic but is now at a seven-decade low. In contrast, overseas demand for Japanese teas set a recent sales record. Today, we have the privilege of talking with Rikko Osaki, an accomplished green tea wholesaler, licensed Japanese Green Tea Advisor, and the founder of Hokusan, a brand with family roots in tea. Aging farmers and fierce competition in the beverage market have led some to question whether Japan’s tea industry can be sustained, says Rikko, “We haven’t had a revolution in 20 years. I think it’s time for the younger generation's creativity to establish new trends. There is always more opportunity, especially in a technologically strong country like Japan.” Rikko Osaki’s upbringing is deeply intertwined with the tea lands surrounding Mt. Fuji, a region that produces many famous teas. With its spectacular coastline, hot springs, and fertile volcanic soil, Shizuoka is a growing region that plays a pivotal role in Japan's tea production, producing 40% of Japan’s tea in 2023, totaling about 27,200 metric tons. Rikko’s brother is a green tea sommelier and exporter who sources her teas. Rikko has lived in Canada for 20 years. Four years ago, she founded Hokusan. She specializes in matcha, a unique and highly sought-after variety of Japanese green tea. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/tea-biz/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

India Tea News | March 29, 2024 | Bought Leaf Factories Oppose 100% Dust in Auctions | Assam Expects a Big Drop in First Flush Production | HUL Focuses on Assam to Support Tea Industry Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/tea-biz/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy