China’s CNTV assigned a reporter to visit Los Angeles last week to describe the tea industry in America.

The serious video report, hilariously but aptly titled Pimp My Tea, includes an interview with International Tea Importer (ITI, Inc.) and Chado Tea Room Founder Devan Shah, a visit to the American Tea Room in Beverly Hills and conversations with tea drinkers.

In America “the tea is infused with all sorts of interesting flavors” explains the reporter as the camera pans pouches labeled Macaroon (cacao bits, rooibos, coconut, licorice) and Toasted Fig (pu-erh, figs, dandelion roots, coconut flakes and fennel) or Brioche, advertised as “aromatic as a French patisserie” with almonds, cinnamon and safflower blossoms.

To a purist, concoctions like Chamomile Lemon and Dry Desert lime seem quite ordinary beside Carrot Curry and Beef Cabbage, Spinach Chive and Broccoli Cilantro “tea.” The blends described above no doubt appear to the Chinese exactly like the garish, gaudy and extravagant embellishments gangbangers use to transform 1970s caddies, a vintage Ford Fairlane or Lincoln Continental into pimpmobiles.

The Chinese treasure several blends such as Jasmine green tea but for the most part consumers there seem content with tea processed much as it was a 1000 years ago. In America the blends featured in most shops were developed within a few months of launch. They appear and disappear with the season.

Source: CNTV Culture Express

Last week I talked about teaware and accessory trends for 2014 and how that could affect the holiday retail market. This week I look more closely at the tea side (with a brief foray into related products) and some interesting sales strategies.

There are hundreds of sources of specialty tea in the marketplace in standalone retail tea shops, in grocery and gourmet food markets, in online tea shops. Tea enthusiasts are not hesitant to explore the spectrum and seek out new and unique lines. When it comes to the holidays, however, the landscape shifts a bit.

Retailers need to consider that the holiday buyer is often NOT the tea-interested party, but rather a loved one looking to find a great gift. It is important to make it easy for these shoppers to find the perfect gifts to suit their needs. This is where packaging, positioning and marketing will be even more important.

Tea Packaging/Marketing

DAVIDsTEA went all-in on the holiday packaging this year. There are mugs with Fair Isle sweater patterns, holiday tea collections in stylish boxes, and even tree ornaments that arrive full of tea. They have combined this effort with strategic email communications that present a handful of their most visually appealing products with quick links to purchase. They have already sold out of their “24 Days of Tea” Advent calendar. Creative packaging catches eyes and sales.

Single box gift sets offer convenience and suggest to a customer that they are purchasing something that has a seal of approval from a tea expert. Harney & Sons Fine Teas, for example, knows their market and emphasizes “tradition,” creating a holiday gift offering that highlights a well-loved tea blend along with an infuser mug and gourmet jam. Teavana takes a similar approach with their 12 Holidays of Tea set. Emphasize your experience and knowledge of what tea lovers want.

The best products don’t make a business successful if customers don’t know you have them. In your store and in your online presence, make sure you are helping customers find what they need. Storefront sellers have become adept at product placement, using visual cues to draw attention. Online sellers must do the same. Companies like Tay Tea are exercising good practice in creating a separate page on their site where their “holiday gifts” are listed together. There is nothing particularly “holiday” about the items, but by grouping them and promoting them in this way, they are highlighting existing products as having gift potential.

An Add On about Add-Ons

As you think about your tea collections and creative ways to group and sell products, it is also useful to consider add-on products. We often see tea tins combined with teaware or accessories. But how about something different? Companies like iHeartTeas and Glenburn Tea Direct are creating tea cosmetics and bath and body products.

Books are another useful add-on item for visual appeal. You could display fictional offerings, like Laura Childs’ tea shop mysteries, non-fiction like Mary Lou Heiss and Robert Heiss’s “The Story of Tea” or Sarah Rose’s “For All the Tea in China,” or perhaps essays like “A Tea Reader: Living Life One Cup at a Time” by one of your favorite Tea Biz writers. (wink wink)

Okay, tea retailers, what are your holiday plans to catch attention and make sales this season?

Whether we are buyers or sellers, the turn of the calendar to November puts holiday shopping firmly on our minds. Retailers are in the position of constantly trying to predict customer desires and to prepare for (or create) new trends. What are the items that tea business owners will be looking to put on their shelves this holiday season?

Kettles will continue to be popular, particularly electric models with temperature control. As more consumers become aware of the need to steep different teas at different temperatures, it is critical that we supply them with easy ways to meet this need. Glass and stainless steel continue to be popular choices and temperature presets can assist newer tea drinkers. Other features that customers will be looking for are cordless kettles, a stay-warm feature, and automatic shut-off to prevent scorching or boiling dry.

On the teaware side there are two concurrent trends emerging. On one side, tea drinkers are leaning toward the basics – teapots and cups in white, glass, and earthy greens and browns. On the other side, teaware can be seen as a fun accessory, adding a bright pop of color in an otherwise conservative decor. Be on the look out for splashes of red, blue and yellow. Convenience is also a key factor. Infuser mugs have become both more practical and well-designed. They offer users an option that takes up little space in the cupboard, but allows for proper steeping of tea, a convenient way to dispense of leaves, and an appropriate vessel for drinking. O Magazine selected Tea forte’s KATI cup version as one of Oprah’s Favorite Things in 2011. Forlife Designs offers other attractive cups in a range of shapes.

Tea accessories will always have a popular following, especially because they can be more kitschy and fun, and don’t need to fit squarely in with existing collections. Infusers with a comedic twist seem to be getting more play. The Shark Tea Infuser and Mr. Tea have been getting a lot of attention. But what about the tea diver, the manatea, and the ducky? Humor isn’t the only attraction though. The stunning work of artists like those at Tea Tangent who make award-winning unique and beautiful cherry wood tea accessories. Tea traveler mugs, the jars with screw top infusers and caps, are popular for commuters and people who enjoy tea on the go.

We’ve only just begun. We haven’t started talking about the tea and its related off-shoots like cosmetics and apparel. More to come…