World Tea Expo 2025

Calling all veteran tea business owners who are ready to ascend to new heights of success! This is your opportunity to have your questions answered by our panel of tea industry luminaries. They’ll share the strategies, techniques, and insights that separate the exceptional from the ordinary. The challenges of tomorrow are different than the challenges of yesterday so let our experts give you the tools to tackle those obstacles and turn that bottom line from red to black! 
This was one of the most popular sessions of the 2024 conference, it was sold out so come early.

In today's competitive tea market, sourcing tea directly from origin can offer a significant edge. This session will provide a detailed guide on how to establish direct trading relationships with tea producers, ensuring quality, authenticity, and a unique market position. We'll explore the benefits, challenges, and practical steps involved in sourcing tea directly from its origin.TakeAways:

• Build initial relationships with Growers: 
• Resources on how to make the first contact with tea growers. 
• Logistics and Legal Considerations: Sourcing tea directly involves navigating complex import regulations. 
• The session will provide an overview of the necessary paperwork, permits, and certifications required to import tea in the US. Marketing Your Direct-Sourced Tea: 
• One of the biggest advantages of direct sourcing is the story behind the tea. Learn how to effectively share this story with your customers through your website, social media, and packaging.

Step out of the Camellia Sinensis world to learn about other botanical supply chains.
What are the key differences in growing, harvesting and processing?
How do the supply chains work?
What are the main things to consider when purchasing botanical ingredients for my business?
What are the key drivers of quality when producing botanical ingredients?
The growth in fruit and herbal tea sales has outpaced those of black and green tea in recent years and this trend looks set to continue. Increasing awareness of health benefits and a desire for healthy beverage choices is driving innovation and increasing consumer demand.
Come away from this talk with a broader understanding of the complex supply chains behind individual fruit and herbal tea ingredients before they are used in finished products.
Learn about different production processes for fruit and herbal ingredients versus black and green tea and how they impact quality.
Gain a better understanding of purchasing options for botanical ingredients whether you are a startup, small, medium or large-scale operation.

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. 

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.

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.