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Millennials who denounce McDonald’s stand in long lines for a Smashburger, which is one reason why the burger chain announced it will be the first fast-feeder in the country to freshly brew organic iced teas.
Tea at a buck a pint has been a big draw and the decision to feature Honest Tea’s fresh-brewed will surely add to the appeal of the more than 244 Smashburger locations.
Selections include: Classic Green Tea, Just Iced Tea, Lemon Herbal Tea and Naturally Flavored Raspberry Tea, all made with certified organic ingredients. The tea compliments the craft beer, handcrafted sodas and premium beverages like hand-spun Häagen-Dazs shakes on offer.
“Smashburger and Honest Tea share a passion for providing guests with fresh-tasting, high caliber products, so the partnership was a natural fit for us. We are excited for the opportunity to be the first national restaurant to serve their fresh brewed teas to guests in all of our restaurants across the country,” said Tom Ryan, Founder and Chief Concept Officer of Smashburger. “There are many synergies between our two brands, but first and foremost is our commitment to serving food and beverages that our guests can feel good about, comprised of quality ingredients for a better dining experience.”
“The trend toward non-carbonated beverages in particular is continuing to grow, and has been the strongest area of growth in our beverage business recently. The addition of Honest Tea’s freshly brewed iced tea platform fits in well with this growing consumer demand,” said Ryan.
The new line is certified kosher, gluten-free, does not contain any genetically modified organisms, uses Fair Trade Certified™ tea leaves and drinks contain 50 calories or less per 8 fl. oz. serving.
Honest Tea co-founder Seth Goldman said, “We are thrilled to have Smashburger as our first national partner for our freshly brewed organic iced teas. Both companies view high-quality ingredients as an integral part of the tasting experience, and we look forward to serving our freshly brewed iced teas alongside Smashburger’s great menu offerings.”
Learn more: www.smashburger.com.
Origin
ILAM, Nepal – Much of Nepal’s tea is sold at auction in Kolkata, India because the Himalayan country has no tea auction of its own.
The government recently allocated money to create the nation’s first tea auction house which would facilitate sales of both orthodox and CTC used for blending. Nepal currently produces 3.5 million kilos of orthodox tea and 16 million kilos of CTC of which 80 percent is exported to India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
The National Tea and Coffee Development Board (NTCDB) allocated 3 million rupees ($30,400) for the venture. Remaining capital will depend on support from tea entrepreneurs who must develop the infrastructure to inspect, warehouse, broker, ship and taste the tea to ensure quality.
The Tea Board has endorsed the auction and offered to coordinate with tea entrepreneurs. It is hoped the auction will open by April 2014.
Nepalese tea exports were up by 16.2 percent in fiscal year 2011/12 according to the Trade and Export Promotion Center (TEPC). Demand for orthodox tea is increasing with Japan, China, Germany and the U.S. and is now supplied by 29 factories processing orthodox tea. The nation’s exports of 10,708 metric tons of tea were valued at $20.6 million.
“The demand for Nepali tea from international market is increasing with each passing year,” Ishwari Prasad Ghimire, executive director of TEPC, told the Republica newspaper. “Tea plantation area and production is increasing accordingly.”
Source: Republica and Kantipur
Accolades
WINNIPEG, Manitoba – The Guardian Angels hosted the “Biggest Tea Party in Manitoba” last week to benefit CancerCare.
Film and television actress, comedian, producer and activist Fran Drescher (The Nanny), a cancer survivor, presented an inspiring talk in front of a crowd of more than 1,400 donors at the Fort Garry Hotel. The 22nd annual event brings together “earthly angels” to raise funds in support of Women’s cancer.
Drescher said she saw eight doctors in two years before she was diagnosed with uterine cancer. Now cancer-free for more than a decade, she is urging people to remove chemicals from their bodies and homes. Early detection is a life saver, she reminded the crowd.
“Catch it on arrival, 95 percent survival,” Drescher said is one of her mantras since being diagnosed with uterine cancer 13 years ago.”As women, the early-warning whispers are when it’s easy to deny, but that’s when it is most curable,” she told the group, according to reports in the Winnipeg Free-Press.
Event chairwoman Ida Albo, co-owner of the hotel, put out a call for china tea cups for the event, expecting to receive a few hundred. Local residents donated more than 4,000 cups.
Accolades to Toronto-based Steeped Tea for sponsoring the event, and to local consultant and team leader Melissa Tannahill for suggesting the donation and coordinating the delivery of tea.
Source: Winnipeg Free-Press
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