Sarah Segal, the CEO and chief brand officer at DAVIDsTEA, chats with World Tea News about tea trends, sustainability, the future of the brick-and-mortar tea retail landscape, and how DAVIDsTEA is making tea fun, interactive and accessible for all.
Segal most recently served as the DAVIDsTEA chief brand officer (a title she retained when she became CEO in December 2020), responsible for tea and product development, spearheading the company's digital transformation, and leading development of new sales channels.
From 2012 to 2017, Segal was a member of the Board of Directors of DAVIDsTEA, and since 2013 and up until her appointment as CEO of the company, she served as CEO of SQUISH Candy in Montreal, Quebec, a company she founded.
Segal has a bachelor’s degree in environmental health from McGill University and a master’s degree in water science, policy and management from Oxford University. She's also the daughter of Herschel Segal, who co-founded DAVIDsTEA with David Segal (who launched Firebelly Tea in 2021).
A CHAT WITH SARAH SEGAL of DAVIDsTEA
Question: Hi, Sarah. Thanks for your time. When did you first become interested in tea?
Answer: Thank you for having me. Well, I have always loved to travel, and my wanderlust led me to China after completing my university degree. There, I not only fell in love with the language, but through exploring the country, I discovered tea culture. Living there deepened my understanding of tea, growing regions and the craftsmanship of tea masters.
Question: What do you love the most about tea – and do you have a favorite tea?
Answer: The best thing about tea, apart from it being THE wellness beverage, is the immense variety of what is available – from rare, premium single-origin teas to fun and funky herbal infusions, there truly is a tea for everyone, even if they don’t know it yet. That is why making tea accessible is so important to me. Plus, there is more to tea than just the taste; tea supports a positive lifestyle by adding mindful “me” moments into our daily routine that help us slow down and take a pause. Better yet? Take time with friends and family over tea – it truly brings people together. This is more important than ever in our faced-paced lifestyles.
When it comes to my favorite tea... there are just too many to choose from. But, I am really loving Organic Turmeric Chai and Organic Ashwagandha Chai right now for their warming flavors, unique spice blends and wellness benefits.
Question: You have a master’s degree in water science, policy and management from Oxford University, which is interesting for someone working in the tea industry. What water insights or lessons do you have for the tea industry?
Answer: I worked on water issues in China, which increased my awareness of how agriculture, land and air quality affect growing conditions. This really helped me better understand tea and the growing conditions and other factors that create a truly special product. After all – there’s no tea without water!
Clean water is a fundamental human right and so water sustainability is a priority for us. In 2020, we launched our DAVIDsTEA Impact Fund and began our Nepal Water Project with Jun Chiyabari Tea Garden, from where we source our Organic Nepal Black tea. The project currently helps provide four government schools in Nepal with clean drinking water, positively impacting the lives of over 3,200 students, teachers and staff. Our contribution is ongoing with a portion of proceeds from all sales of Organic Nepal Black supporting the project directly.
Question: How did you begin your professional journey at DAVIDsTEA? You’ve been a part of the team for more than a decade, correct?
Answer: I had just finished my master’s degree and was considering when and where to do my PhD. My father and cousin had just co-founded a tea brand called DAVIDsTEA and I was going to work with them for six months while finalizing my next steps. After just one day there, I thought to myself, “This is the best job in the world... how can working in tea be work?” That was over 14 years ago and today, I’m proudly the chief executive officer and chief brand officer of the company. I so deeply appreciate the team of creative minds I get to work with – our team is so diverse, interesting, talented and passionate that it fuels me every single day in making the best teas accessible to everyone.
Question: For those who are not familiar with DAVIDsTEA, what would you like to share?
Answer: We just love loose leaf tea! It has been DAVIDsTEA’s mission since opening our doors in 2008, to make tea fun and accessible. Whether you’re a total newbie, a seasoned tea drinker or simply tea curious, we don’t judge, and we’ve got you covered with teas and accessories to meet your personal needs.
Our combination of unique and natural ingredients, inspiration from tea traditions around the world, and our partnerships with specialty tea gardens brings people together. We love tea and respect ingredients, but also believe that rules are meant to be adapted, which keeps our collection fun, fresh and interesting.
We have a selection unlike anything else you’ll find on the market. Perhaps most importantly, we are passionate about doing good and are committed to making the world a better place through sustainabilitea, positivitea and communitea. Can you tell we love a tea pun?
Question: Tell us about the teas and tea-related products that DAVIDsTEA offers?
Answer: We like to say that DAVIDsTEA is THE tea company for everyone… so that should give you an idea. We’re passionate about bringing tea to all and meeting customers, wherever they are in their individual tea journey. From innovative tea blends to our Garden to Cup collection, we offer a tea for everyone. I am very excited about our Garden to Cup collection. This incredible group of teas includes premium, single-origin teas sourced from the world’s greatest gardens – like Organic Nepal Black and Organic Jasmine Black Pearls, both winners in the black tea category of the 2023 Toronto Tea Festival’s Tea Tasters Box Challenge.
We also have one of the largest matcha collections in North America, with premium matcha sourced from Nishio and Kyushu, Japan. From high-quality organic ceremonial matcha to our innovative, first-to-market Glitter Matcha, we have a matcha for every occasion and taste.
But it’s not just about the tea – we have a curated line of tea accessories and starter kits, too. Traditional bamboo whisks and bowls, contemporary color-changing mugs, tea presses and more to make tea as easy as possible. We especially love our Matcha Maker – developed in-house by our incredible team; it’s designed to make matcha quickly and easily, so absolutely everyone can fit it into their busy lifestyle. We want to be THE destination to find whatever you are looking for in the wide world of tea.
Question: What are some of the most popular DAVIDsTEA products right now and why?
Answer: A lot of people are now shopping for functional and wellness teas. We’re seeing a huge increase in interest around adaptogenic blends like Organic Ashwagandha Chai, Reishi Relax and Organic Lavender Earl Grey – also featuring ashwagandha – for folks seeking enhanced focus and calm.
Recent studies have shown that during the pandemic and its lockdowns, people have been re-evaluating their relationship with alcohol and making more mindful choices. As a result, our Mocktail Collection has been a huge hit, featuring refreshing and alcohol-free blends like Gin & Tonic, Organic La Vida Coco, and Brown Sugar Bourbon – all great on their own or as the base of a spirit-free cocktail.
Of course, we have best-selling blends that are customer favorites, too. You’ll find teas like Organic Cream of Earl Grey, Organic Cold 911 and Organic Japanese Sencha at the top of the list.
Question: What can you tell us about how you source and blend your teas?
Answer: We have a serious passion for blending and we love to think outside the cup. Our dedicated team, with decades of experience, work hard to find the right balance of flavors while researching traditional ingredients and exploring new ones.
We quite literally source ingredients for our blends from across the globe – matcha from Japan, papaya from Sri Lanka, chamomile from Croatia, yerba maté from Brazil, rooibos from South Africa, peppermint from the U.S.… the list is endless.
We work with trusted suppliers that share our passion for ethical sourcing and high-quality standards.
Question: Are there any herbs, spices or other ingredients you’re really excited about when it comes to tea blends?
Answer: Adaptogens! These plants and fungi help you adapt to stress while bringing balance to your life. Though they are trending now, we have been featuring adaptogens for a while and we now have quite the collection featuring adaptogenic plants and roots like ashwagandha and turmeric, and functional mushrooms like reishi, chaga, lion’s mane and vegan-friendly cordyceps.
What excites me most is our ability to take these ingredients and make them accessible both in flavor and function. So, you don’t have to be completely plugged into this new trend and do a bunch of research to enjoy a cup and all the benefits it has to offer.
Question: What are some of the other big consumer trends and tea-related trends that you’re paying attention to?
Answer: Beyond adaptogens and alcohol-free beverage options, we’re really interested in powdered teas like matcha and hojicha. We love their versatility and benefits. Since these are powdered, you are ingesting the full leaves and ingredients, so you are getting every last bit of nutrients the tea has to offer. We are also loving all the development in clean energy infusions, like yerba maté, and are keeping a close eye on the ready-to-drink category.
Question: Sustainability is a big commitment and mission of DAVIDsTEA. What can you tell us about those efforts?
Answer: Absolutely. Our team’s decisions are fueled by our desire to make the world a better place and so we have three pillars of our sustainability strategy, built with the UN’s Sustainability Development Goals in mind.
Ethical and sustainable tea sourcing is built on our goal to positively impact the tea industry throughout our supply chain. We source from trusted partners with a focus on Certified Organic and Fair Trade Certified teas and ingredients. We’re also a member of the Ethical Tea Partnership, supporting their efforts to create a fairer, more sustainable tea industry.
Compostable and regenerative packaging is a priority for us. For example, our sachet bags are entirely plastic-free and biodegradable – and always have been – but we’re continually looking for new ways to elevate our packaging and shipping materials to compostable, recyclable and earth-friendly options.
Caring for our community is where we really shine. We’ve donated over 1.3 million cups of tea to our amazing frontline heroes since the start of the pandemic, prioritize the mental and physical health of our employees and community, and partner with local organizations like Mamas for Mamas and Vent Over Tea to support those in need.
[For anyone looking to learn more about DAVIDsTEA's sustainability practices, information and updates can be found on their sustainability page. See DavidsTea.com/ca_en/sustainability]
Question: What other tea industry issues are most important to DAVIDsTEA?
Answer: Like most industries, there’s a lot of space to make things more inclusive – and tea is no exception. As a Canadian company operating on largely unceded Indigenous lands, it’s important to us to share our tea love and amplify Indigenous voices and their businesses.
Last year, we partnered with an Indigenous-owned and woman-led tea company, Tea Horse, to launch a special blend called Manoomin Maple. Featuring star ingredient manoomin [meaning “wild rice” in Ojibwe], this collaborative tea gives back to Indigenous communities through the David Suzuki Institute’s Reconciling Ways of Knowing program. We worked closely with the Tea Horse founders at every stage to ensure that the organization selected would best support Indigenous communities and their needs. Manoomin Maple continues to be a fan favorite and give back.
It’s also so important to us to develop meaningful, trusted relationships with our suppliers and the tea gardens we source from, and that means giving back to those communities as well. I had the opportunity to talk about our Nepal Water Project [earlier], but what I didn’t mention is that we support this project through the DAVIDsTEA Impact Fund – an ongoing effort that contributes to our local and global give-back initiatives. In addition to our Nepal Water Project, the DAVIDsTEA Impact Fund has supported two other global projects:
1. South African Homework Facility Project. In collaboration with Johan, a South African rooibos tea producer, DAVIDsTEA built a homework facility that provides a safe space where the children of tea farmers from the small-scale farms in the Cederberg mountains can study.
2. C.A.M.P. by DAVIDsTEA x Ethical Tea Partnership. In summer 2022, we launched C.A.M.P by DAVIDsTEA x Ethical Tea Partnership, which stands for Child-friendly Areas for Meaningful Positivitea, to provide safe education spaces for children of tea growers whose parents have relocated for temporary jobs during the summer off-season. The program ran in the Zhejiang region of China and offered an extensive curriculum covering topics ranging from science to social skills and nutrition, in addition to providing courses for caretakers such as literacy, health and maternity protection.
Question: Since entering the wholesale market four years ago, DAVIDsTEA has increased its presence at retail businesses in more than 3,800 doors in Canada, including 250+ store-in-store configurations. Can you tell us a little more about that wholesale strategy and future plans?
Answer: Ultimately, we want to reach our customers where they’re already shopping. The store-in-store concept is an evolution of our already established wholesale presence within thousands of grocery stores and pharmacies across Canada. We’ve seen great success with this model, and you can expect to see us in even more doors throughout 2023. We’re continually growing our wholesale footprint and a big part of our strategy includes increasing our Amazon assortment, introducing ready-to-drink beverages, and most excitingly, entering the U.S. wholesale market.
Question: How many DAVIDsTEA locations are there in Canada?
Answer: We have 18 flagship locations coast to coast and one kiosk in our hometown of Montreal. We’re always looking for new places to pop-up – let us know where you’d like to see us.
Question: What are your thoughts on the brick-and-mortar tea retail landscape in the United States, and what it’ll take for a business to be successful on a grand scale?
Answer: Tea is an intrinsically social beverage and the in-person connection is so valuable. To be successful you need to continually adapt and stay flexible. The retail landscape is ever-changing, especially these last few years. Persistence and experience are key to staying on top and getting results. That means being creative and finding new ways to meet your customers where they are, like pop-up experiences, events and partnerships.
Question: Currently, DAVIDsTEA ships online orders throughout Canada and the United States. Do you have plans to ship internationally in the future?
Answer: I can’t spill all our secrets, but we do get requests to ship to countries all around the world! Right now, we’re focused on perfecting our experience in Canada and the U.S., but who knows what the future will bring.
Question: Many of the readers at World Tea News are buyers from various vertical markets. What can you tell us about the wholesale opportunities available? Who are your ideal wholesale partners.
Answer: When it comes to wholesale, from coast to coast, you will find a curated selection of DAVIDsTEA teas and accessories in grocery stores like Loblaws, Longos and Sobeys, pharmacies like Shoppers Drug Mart and Rexall, and big box stores like Walmart and Costco.
We’ve successfully grown our wholesale presence to over 3,800 locations across Canada – and we are not stopping there. We are in discussions to enter several big box retailers across the United States, which we hope will include Costco U.S.
Question: Thanks for your time! Last question: What does the future hold for DAVIDsTEA?
Answer: Thank you for having me! We are constantly focused on evolving our experience across all our channels and making use of technology to connect in new and exciting ways. We also look for constant improvement with feedback from our customers on all aspects of what we do.
I am proud to say that last summer we reworked our beverage preparation process and invested in new drink-making technology to create a more efficient experience for customers. We had the opportunity to try out this new menu at our limited time pop-up at the Lululemon Fuel Space on Newbury Street in Boston, Mass. It was a hit and we brought it home to Canada in our Carrefour Laval store in Quebec. This is just one example of the upgrades we're looking forward to rolling out this year at DAVIDsTEA. Stay tuned for the ongoing evolution of the DAVIDsTEA Experience.
To learn more about DAVIDsTEA, visit DavidsTea.com.
Aaron Kiel is an editor, writer and public relations professional in Raleigh, N.C. He’s worked in the beverage, tea and coffee industries for two decades, as well as hospitality and technology. He’s a journalist at heart, but he also wears a PR and communications hat through his consultancy, ak PR Group. He’s a contributing writer/reporter for Questex’s Bar & Restaurant News, and he recently worked as the editor of World Tea News with Questex’s Bar & Restaurant Group. In 2023, he was a finalist and honorable mention in the “Folio: Eddie & Ozzie Awards” for Range of Work by a Single Author – B2B.” Connect with him on Instagram: @adventurer_explorer.
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