Countless times I’ve heard industry marketers say there is no such thing as a bad cup of tea.  I’ve also heard countless C-level executives say that blended / flavored teas are the only ones that sell and hopefully through the introduction of blended teas, the consumer’s palate will evolve to appreciate unadulterated types.  I agree.  Somewhat. 

My first glass of wine was not a 1982 Chateau Margaux Margaux.  Had it been, I might not be the wine enthusiast I am today.  My first cup tea, however, was so disgusting I swore never to drink the stuff again.

20 years later I obligatorily sipped a cup again, in China, and that cup dictated the next and most abundant stage of my life.  Had I not experienced the beauty of freshly picked, full leaf tea made by artisan hands, I would have passed on every cup offered and certainly never purchased tea regardless of how “hot” it is or its purported health benefits.  If it doesn’t taste good, I don’t want it and I dare say that I am not unique. 

On the contrary, my reaction to tasting specialty, unadulterated, teas was completely predictable. 

Countless times I have asked tea entrepreneurs what drove them to enter the industry.  They all say the same thing- they tasted a cup of specialty tea, often in a country of origin, and want to share their discovery with others.  The key word here is “discovery”.  Why is it that so many entering the industry believes they have discovered something no one else in the North American market has?  They must think that most leading specialty tea providers don’t have the quality product they experienced.  These entrepreneurs want to offer premium tea themselves; often direct from the garden. 

Instead of capturing customers the industry is actually creating its competition by following the precepts above.  The message: no cup is a bad cup and blended / flavored teas fuel sales, fails to drive business.  They are safe directives, no doubt.  But they are weak and threaten the life lines of established business.

At the 2008 World Tea Expo George and I met a young entrepreneur formerly employed by Apple.  He intended to manufacture packaging for specialty tea.  Apple, he said, always manufactures product and then waits for the market catch up.  Apple drives the market.  It doesn’t bother manufacturing products already in demand.  Apple manufactures high quality products when there is no demand and then they create the demand. Hmmm…novel idea.  And I agree with it.  Wholeheartedly.   

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