• Water for War-torn Ukraine

    Numi Tea Foundation distributes water filters, solar-powered devices to Ukrainians displaced by Russian invasion

    Maybe you’ve seen the photographs: People drinking water from muddy puddles. Families crouching in pitch-black basements or caves, with nothing to light their hideaways.

    These are the stories of millions of Ukrainians who have been displaced by the Russian invasion of their country. People have been forced to flee, leaving their families, friends, possessions. Their homes. Their homeland.

    Oakland-based Numi Organic Tea wanted to do something to help. They have a foundation—the Numi Foundation—that supports the communities where they farm, as well as people in need in the San Francisco Bay area, where their head office is located.

    Numi recognized that they have the resources, know-how, and connections to apply the clean-water work they’ve done in farming communities to help the people of Ukraine.

    With the support of Numi tea drinkers, that’s exactly what they’re doing.

    Numi has partnered with two organizations, Waves for Water and MPOWERD, to raise $1 million to provide clean, safe drinking water and solar-powered lights and charging devices to up to 550,000 displaced Ukrainians.

    The Together for H2OPE – Ukraine campaign will use a network of trained people in Ukraine to distribute the filters and devices to people who need it most, and provide a little light and a little hope to people in the war-torn country.

    Caption: An activist participating in Together for H2OPE – Ukraine adds a water filter to a bucket. The initiative aims to raise $1 million to distribute water filters to more than 550,000 displaced Ukrainians.

    Photo credits: Angela Nardolillo

    Listen to the interview
    A conversation with Darian Rodriguez Heyman, Executive Director of the Numi Foundation
    Activist participating in Together for H2OPE – Ukraine holds water bottles filled with clean water, ready to distribute to displaced Ukrainians.

    A conversation with Darian Rodriguez Heyman, Executive Director of the Numi Foundation

    Jessica Natale Woollard: The Numi Foundation’s Together for H2OPE initiative is currently focused on bringing clean water to displaced Ukrainians in their country. But it’s not the first time the foundation has supported clean water initiatives. So — why water?

    Water bottles ready to be filled with cleaned water provided by Numi’s Together for H2OPE campaign.

    Darian Rodriguez Heyman: The short answer is that you can’t make tea without it.

    Clean water and access to clean and safe drinking water is something we take for granted in this country. But more than 10% of the global population does not enjoy the same kind of access. 

    We started looking at access to clean water as a basic human right. It felt very relevant to the brand to make sure that people — especially the residents of our Numi farming communities — have access to the same clean and safe drinking water that we enjoy here.

    “Numi is unique in that we know the exact farm that 89% of our ingredients come from.”

    – Darian Rodriguez Heyman

    Jessica: So when you heard about the terrible war in Ukraine, you decided to apply your experience helping give Numi farming access to clean water to the Ukrainian people? 

    Darian: That’s exactly right.

    We had built up some expertise around fundraising, around project management, around finding the right partners to get clean water projects executed at scale and quickly in, for example, Madagascar, South Africa and India.

    When the Russian invasion happened, we heard about not only the five million refugees, but the seven million Ukrainians who were displaced and still trapped in the country — living in subways and in basements, and having to drink water out of dirty puddles and streams. We heard that access to clean water was one of the top needs for the Ukrainian people because of the war. It was something we felt compelled to act upon.

    Darian Rodriguez Heyman

    Jessica: Is Together for H2OPE focused on those displaced Ukrainians still in the country of Ukraine?

    Darian: Historically, the program has been focused on Numi farming communities specifically, but in this case we’ve repurposed the program and our network and expertise. 

    We’ve lined up partners specific to the Ukraine project that have relevant expertise. We’ve already started raising money; we’ve raised over $150,000 so far, which has enabled us to serve over 79,000 Ukrainians.

    But we’re not even close to done. The goal is to raise a million dollars and to help over 550,000 Ukrainians who are still trapped in country but displaced from their homes. We want to provide them access to clean and safe drinking water, but also clean solar-powered lighting as well as power so they can charge their phones and other devices and get access to lifesaving resources. 

    Jessica: What equipment are you distributing to help clean the water?  

    Darian: It’s a very simple water filter that fits on a bucket. 

    It’s standard; it has no moving parts, no electronics, and the typical water filter will last for 20 years. It’s good for over a million gallons without needing to be serviced or maintained. They’re built to be indestructible and perfect for a war-torn region and what’s happening in Ukraine right now.

    The other product is the MPOWERD solar powered light and charging station. People can use the sun to charge it, and then they can plug their phones in. They can access a light so that when they’re underground they’re able to see what they’re doing. 

    MPOWERD Lantern

    Jessica: How are you distributing these products on the ground in Ukraine? 

    Darian: We’re leveraging veterans as our boots on the ground.

    The main implementation partner that we’re working with is Waves for Water, and they’ve been around for over a dozen years. They’ve worked in over 40 countries and helped over four million people access clean water. 

    Their primary workforce is veterans who have a unique set of skills; they’re very comfortable in fluid environments and in war-torn regions. They work after natural disasters, after Haiti, in New Jersey, after Hurricane Sandy, where I grew up. 

    But they also worked in Afghanistan and places like that. They’re pretty comfortable diving, literally diving in, and getting the product to the borders. 

    A volunteer with Together for H2OPE – Ukraine stands with water bottles ready to be distributed.

    Jessica: I understand that every time someone purchases Numi Organic Tea, they are contributing to initiatives like Together for H2OPE — because the company diverts some of its profits to the foundation. 

    Can people contribute to Together for H2OPE any other way?

    Darian: Aside from buying Numi Organic Tea, which they’re always welcome to do, we are inviting donations.  We’re primarily directing those through Waves for Water.

    Jessica: Any final thoughts?

    Darian: Tea is a vehicle; it’s a platform. And Numi Tea firmly believes it’s a platform for mindfulness, for intentionality, and for ultimately creating the life in the world that we want to see, not only for ourselves, but for those around us. 

    Tea, by nature, is a communal drink. We’d love to see as many tea drinkers as possible join us in the effort to build a better world and make sure that each and every Ukrainian who’s been displaced from their home, whether they are a refugee and had to flee, or whether they’re still in the country, that they have access to the resources and support they need to rebuild their lives and rebuild their country.

    Numi Organic Tea knows the exact farm from which 89% of their ingredients come from, says Darian Rodriguez Heyman, the Numi Foundation’s executive director.
    Numi Organic Tea donates part of their profits to the Numi Foundation, helping fund campaigns to support farming communities where Numi sources tea as well as people in the San Francisco Bay Area, near the company’s main office.

    This interview has been edited and condensed.

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  • Cold-Brewed Calm

    Equitea co-founder Quentin Vennie discusses three new condition-specific canned, cold-brewed tea blends to ease anxiety and depression, improve focus, and calm young people coping with ADHD.

    • Caption: Quentin Vennie, co-founder of Equitea, Baltimore, Maryland
    Quentin Vennie, co-founder of Equitea, Baltimore, MD
    Quentin Vinnie, Co-founder Equitea
    Quentin Vennie, Co-founder Equitea

    Cold-Brewed Calm in a Can

    Author and wellness expert Quentin Vennie, with his wife Erin, on the advice of their son’s neurologist, found that green tea helped their seven-year-old boy maintain calm and focus. Diagnosed with ADHD, a condition leading to impulsive, hyperactive behavior, tea’s unique combination of L-Theanine and Caffeine offered relief, but loose-leaf teas were challenging to brew and not that tasty to a pre-teen. Quentin and Erin added calming botanicals to make the tea palatable. Inspired by their success, they launched a tea venture that produced packaged teas that became a favorite of Gwyneth Paltrow, whose company goop sells the teas online.

    Dan Bolton: I see that Equitea teas and botanicals are purpose blended. Will you tell listeners about your personal experience and how it led to their development?

    Quentin Vennie: We created Equitea essentially out of necessity. My son was diagnosed with ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) when he was seven. Given my own history of dealing with mental health issues, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, depression, and addiction to prescription pills, I wanted to manage his diagnosis holistically.

    His neurologist recommended that he drink green tea before any big assignments or tests in school. The idea was that the L-theanine and the caffeine would give him a calm focus like Adderall would but without the risk of dependency or any negative side effects.

    When my wife and I went out to buy different types of green tea, we found out quickly that many of the teas sold in retail stores weren’t of the best quality. They had minimal nutrition value, and they taste horrible, right? And so, we made the decision to make this work by learning as much as we could about green tea. The challenge was figuring out how to make it palatable for a nine-year-old struggling with ADHD. We wanted to ensure that every ingredient we blended with that green tea would assist him in that calm focus and not give him any ingredients that would make him hyper. So, we added things like lavender, lemon verbena, and lemongrass, things known to help with anxiety. Not only did it taste good, but it would serve the benefits we were looking for.

    Later my wife and I made the decision to move forward by starting a tea company and creating our own blends to share, with every ingredient geared toward the desired result.

    Dan: You recently added a line of canned tea using the cold brewing method. Will you talk about your reasoning?

    We first launched as a loose-leaf company. Our consumers said that one of their biggest hurdles was that they didn’t have the necessary equipment and skills to brew it the way the blends were designed to be brewed. With cans, we take the guesswork out of it for many consumers. The process of cold brewing lets us extract a lot of the flavor while reducing the astringency that often accompanies green tea and some black teas that are astringent due to high water temperatures and long brew times.

    We wanted to make sure that our tea delivered maximal flavor and maximal benefit and is a product that is shelf stable. One thing I learned while researching the cold brewing process is that it also helps reduce the amount of caffeine in each serving. Since the tea is marketed as safe for children, we wanted to keep the caffeine content to a minimum.*

    See: Tea Benefits Children Onward from Age 4

    Harmony
    Invigorate
    Comfort Herbal Chai | $14
    Equitea’s new line of cold-brewed, ready-to-drink teas are available in 12 oz cans | 12-pack $47.88

    Dan: What is the milligram content for caffeine in a typical 12-ounce can?

    Quentin: The green tea is about 18 milligrams, and the black tea is a little bit higher, closer to about 30 to 35 mg.

    Dan: So that’s about half of what you would find in a regular cup of tea.

    Quentin: Yes, exactly.

    Dan: You use adaptogens. You mentioned them in three new blends. Will you describe which adaptogens are present and how they benefit tea drinkers?

    Quentin: Absolutely. So, each tea has a different adaptogen. Our focus blend has Astragalus Root1, Our Recharge, black tea blend, has Ashwagandha2, and our Recover hibiscus blend, as Schisandra Berry3.

    Adaptogens are geared toward helping the body and the mind to fight off stress and to recover better from stress. And, you know, we’re in a space of COVID uncertainty, and people are potentially moving into a recession. In prioritizing our mental health, it’s important to figure out how we can mitigate and reduce as much stress as possible.

    Dan: In formulating the beverages, you chose all-natural, organic, full leaf teas and botanicals cold-brewed in small batches. Will you discuss sourcing?

    Quentin: Sourcing is of the utmost importance to us, right? We’re communicating directly with small farms and farmers, you know, all across the world.

    For us to create a USDA-certified organic product, every ingredient we use has to essentially fall under the same regulations as we do in America.

    We wanted to make sure that everything was sustainable, sustainably sourced, non-GMO organic, and had the highest quality.

    I often say that in America, tea hasn’t had its coffee moment yet. We don’t have a tea culture in America that has been, you know, stamped. And so a lot of the teas that I’ve had growing up are just very low quality, and just like any other crop that’s grown, right, if it’s not growing organically, there can be chemical compounds that are found in that crop that doesn’t necessarily serve the body. We firmly believe that everything we put into our bodies matters.

    The challenge was figuring out how to make it palatable for a nine-year-old struggling with ADHD. We wanted to make sure that every ingredient that we blended with that green tea would assist him in that calm focus and not give him any ingredients that would make him hyper.

    – Quentin Vennie

    Dan: The 12-pack has a $47 suggested price, about $4 per can. Tell us about your strategy for bringing the brand to people.

    Quentin: We just launched 100% online, through our website, direct-to-consumer. We are in talks with a few larger retailers and convenience stores. We plan to continue to grow and scale so that we can reduce the prices a little bit. We’re still a very small company, and it’s been a bit challenging with inflation. My goal is to grow this to be a national company. We really want to make wellness equitable and accessible.

    Dan: Finally, tell us the story about how you came to the attention of goop Founder & CEO Gwyneth Paltrow.

    Quentin: On social, we really connected with the work I was doing in the wellness space. She was a part of the initial ideation of the tea Company. She was one of the first people to try our blends, and she immediately fell in love with them. And, you know, our relationship just grew. She’s one of the most incredible human beings I’ve ever met.

    And she’s been incredibly supportive throughout this entire process.

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    Quentin Vinnie

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  • The French Finish

    Emilie’s retail shop and tearoom, founded in 2017, spans 2,500 sq. ft., seats 20, and is co-located with Centered Spirit, a cultural and Holistic Center, housing her husband Alex’s holistic medicine practice. Emilie was born in France and grew up in Paris. A graduate of the Sorbonne in business management with post-graduate degrees in marketing. Fluent in Spanish, Emilie was the marketing director for Lacoste in Mexico City. Emilie curates a selection of brands that share the “French Finish,” a style that showcases French expertise in wine, culinary, essential oils, and perfume for more subtle and smoother tasting blends.

    Caption: Emilie Jackson in the shop’s classroom where she teaches customers about tea.

    Emilie Jackson on the evolution of retailing specialty tea.
    Emilie's French Teas
    Emilie’s French Teas is located near downtown Kansas City, Missouri, a city of 500,000 in the US Midwest.

    Emilie’s French Teas

    By Dan Bolton

    Specialty tea retailers in the US and Canada that survived lockdowns are now experiencing a precarious “post-pandemic” “pre-recession” economy marked by steep inflation and rising interest rates. Retailers say that while the pandemic increased demand for better quality tea, in-store traffic has declined as consumers enjoy their tea at home. Home has always been the preferred option for tea drinkers, but before 2020 tea in food service accounted for 20% of global tea revenue. Until office workers return to the world’s cities for daily lunch and afternoon tea breaks the 20% threshold will be difficult for the tea industry to achieve.

    See: Foodservice is Recuperating

    To attract customers back to their cafes, tea rooms, and shops, retailers seek to make each location a destination. To encourage in-store purchases retailers teach courses in person and via webinars, promote happy hours, host evening entertainment, conduct food pairings and tea tastings, schedule travelogues with demonstrations on tea making, and offering delivery services, curbside pickup, and even drive-thru.

    Dan Bolton: How do you describe teas that define French tea culture?

    Emilie Jackson: There’s a difference for me between tea cultivation and tea culture. Tea cultivation is where you actually grow the tea. I explain to our customers where tea comes from and how I pick the partners that I work with. I make sure they know it’s fair trade and that the teas have no pesticide or anything like that. It’s one thing common to all the tea we collect from all around the world.

    We suggest that for most of our teas customers first drink it without milk or sugar because you’re gonna miss some of the subtleties, right? So, we have real aficionados and some others who don’t know as much about tea. I say to them maybe you don’t like this particular tea, ‘try another’ I say, there’s a tea for everybody.

    “What really makes the difference in teas from France is how we finish the blend. We use our wine, culinary, essential oils, and perfume expertise to make the right blend.”

    Emilie (Potier) Jackson

    What really makes the difference in teas from France is how we finish the blend. We use our wine, culinary, essential oils, and perfume expertise to make the right blend.

    France has a long history with wine. When you think about grapes, there are different grapes for different styles of wine. For a long time we were one of the only places who knew how to grow the best wines. Wine makers came to learn and soon there were new regions and new cultivars. Now you get great wines from all over the world. Sometimes in places that you would not even expect. Tea is traveling a similar path. I think tea is experiencing a constant evolution. There’s different regions there’s different soil and climate (and now the impact of climate change) in countries that goes into the tea itself — without even talking about scented tea. You can get some great blends with subtle notes not just because of the terroir but also because of the year it’s been picked. So that’s fascinating and that’s why I like about French style tea blends. When we do a scented tea we never overpower the tea itself you always can taste if it’s a black tea, green, oolong, or white.

    Dan: Do you perceive that your customers are trying to refine their taste in tea and buying more expensive tea? Or do you feel people are beginning to trade down because of inflation and concerns about a recession?

    It’s a good question. First of all, for us, we’re already a niche market. We were more, you know, high-end products in the specialty tea category. So the people that come to see us, whether they know our brand, or they’ve been to France, experience some of that here. They come here looking for that. So we’re already more niche. So I think, yes, we’ve probably been impacted by the fear of a recession. And we probably are going to experience a greater impact. I hope people can still find small pleasures that they can buy, like a good loose leaf tea. And that’s one thing about our teas: price ranges are higher, but there are small things you can do for yourself that don’t break the bank.

    Dan: Is experiential retail the key to customer retention?

    Emilie: I’ve been in the retail business for a long time, and experiential is not new. When we created the shop, it was always about sharing our love of travel and our love for different cultures. You can see that I am from another culture. The photos, decor, and items in the shop are from places we have traveled to and the tea gardens we visited. Experiential retail creates an experience, a universe where people can feel transported.

    What I’ve seen before and after COVID is that fewer people are visiting retail shops in general, whether it’s fear of being around people or whether it’s just a change of habit, a lot of people, even the older generation who like to purchase their tea in-store now has learned to do so online. Online shopping has increased. I have people close by who order online and then just pick up the tea. So, in that regard, that’s what has changed.

    I have observed that people in the US go out a lot. COVID and everything refocused their attention on home habits. People started during the pandemic to make things at home, including many people who turned to tea because it was comforting. Tea came indoors. So that was good for us so far as packaged sales, but at the same time, making it at home meant fewer trips to the tea room.

    So if you look at the tea room itself, of course, that’s going to have an impact, right? So, as far as changing strategy, it’s more about how you deliver your product or put it in the hand of your customers, whether they want that to be in-store or just want to have the product delivered.

    I don’t know if it will change my strategy because it’s all about education. And I’ve always wanted to educate people about the different types of tea because there’s so much misinformation out there. Social media has pros and cons. One of the cons of online selling is that there is a lot out there, and the information is not always good. So how, as a consumer, do you find the right information?

    Dan: Online sales were a lifeline for many, many smaller tea rooms when they were ordered to close and later as they faced restrictions preventing their previous service level. Your client base stayed loyal, but some appear to have changed their buying habits permanently.

    Emilie: First of all, we were kind of, I mean, lucky in some ways; it’s just like when COVID hit, I was just finishing the online store. So, when clients started to ask, Hey, can you, you know, do curbside or anything like that? We were able to do it, you know, it’s a learning curve plus the technology. As far as logistics and everything, people sometimes don’t understand that tea made from Camellia sinensis is mainly grown in Asia, Africa, and India. When it comes to deliveries in the fall and winter, you get even more sales because, in the US, there is a spike when it’s colder. Everybody was ordering online, and all the different services, UPS, DHL, and USPS they didn’t have enough workers.

    It’s hard for us because everything else also increased if you think about it, you know, the overhead for just having a brick and mortar shop is very high. People don’t think about that. But that is a lot of the costs incurred, and then shipping has definitely increased. We don’t have the volume in order to decrease the shipping cost when shipping prices go overboard — we’re talking about a quarter or even one-third of the cost of goods. Sometimes when the client is close by, I will deliver it myself.

    Dan: Did you pass these costs on to your customers?

    Emilie: Well, actually, not that much, not as much as it was suggested I do. But it’s pretty hard, you know, to know at which point the customer can take it.

    Dan: Will you discuss the role of retail in educating consumers?

    Emilie: It depends on your market, and you know, how you position your brand. I like teaching, it’s my passion, I love learning, so anything that I learn, I always pass it on to the customer.

    Most often, I think they enjoy that. Some maybe don’t care, but most like to learn the processes. People are becoming a bit more aware that from the same plant, you get six types of teas. I explain how producers can get a white tea that is aged which makes it even more complicated. I answer many questions about caffeine.

    I also compare tea to coffee with people who are more into coffee. They understand the differences between regions and how it affects taste. In the same way, I explain how tea is picked and how that impacts the taste of each tea. At the end of the day, it’s fascinating. That’s what I love about tea you can learn something new every day until you pass away.

    Alex and Emilie Jackson

    Centered Spirit

    The Centered Spirit Cultural and Holistic Center holistic healthcare resource for the local community with several health practitioners that complement each other’s skills along with an apothecary and teaching area.

    The Center provides a safe environment for healing, relaxation, and a place to learn about cultures, traditions, and tea rituals around the world. Founders Alex and Emilie Jackson share a passion for the healing traditions of Central America, Mexico, and Europe. Their love for these and other cultures is embedded in every part of the Center, allowing everyone who enters to feel transported, embraced, and at peace.

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  • Q|A Niraj de Mel

    Sri Lanka is in turmoil politically and financially; the country of 22 million is struggling as widespread demonstrations continue. Unrest is tied to food inflation exceeding 50%, with critical shortages of cooking gas, fuel, and reliable electricity. The country has defaulted on its foreign debt, and its currency devalues with a credit rating that discourages outside investment. Government bankers are at an impasse in negotiating a bailout from the International Monetary Fund that will depend on difficult reforms, including higher taxes and governance changes. Tea producers are confronting all the above challenges, yet the Ceylon tea brand remains resilient. Last year, the industry generated $1.32 billion in US foreign currency, exporting 300 million tons of tea, of which 270 million was high-value orthodox tea.

    Export earnings increased 6.72% during the 2021 calendar year compared to 2020. Every subcategory reported growth, with exports of tea bags growing 84%, tea packets up 10%, sales of bulk tea up 2.5%, instant tea sales of 19.5%, and green tea up 22.8% through December, according to the Export Development Board.

    Industry veteran Niraj De Mel was named Chairman of the Sri Lankan Tea Board in June 2022, his second appointment to a position that he previously held in 2004. In this discussion with correspondent Dananjaya Silva, Managing Director at PMD Tea, de Mel explains the challenges and solutions facing Sri Lanka’s tea industry.

    Listen to the Interview

    Sri Lanka Tea Board Chair Niraj de Mel discusses challenges for the tea industry.
    Niraj de Mel with Bigelow Tea CEO Cindi Bigelow and Prasanna Panabrooke. Photo via Bigelow Blog

    Sri Lanka Relies on a Resilient Tea Industry

    By Dananjaya Silva | PMD Tea

    During his 45 years in tea, Niraj de Mel has worked as a taster, broker, exporter, and educator. He is past chairman of the Tea Exporter’s Association and the Colombo Brokers Association and served as vice chairman of the Colombo Tea Traders Association. He is the founder and director of The Mel’s Tea Academy in Colombo.

    Dananjaya Silva – Tea professionals globally say they are happy to see a safe and steady hand on the tiller as you return to steer the Sri Lanka Tea Board. Given the current political situation, how secure is your position?

    Niraj de Mel – Well, to start, let me tell you a bit about the developments before my appointment [on June 20]. Come the middle of May, the industry got together, and because they thought it was time, we told the authorities what we knew best and what was best for the industry. 

    So, arising from that, they also decided on the people best suited best-suited for the positions at the TRI [Tea Research Institute] and the Sri Lanka Tea Board. I was asked to step back into my previous role as chair for obvious reasons. The immediate past chairman went along with this delegation and met the minister [Minister of Plantation Industries, the Hon. (Dr.) Ramesh Pathirana] to discuss these things and told him that after the debacle as a result of a wrong decision on fertilizer, it’s time that we get the feedback from the experts. Plus, the industry will tell them exactly how things should be run. We have been doing this for the last 155 years, and it’s arising from that conversation that I’m in this seat today. 

    Dananjaya – Now that a new president has been named, will changes in the cabinet likely means a new appointee to the Minister of Plantation Industries post?

    Niraj – I sincerely hope that he [Dr. Pathirana] will be reappointed to the position. Of course, there is no issue whatsoever because he and I will get on. 

    He’s a minister who sizes up things quite well. He’s a learned man being a medical doctor himself. If there is going to be a change in ministers, the Associations will take up with whoever who’s appointed to the position of Minister plantations that you know that I should remain. Be that as it may, I’m here to do the job.

    First and foremost, we need to steady the ship. 

    Dananjaya – The ban on importing chemical inputs, including most fertilizers, was halted in October, but the effects of the setback linger.

    Niraj – Mistakes were made, but circumstances that led to that decision have changed. The big development is a result of the Russian-Ukrainian war, a conflict between some of the world’s largest fertilizer suppliers. Fertilizer has since become scarce and prices went sky high, impacting Sri Lanka at a time when our currency itself also depreciated, compounding matters for the average tea farmer. It’s now virtually impossible for him to afford this kind of price.

    To address that, the Sri Lanka Tea Board considered an initiative that has been knocking on the door since January. I see from the minutes a request for funds from the promotion levy to be used to facilitate a loan scheme so that farmers get fertilizer to start feeding these bushes, which have been starved for nutrients.

    The board has since delivered fertilizer to nearly 100 factories to offer to smallholders and regional plantation companies. They are working to ensure that the estates will have sufficient fertilizer within about one and a half months.

    Editors Note: The Hindu reports that India, on July 17, delivered 44,000 metric tons of urea under a credit line extended to Sri Lanka, as part of New Delhi’s ongoing efforts to support the island nation’s farmers and help bolster bilateral cooperation for food security, the Indian High Commission in Colombo said.

    Dananjaya – It seems we’ve returned to the days of old during the colonial period when the Planter’s Association essentially told the Governor of Sri Lanka what was good for the country. Because what was good for the planters’ community was good for the country.

    Niraj – Absolutely. Absolutely. It’s time actually that all the private sector did that, not only tea. The private sector has long been the engine of growth in this country, be that planting, manufacturing, exports or brokering. All that is well handled by the private sector and the government sector, such as the Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka, does the research.

    Dananjaya – The crisis not only impacts the rural tea sector. Service providers report difficulties obtaining financing, fuel, and reliable electrical power in Colombo, Sri Lanka’s hub for blending, packaging, and shipping. Will you describe how the tea board is addressing these concerns?

    Niraj – I think there needs to be some clarification on this. The private sector basically handles it, but we are trying as far as possible to assist. I have tried to instill into the minds of the officials that we have to be an enabling outfit.

    Going back to your question No. 2, there’s one item that was missed: the fuel factor. Actually, that has taken precedence over fertilizer now because the collection of leaves as well as bringing the manufactured tea out is essential to run your factories. Exporter functions, particularly the tea bagging sector, where the machines have to be run continuously, all require an uninterrupted power supply. Power cuts that have been prevailing in this country for the last 4-5 months are an encumbrance to the people, as a result of that, now compounded by the fact that there’s fuel scarcity, particularly diesel. So given the availability of fuel we are trying our best to contact all concerned with the right message to ensure that the producers get their fuel quota.

    They cannot have it the way they used to have, because the country itself is, you know, is importing fuel ship by ship. The private sector importers, in particular, have stepped in, which is very magnanimous on their part. To fast-track this process, the government has said, well, if you can produce the foreign exchange, you can certainly get the fuel across. So, the private sector exporters banded together to give off whatever they could.

    Dananjaya – As new problems have arisen over the course of this year, from power cuts to rationing fuel, the tea industry has drawn on a battle-hardened core of tea professionals who are able to react quickly and make provisions to see that the industry continues to operate.

    Niraj – That’s right. That’s right, reaffirming that Sri Lanka tea has for 155 years been one of the most resilient industries in this country. 

    There will be little disruptions here and there, but the fact of the matter is we are managing, though it’s challenging. There is great unity among the stakeholders, particularly now with these current issues which they had to face together. We started at the beginning of the pandemic back in 2020. Everybody came together in two and a half weeks to quickly convert to an electronic platform to conduct the auctions, which was great. That carries on to this day. The Colombo traders are very, very confident that there will not be a return to the old outcry system. I started life as a broker and enjoyed the outcry system, but the fact-of-the-matter is we have to move with the times. The platform has enabled us to quicken the process, giving buyers, producers, and brokers time to spend on other things.

    Cricket is an apt metaphor… Cricket is the only game that stops for Tea, the country might be 74/8, with a bumping pitch and blinding light, but the Tea sector continues to bat on at the crease.

    “Play up! Play up! and Play the Game! “

    – Niraj de Mel

    Dananjaya Silva is the managing director of London-based PMD Tea and a fourth-generation tea man whose family business, P.M. David Silva & Sons, dates to 1945 during the Plantation Raj in Ceylon’s Dimbula Valley.

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  • AVPA: More than a Medal

    AVPA’s annual tea competition offers more than a medal. During the past five years, AVPA has elevated the status of tea producers large and small, not only on the global stage but most importantly in their local markets. The deadline to enter the 5th Teas of the World International Contest is Aug. 1, 2022.

    Caption: Ksenia Hleap manages AVPA communications and development

    Communications and Development Director Ksenia Hleap

    Entrants Receive Ongoing Support

    Since its founding as a competition to showcase agricultural products, AVPA has expanded its services to include tasting workshops, technical support, and staff training for distributors.

    AVPA is making a special effort to present highlight South America's tea and herbal producers.
    AVPA is making a special effort to highlight South America’s tea and herbal producers. In South America Yerba Mate is an integral part of the culture. The same applies to many other products that AVPA wants to introduce to the world.

    Kesnia Hleap manages communication and development for Paris-based AVPA (Agency for the Valorization of Agricultural Product) a non-governmental, non-profit organization that judges edible oils, chocolate, coffee roasted at origin, and teas. Beyond the great classical origins (China, Japan, India, Sri Lanka …) the tea competition encourages consumers to discover new producers in Africa, Latin America, Southeast Asia and even Europe. A veteran marketer, Ksenia discusses the many benefits of participation.

    Dan Bolton: Welcome to the Tea Biz podcast. How does AVPA, and specifically its Teas of the World Contest, benefit the tea industry?

    Ksenia Hleap: AVPA exists now for 20 years. We created this contest to help the producers since the very first year. This will be our fifth edition of the tea contest. We have teas from all over the world, not only monovarietal teas [Camellia sinensis] but also herbal teas, infusions, and blends. AVPA enables producers to compete with the best from different countries and to obtain feedback from a very professional French-speaking jury. So, each time they enter and for every tea entered, producers have access to comparative jury scores and feedback. If they win the medal or not, they will have this possibility.

    Dan: AVPA seeks to elevate awareness of tea producers globally, not just in France although French gastronomy is the framework by which judgments are made. Will you talk a little bit about AVPA’s recent initiatives such as the effort to increase participation by African producers and efforts to draw attention to European tea producers?

    Ksenia: The contest is to inform the producer that we exist and to help recognize their work done. With the AVPA medal, producers receive recognition from an international organization that confirms the excellence of their products and reassures their standing in the competitive environment.

    What we are doing after the contest for the producers, if they need our help, is to do help with marketing or strategy decisions. Our jury members are international consultants in the tea industry, tea experts. They can help the producers in Africa or Latin American countries for sure. We are always in touch, we are trying to be in touch with the cooperatives or tea associations in these countries. We explain why it is important to help the producers from PROM Peru for example and the Rooibos Council in South Africa.

    The association helps not only tea producers but also coffee and chocolate producers to send the samples for the competition and after the competition to find the distributors.

    The medal not only opens new markets – most important, it’s recognition of the producer’s efforts in the local market. It’s recognition for work well done.

    Dan: AVPA then provides marketing support to contestants long after the awards ceremony?

    Ksenia: AVPA support doesn’t end with the award ceremony. Once the contest ends, the producers are free to reproduce the medal on their packaging. But unfortunately, not every producer understands why they need to do this. So, we have some videos to explain. We scheduled zoom meetings with the winners after the contest and other resources describe at this link “How to use the Medal.”

    I am an experienced marketer so I explain to the producers how they can use their medal not only on the packaging but in their communication strategy which is very important. Here is a helpful video on How to Use AVPA Medals.

    Medals are a fantastic commercial instrument. For example, if producers need to apply for credit at the bank to buy new machines or funds to finance an expansion, it is very, very helpful to explain that they have a diploma and are recognized in Paris by an international tea contest. It is a reassurance to clientele during ongoing negotiations. It supports support favorable decision-making and improves the producer’s prospects.

    Dan: You must love tea; will you share your preferences?

    Ksenia: I love tea. Frankly, I prefer different herbal teas because, in my childhood, I used to drink a lot of herbal teas, but now with five years of experience at AVPA my passion is to taste the different teas from different countries. To find out new origins and tastes. I’m always looking for something very original, authentic.

    Contest winners are announced in October. Winning brands receive a diploma and may display the award on their packaging.

    https://youtu.be/Oo2iFf2WEFQ

    Agency for the Valorization of Agricultural Products

    2021 Winners (Camellia Sinensis)
    2021 Winners (Herbal Infusions)

    Monovarietal teas are evaluated by a jury chaired by Carine Baudry an expert in sensory analysis and founder of Quintessence.

    How AVPA Elevates Origins

    Recognition, professional education programs, and contests build self-esteem and economic success that directs a larger share of the value chain to the country of origin. “This is why we cling to local transformation of agricultural products so that producers benefit from the pursuit of excellence,” says AVPA President Philippe Juglar. Read more…

    Every tea has its own story that is just waiting to be told.

    Competition Tea

    Tea competitions that “speak” for their respective markets are great for the industry. In the tea lands, skilled growers and tea makers can infinitely adjust their pluck, style, grade, and sort for export – but first, they must understand market preferences. In France AVPA judges companies from around the world for excellence “based on gastronomic rather than standardized refereeing.”
    Read more…

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