The 12th North American Tea Conference – produced by the Tea Association of the U.S.A. Inc. and the Tea & Herbal Association of Canada – took place in Miami at the Kimpton EPIC Hotel, Oct. 4-6.
Both organizations support initiatives and practices which, together, ensure an optimal economic, social and ecological environment for the tea industry. The two groups noted that each of these pillars is inextricably linked to the economic health of the industry, welfare of its participants, and the maintenance of the environment where tea is grown and consumed.
The event featured numerous speakers, including Gary Hemphill of Beverage Marketing Corporation, Ian Gibbs of International Tea Committee, Jordan Moore of NielsenIQ, and Alison Taylor of Ethical Systems, among others.
During the event, the Gold Medal Tea and Sustainability Awards winners for 2023 were announced. For the Gold Medal Tea awards, more than 70 teas were submitted and tasted by the judging panel. For the Annual Sustainability Awards, the program recognizes the tea industry’s global efforts surrounding the goals of sustainability. Winners for each program include:
Sustainability Award Winners
Runner-Up:
Eastern Produce Kenya Limited
Runner-Up:
Valmitran S.A.
Sustainable projects for planting and implantation of native species for recovery of slopes, wetlands and water causes
Winner:
Talawakelle Tea Estates PLC
Winner:
Yogi Tea
Crop diversification and regenerative agriculture in Rwanda
Gold Medal Tea Competition Winners
Argentina:
Establecimiento Las Marias
1st Place: Corrientes, (Black Fannings)
Las Treinta S.A.
2nd Place: (Black BOP)
China:
Zhejiang Shanming Tea Co, Ltd. (Shanshan Tea)
1st Place: Fuding, Fujian Province (Jasmine White Scented)
Zhejiang Shanming Tea Co, Ltd. (Shanshan Tea)
2nd Place: Fengqing, Yunnan Province (Black)
Japan:
Hokusan Tea Canada
1st Place: Shizuoka (Gyokuru)
DAVIDsTEA
2nd Place: Kagoshima (Gyokuru)
India:
Goodricke Group Limited
1st Place: Darjeeling (Whole Leaf FTGFOP1 Moonlight)
Rossell Tea
2nd Place: Assam (BPS Orthodox)
Nepal:
DAVIDsTEA
1st Place: Hile-Dhankuta (Black)
Nepal Tea Collective
2nd Place: Eastern Nepal (Kumari Gold)
Sri Lanka:
Brown Plantations
1st Place: Maturata (UVA HIGH) (Mountain Whisper/ Black Orthodox)
Brown Plantations
2nd Place: Hali- Ela Uva Medium (Black BOP)
Kenya:
Eastern Produce Kenya Ltd.
1st Place: Nandi Hills (Black PF1)
Eastern Produce Kenya Ltd.
2nd Place: Nandi Hills (Black PD)
Rwanda:
Tea Importers, Inc.
1st Place: Northern Provence/Rulindo District (Black OP1)
Tea Importers, Inc.
2nd Place: Northern Provence/Rulindo District (Black OP)
Herbal:
Australian Native Products
1st Place: East Coast (Australia Organic Cut)
DAVIDsTEA
2nd Place: South Africa (Rooibos)
Overall Winner:
Goodricke Group Limited
Darjeeling (Whole Leaf FTGFOP1 Moonlight)
A Special Thank You
A special thank you goes to Peter Goggi, president of the Tea Association of the U.S.A., Inc., for being such a wonderful host and making everyone feel welcome, and Shabnam Weber, president of the Tea & Herbal Association of Canada, for co-hosting this year.
Without the hard work and support of tea associations around the world, tea would not remain the 2nd most consumed beverage in the world.
To learn more about the Tea Association of the U.S.A, Inc., visit TeaUSA.com. To learn more about the Tea & Herbal Association of Canada, visit Tea.ca.
FaithAnn Bailes is the conference and content manager for the World Tea Conference + Expo. She can be reached at [email protected].
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