Tag: tea news

tea

What Makes A Cup Of Tea Stand Out? Fresh Cup Takes A Look At Custom Blends

Ashe

I’ve been getting back into tea lately (shout-out to decaf Earl Grey). This blog has come off as pretty coffee-focused, but I’ve always been a fan of herbal goodness.

As such, this new article on tea from Fresh Cup Magazine immediately grabbed my attention. This piece explores the wealth of memorable combinations that can be created once coffee shop owners understand tea on a fundamental level. Cafes commonly add a few tea options for their clientele, though usually of pre-made varieties. The unique flavors and textures of roots, flowers, fruits, seeds, and leaves are all explored in great depth here.

Strong tea marketing is best done with improved menu options. I’d definitely come back to a café if they had custom and/or homegrown blends on display. In fact, I might just try putting together some of my own tea this summer.

Anyone else ever try making their own tea blend?

coffee, industry news, tea

Coffee Or Tea? Choose Both With This Coffee Leaf Tea Drink From Wize

Ashe

Coffee and tea cross over a lot.

They’re comforting drinks with roots as a community affair, easily consumed either hot or iced. They provide an easy caffeine boost to the weary and overworked, with a flavor kick for the decaf crowd. They’re both multi-billion dollar industries facing astronomically bad climate change and poor working conditions that could affect the crop forever.

So the list goes on.

Wize takes the best of both worlds with a tea drink made out of coffee leaves. It’s a trend I’ve been keeping up with for the past year and a half: several beverage industries have been skewing their products in favor of more healthy alternatives, whether low on sugar, low on alcohol or low on calories. This coffee leaf drink boasts a very healthy count, with additional incentive to the conscientiously minded: it’s also helping to bridge the economic gap between the industry and farmers.

The company’s co-founder stresses the dismal state today’s coffee farmers are in, stating as much as half of the farmers in their region leaving the business because of a lack of options. COVID-19 has made this rock and a hard place all the worse due to unsafe working environments, to boot, and is not expected to get better for many months. He insists not only will Wize’s coffee leaf tea keep farmers employed during the coffee industry’s off-season, it’ll also help them socially distance.

That’s a pretty tall order from a pretty neat drink. What do you think?

industry news, tea

More Than A Rainy Day: The Threat To Global Tea Production

Ashe

Tea is a delicate creation. It relies on a medley of strict agricultural standards, prime ecological conditions and timely collection to get that flavor and aroma you love. Anything that falls out of those complex parameters results in lackluster tea or crops that refuse to grow. Climate change remains one of the biggest threats to the tea industry, just like the coffee industry, and the coronavirus definitely hasn’t helped. People are working harder and longer for awful results…and it’s only getting worse.

What will the tea industry even look like in the next decade?

The Economic Times takes a look at the whopping 20% loss of tea crops in the Assam and Bengal tea belt. Excessive rainfall and not enough sun is to blame for much of this, leading to fears of missing vital economic minimums that keep businesses running and people employed. The thing with climate change? It’s not just a rainy day. It’s a precedent for similar weather patterns down the road. More loss. More difficulties. More more, snowballing faster than we can keep track.

It’s easy to feel helpless in the face of dramatic weather patterns and big business. I know I do. Giving up isn’t an answer, though. Not when this planet is our only home and there’s an entire generation that might just grow up where the tea industry isn’t a thing.

cute mug of coffee
coffee, industry news, tea

A Dash Of Different: Five Fun Twists On Coffee And Tea

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One of the genius details about coffee and tea is just how flexible they are. You can really come up with almost anything. …Almost. I really don’t want to read the news one of these days and find out liquid gold is now being called the ‘new espresso’.

I keep an eye on stories like these because I want innovation to be just as fun as it is necessary. Stories on climate change and the impact it leaves on entire livelihoods is an essential conversation, yes, but it’s also a little draining. Making the world a better place to live means embracing it all. Change as complex as coming up with new farming methods…as well as thinking about how to chill coffee quicker. Change as vital as planting millions of trees in one day, as well as a faster, cuter way of recycling.

Let’s take a look at some recent developments in coffee and tea, from low-calorie alcoholic tea varieties to caffeinated popsicles.

Continue reading “A Dash Of Different: Five Fun Twists On Coffee And Tea” →
tea leaves
industry news, tea

Climate Change Waits For No One: Why Tea Businesses Need Packaging Updates

Ashe

Climate change is a subject that’s constantly talked about, yet doesn’t always feel…concrete. It’s a variable that becomes heavier or lighter depending on where you live and where you work. When it comes to the quality of tea, though, the difference can literally be tasted.

The issue of global warming is something no one should ignore, particularly tea businesses who rely on an ideal set of conditions to cultivate their delicate stock. When it comes to recognizing the impact of eco-friendly packaging, the tea industry often leads the charge. Numi Organic is a popular brand that projects front and center their commitment to organic products and fair sourcing, such as partnering with organizations that provide vulnerable communities access to clean water. Stash is another you’ll easily recognize for not just their bold logo, but their focus on sustainable, unbleached packaging materials. Quite a lot of tea packaging on store shelves will mention — if not outright revolve around — a commitment to green values, from ethical sourcing with farmers to recycled paper or plastic.

These are all great eco-friendly packaging habits that will make the world a better place to live. …Will it be enough, though?

Continue reading “Climate Change Waits For No One: Why Tea Businesses Need Packaging Updates” →
coffee, industry news

Three Great Things That Taste Great: Alcohol, Tea And Coffee Mixed Together For That Extra Kick

Ashe

You don’t have to choose when it comes to enjoying the tangy pop of beer or the smooth bitterness of coffee. As the saying goes? The more, the merrier!

Drinks are just as much an experience as they are a way to wet our throat. Coffee is commonly associated with the morning rush in the West, with many working Americans having entire morning rituals around a cup of joe. Tea is commonly seen as a relaxing drink — particularly a hot mug of herbal goodness — and beer shares a similar reputation…alongside being the key ingredient to a rowdy party!

It can seem like overkill to mix all these contrasting flavors and stimulants together, but a few places are choosing to embrace this happy balance.

Continue reading “Three Great Things That Taste Great: Alcohol, Tea And Coffee Mixed Together For That Extra Kick” →