World Tea Expo 2025

This session aims to equip attendees with the knowledge and tools needed to understand tea supply contracts. Participants will gain practical insights into key contract components, risk mitigation strategies, and negotiation techniques, all of which are essential for ensuring successful and sustainable tea business operations.

Led by Dananjaya Silva, creator of London’s most expensive tea, Golden Tips, featured in The Times and CBS, this session will guide you in crafting a first-class tea service in hospitality. Learn how to curate seasonal menus, ensure proper storage, and scale your offerings with practical, real-life examples.

In this session we'll explore the challenges and opportunities in developing RTD teas, including balance of ingredients, scaling formulations, brewing, and reviewing essential regulatory considerations.

Diving deeper into these topics:

• Balancing tea, flavor, juices, sweeteners and other ingredients in formulating your tea
• Differences between brewed tea leaves, tea extracts, tea concentrates, tea powders, tea distillates and tea flavors
• Technical limitations and opportunities in scaling your lab formulation to production
• Key regulation and compliance considerations in RTD teas

The supply chain for teas, herbs, and spices is a complex and intricate system that begins with cultivation in diverse climates around the world. Growers harvest these products, which then undergo processing, including drying, grinding, and blending. From there, they are transported around the world to brands, contract manufacturers, distributors and retailers. Along the way, stringent quality control and compliance with food safety standards are crucial. Each step, from farm to cup, involves coordination among farmers, processors, logistics companies, and retailers, all working together to deliver high-quality products to consumers around the world. 

The Rooibos Story will cover the following

1. How is it best consumed
2. Rooibos as a functional food
3. Rooibos Blends
4. Wellness and Rooibos
5. Health and Rooibos
6.  Innovation
7. Economic Opportunities

Discover the rare, hidden gems of the tea world in this unique tasting opportunity .
This course takes you on a global journey to experience unique and rare teas from exclusive tea-producing regions. You will experience the distinct flavors, traditions, and stories behind these exceptional teas. 
Perfect for specialty tea enthusiasts looking to expand their palate and knowledge, this course will leave you with a deeper appreciation for the art of tea. Join us and indulge in the rare and exquisite world of artisan teas.

China, the cradle and “motherland” of tea, boasts a long history and profound culture of tea planting, processing, and drinking. Throughout this development, our diligent and wise ancestors continuously invented new techniques for tea planting, processing, and brewing.
With such a long history, it is fascinating to imagine how tea emerged from nature, gradually becoming China’s “state drink,” and how it spread worldwide. Over the course of at least 5,000 years, our ancestors have developed various types of tea. The most authentic and traditional Chinese teas are categorized into six basic types, known as the “Six Major Tea Categories” by tea professionals. As market demand continues to grow, it is essential to educate tea merchants, professionals, and our expanding community of tea drinkers about these categories. Through this forum at the tea expo, we aim to clarify misconceptions and correct misunderstandings regarding tea types, business practices, and consumption. This mission is crucial for the tea expo.
In the West, consumers are generally familiar with green tea, black tea, and Pu-erh tea. However, following recent trends in Chinese tea culture, more people are becoming aware of white tea and oolong tea. Each of these major categories includes representative and renowned subcategories, which will be a key topic of our discussions.
Additionally, different types of tea are produced through various processing methods, each requiring specific brewing techniques.

Three Takeaways: 
1. Brief History of Tea Drinking.
2. China’s authentic and traditional basic categories of teas—six major tea categories: Green tea, White tea, Yellow tea, Oolong tea, Black tea, Dark tea.
3. Brewing methods for different teas—water temperature, tea amount, brewing/steeping time.

Come join Kurush Bharucha on a guided 'tea cupping' odyssey, as we taste his global 'flavourites' - their aromas and attributes ; their terroirs and tales.  Each sip will unveil a unique 'nature and nurture' fingerprint.....and make you smile

Join in the 'jelly-bean' test, as a first step in appreciating the nuances of tea tasting.

This session is to awaken your inner Tearista and help YOU in your tea journey - from infusiast to teaholic

Key Takeaways :
1. Appreciate the fundamentals of tasting (its why, how and what) - as you TEAse apart the subtleties between flavour, taste and aroma.
2. Understand the key sensory directions of the different types of tea....and start to build your own vocabulary of descriptors.
3. Learn to tell your recipe love story from 'tea-bud to taste-bud', using a 6P framework (provenance, plantation, processing, product, planet, people) ---Class limit of 50

 When it comes to starting an online tea business there is much to consider as you get started such as: 

• How much do I have to invest in this business? 
• Who will my target customers be? 
• How do I find reputable suppliers who can work with me to scale my business? 
• Where will I sell my products? 
• What prices will I charge for the products I sell? 
• Who are my competitors? 
• When can I expect to become profitable? 
• Why should I consider selling on Amazon? 
• Should I sell loose leaf tea or tea bags? 
• What packaging options work best? 
• How do I secure the best shipping costs? 

It is important to get answers to these questions and many other questions that arise as you move through the process of starting an online tea business. 
In my presentation I will provide answers to the above questions and share with you my Top 10 Ways to Build a High Profit Online Tea Business. 

In the bustling world of e-commerce, email marketing stands out as a crucial tool for driving revenue and fostering customer loyalty. For small tea businesses, leveraging email marketing can make the difference between a good year and a great one. If you're not generating between 30-35% of your e-commerce revenue through email marketing, this talk is essential for you. We'll explore practical strategies and actionable insights to help you harness the full potential of email marketing, ensuring your business thrives in a competitive market.

By the end of the session:

1) You'll be able to map out and implement a customer journey that maximizes acquisition and retention, enhancing customer loyalty and increasing lifetime value.

2) You'll walk away with ready-to-use templates that can be customized to fit your brand, helping you launch high-performing email campaigns that drive engagement and sales.

3) You'll learn how to create and optimize automated email flows that save you over 50 hours of work, allowing you to focus on other critical aspects of your business while your email marketing runs seamlessly in the background.

As the world grapples with the challenges of climate change, water scarcity, and environmental degradation, the tea industry has a unique opportunity to lead the way in sustainable practices. Individual consumers play a crucial role in driving this change. Here are three simple yet effective ways everyone can make a difference, ultimately contributing to a more sustainable tea industry.
Key Takeaways

1. Eat More Plant Based: Animal agriculture is a significant water user, so incorporating more plant-based meals can help reduce water consumption. As tea is often enjoyed with food, choosing plant-based options can complement sustainable tea choices.

2. Compost and Reduce Waste: Composting food waste reduces the amount of energy and water needed to produce new fertilizers. This practice also promotes sustainable tea production, as tea estates can adopt organic composting methods to maintain soil health.

3. Use Less, Choose Sustainable: Being mindful of overall resource usage can significantly impact water conservation. In general, every product we use daily takes resources to create. When choosing tea products, opt for sustainable packaging,  and eco-friendly brands that prioritize water efficiency in their production processes.

Authentic brands deliver on their promise of a fine product and a rewarding taste experience in sincere and engaging ways. Successful tea brands are clear and consistent about what they stand for but never entrenched. The best remain culturally relevant to their target market by continuing to evolve.

Takeaways

• Tea’s diverse culture is simultaneously its greatest strength and the most formidable obstacle facing industrial-age commodity tea brands out of sync with consumer preferences.
• Despite the efficiencies of scale and marketing and 150 years of competition, small brands have shown remarkable resilience, still controlling 90% of the global market. Their success is a testament to their adaptability and understanding of changing consumer preferences.
• How we shop for tea has changed. E-commerce accelerated during the pandemic, driving record sales of packaged foods and at-home consumption. Distribution expanded, with global, national, and regional brands now selling directly to consumers, utilizing last-mile delivery managed by efficient service providers.

Of the many mysteries that the subjet of tea leaves us, one that I encounter the most is “how much caffeine is in my tea.” The short answer is, “it depends.” But what does it depend on? This talk gives an in-depth look into what factors go into the caffeine content of any particular tea. We will also look into some of the common myths about caffeine content and discover which ones are true or false, and why.
Takeways:
1.) Caffeine content in any particular tea is not a straightforward answer but there are clues that you can use to estimate it.
2.) Most of the myths about caffeine content in teas are misleading or false.
3.) Caffeine content in teas vary widely depending on a variety of factors other than the style of tea.

Statements on your label can (and should) showcase how amazing your product is. However, certain claims can run afoul of labeling laws and regulations (which are enforced by government agencies such as the FDA), or can expose your company to the risk of being sued by competitors or class action lawyers who claim that your label is inaccurate or otherwise misleading.
Session Take-Aways
 

• The various types of claims (nutrient content, health, structure-function claims) and the importance of making permissible labeling claims.
• “High Risk” claims - Labelling claims to avoid and claims that should be made with caution (for example: “all natural,” “Manufactured in the USA,” “Antioxidant-rich,” and “No added sugar”).
• The increased focus on environmental factors – heavy metals, PFAS, etc. – and federal and state laws on claims like biodegradable, compostable, and “free of”
• Strategies for proactively protecting your business against unnecessary legal distractions relating to labelling claims that can hurt your bottom line and brand reputation.

Alcoholic Tea Beverages
In the evolving landscape of the beverage industry, understanding consumer preferences is key to staying ahead. This presentation dives deep into the intricate world of consumer drivers that shape beverage choices by exploring three main drivers: health, psychological drivers, and flavor trends.
Health drivers are increasingly influencing consumer choices, with a growing demand for beverages that offer functional benefits, such as low-calorie options, fortified drinks, and alcohol alternatives. We will analyze how health-conscious trends are reshaping the market and driving innovation in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic segments.
Psychological drivers, including the role of emotional connections and social influences, play a significant role in beverage preferences. This section will examine how brand perception, marketing strategies, and consumer experiences shape purchasing decisions and loyalty. Flavor drivers remain a cornerstone of consumer satisfaction. By exploring emerging flavor trends, their origins, and consumer drivers, this presentation will highlight how unique and diverse flavor profiles can captivate consumers and create lasting impressions. Attendees will gain actionable insights into leveraging these consumer drivers to develop strategies that cater to evolving preferences, ensuring success in both retail and food service settings.
 
Objectives:  
• Investigate emerging flavor trends, showcasing how innovative and diverse flavor profiles can captivate and retain customers
• Explore the psychological drivers, including emotional connections and social influences to understand how they shape consumer behavior
• Analyze how health-conscious trends are influencing consumer preferences for both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages

Follow Udaya as he covers the challenges of Organic Farming in Nepal.
In the case of Nepal, small farmers produce organic tea in their small farms.
Major challenges:

• Reduced yield
• Susceptible to pest attacks
• High input costs
• Labour intensive
• Due to open borders with the neighboring country, the prohibited inputs are easily available in the local market which is easy to access for the small farmers.
• Household monitoring and proper record keeping, documentation etc. are additional costs.
• There is no reputed certification agency in Nepal and still we have to be accredited by the CB of India or a European country.
• Unfavorable climatic condition

Solutions

• Awareness program to the farmers
• Optimum price of the organic product
• The government should launch a project to motivate the organic farmers/producers and there should be regular monitoring of the market to reduce the sales of the prohibited inputs.