LAS VEGAS, Nev.
World Tea Expo annually selects new product winners in 10 categories.
New items on display at this year’s event, held June 1-3 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, include a cold-brew infuser, specially contoured cups to enhance tea’s aroma and a Magic Mushroom Spice rub along with “candy bar” convenience packaging for compressed tea.
The Expo is the largest and most prominent B2B event for the tea industry featuring more than 200 tea and tea-related exhibitors on the show floor. Attendees can sip and savor the newest teas from across the globe, and evaluate retail items from unique tea ware manufacturers, delicious baked-goods suppliers, innovative tea product makers and specialized accessory and gift dealers.
World Tea Expo, now celebrating its 10th year, expects more than 4,500 attendees.
Best New Product Award Winners are:
Tea Ware Category Winner
1660 Tasting Cups, by 1660 London
Renowned British ceramicist Peter Ting and tea-smith Timothy d’Offay joined forces two years ago to design these cups, which are each shaped to enhance the drinking experience of green, black and fragrant teas. The concept is similar to connoisseur glasses that help certain wines release their maximum potential.
Innovation Winner
Slim Steeper Cold Brew Tea Infuser, by The Tea Spot
The eco-friendly Slim Steeper works with disposable water bottles and loose leaf teas to make fresh tea on-the-go. It’s designed to transform the way you stay hydrated, and it’s for the active, health-conscious person. Cold brew and drink tea in just 10 minutes; add more water and resteep..
Tea as an Ingredient Winner (tie)
Swirl Green Tea – Cold-Brewed On The Go!, by Breezy Spring LLC
Swirl is a trendy new concept that combines premium green tea with convenience. It’s unique, slender tea bag goes into a water bottle for brewing anywhere. Designed for fast brewing in cold water, Swirl works in hot water, too. It also uses all natural ingredients, is naturally decaffeinated, zero calories and contains no sugar or gluten.
Indie Tea's arTEAsan Magic Mushroom Spice Rub, by Indie Tea
This delicious, organic blend of roasted yerba mate porcini mushroom is infused with gourmet salt and savory spices like cumin, fennel, coriander, garlic, onions and more. It’s 100 percent natural and delicious on veggies, beef and pork.
Tea Accessory Winner (tie)
Tea Traveler Tasting Collection, by Teas Etc.
The popular Tea Traveler, by Tea’s Etc., revolutionized premium loose-leaf tea on the go, and it’s now available in a fashionable gift collection, featuring traveler size and pre-measured packets of premium loose leaf tea. It’s also customizable on multiple levels, including logo and teas that reflect your company’s style.
Tea-Themed Greeting Card Line, by Love and Scandal Tea Company
This new greeting card line features vintage photo images, contemporary, traditional and sometimes cheeky warm wishes. Also, the cards include a bagged tea sample from renowned tea vendors, as a special gesture.
Baked Goods Winner
Farmhouse English Biscuits, by Imported direct by Tri-Connect, Inc.
Farmhouse English Biscuits is a family-owned and operated bakery located in the northern countryside of England. Their biscuits are made with grandma’s original recipe, traditionally baked with the finest ingredients. The range consists of highly giftable ribbon tubes, to deep embossed tins for the holidays.
Publication Winner
The User’s Guide To Scone Making and Scone Mixes by Victorian House Scones, from The Tea House Times
This concise guide is complete with photos, detailing the how-tos of scone making in general and flavor creation. While written to accompany Victorian House Scones’ mixes, the principles are universal and apply whether you are working with their mix, one from a different manufacturer or your own recipe.
Open Class Winner
Indie Tea Tee-Tins...Mad Party, by Indie Tea
These lively tins depict the famous Alice in Wonderland tea party with an all-over black print and red glitter accents, and they include a “tea shirt.” The Tee-Tins tees are a sustainable line of tea-inspired apparel (organic cotton and recycled polyester), printed with phthalate-free inks and packaged in a latch-lid tin.
Packaging Winner
Convenience Packaging for Puer Teas, by Wild Tea Qi
The award-winning Puer Teas are now available in 100-percent recyclable, convenient packaging for single-serving ease – for tea on the go. The unique breakaway bars, discs and balls are hand pressed with a special fragrant wood that gives the Puer teas a truly unique flavor.