• A Gastronomic Tea Contest

    Philippe Juglar is president of Paris-based AVPA (Agence pour la Valorisation des Produits Agricoles) a non-governmental, non-profit organization that judges wine, chocolate, coffee, and teas best suited to local preferences. He joins Tea Biz to discuss what it takes to be a winner in the only “gastronomic” tea competition in a major consuming country that evaluates tea solely to promote the good practices of production and trade. The deadline to enter the 4th Teas of the World International Contest is Sept. 15, 2021.

    AVPA President Philippe Juglar (Agence pour la Valorisation des Produits Agricoles)

    A Gastronomic Tea Contest

    Dan Bolton: Welcome back to the Tea Biz podcast. Will you share with listeners details about AVPA’s upcoming Teas of the World competition?

    Philippe Juglar: Last year, we received more than 200 teas from more than 20 countries all over the world and we are very happy with that result for such a young contest. We hope this year to get 300 teas from 25 countries.

    The most important participant in our competition are newcomers in the tea industry. This year, for instance, we have a tea from the UK. Great Britain is now a country producing tea in its Highlands.

    We have a lot of teas from Taiwan, from Asia, from Africa, Eastern Africa, Western Africa. What is missing up to now is China, China is a bit shy, but I suppose it will come one way or the other. Japan is now very present in our competition.

    In France, tea is a very new and dynamic industry we have very, very good tea amateurs. We are not great, great tea drinkers, but we are sharp tea drinkers. And we have very good teas in France now.

    Dan: Which teas have been most successful in previous contests?

    Philippe: Any type of tea is welcome our contest. We have categories for monocultural teas  ? Camellia sinensis and Camellia assamica  ?  and we have categories for herbal teas, blended teas, perfumed [scented] teas.

    In each category we judge aromas, taste and texture. What we are looking for is harmony, balance, and originality. We rather prefer controversial teas, a tea which may have scored 10 over 10 with three judges, yet scored maybe only a three or four over ten with two other judges. We are looking for teas with distinctive character rather than a standard tea. We prefer teas that are different from the average.

    Dan: How does the tea industry benefit from AVPA’s annual contest?

    Philippe: Agricultural product competitions are a part of the food industry. In Europe we have had contests for years, I would say for centuries, with wine, with olive oil, with cheese, and so on. When producers compete they share information and compare their own production against that of their friends and neighbors which are always different. Obviously, each producer is sure to be the best producer in the world, but it’s good to check it in front of other products. So, I will say the first point is that competitors can compare the quality of their products with other products.

    A second, interesting point from the tester’s vantage, is the opportunity to see what the industry is offering to the world. Each year, we have very important buyers – when I say very important buyers – not only for the turnover they can do [earnings] but also for the level of quality they are seeking. The competition lets them compare what they are normally buying, with what they could buy from other countries or other producers, or from gardens that are new.

    Once the judgments are returned, we try to help the happy growers that have received a medal in our competition to inform their final client [customers] of the quality of their offering to the market.

    Contest winners are announced in October at a virtual award ceremony. Winning brands may display their award on their packaging.

    Agency for the Valorization of Agricultural Products

    2020 Winners (Camellia Sinensis)
    2020 Winners (Herbal Infusions)

    Monovarietal teas are evaluated by a jury chaired by Lydia Gautier.
    Infusions (other than Camellia Sinensis) are evaluated by a jury chaired by Carine Baudry.

    ATTENTION: AVPA makes everything to valorize the producers, many of them asked to extend the deadlines to have enough time to send their teas and herbal teas as in some areas the producers are just finishing their harvest. The August deadline has been extended samples must be in Paris before the 15th of September – Ksenia Hleap

    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…

    Juglar poses with winners of the 2018 contest.

    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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  • Victory for Japanese Tea Marathon

    As athletes from around the world competed in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, tea lovers participated in an event of their own: the Japanese Tea Marathon.

    The marathon included 15 days of online events that shone a spotlight on Japan’s teas, producers, and the 15 tea-producing regions. Led by the Global Japanese Tea Association and Japan Tea Central Council, tea marathoners learned about 30 Japanese teas, how to brew them, and where they’re grown.

    Kyle Whittington, a Tea Biz contributor and host of the TeaBookClub, attended every tea marathon event, tasting 30 teas over 15 sessions. He gives the event a gold medal!

    Listen to Tea Biz’s interview with Kyle Whittington:

    Kyle Whittington on successfully finishing the Japanese Tea Marathon.
    Marathon hosts were members of the Global Japanese Tea Association

    A Race for Tea Lovers

    Jessica Natale Woollard: What was it about the Japanese Tea Marathon that inspired you to attend so diligently?

    Kyle Whittington: It was the range of teas, that’s what really got me hooked. I have to admit, I fully intended not to attend all the sessions when I signed up for the Tea Marathon. But once I got started, I was so caught up with the variety and quality of the teas, I developed a serious case of FOMO and couldn’t miss a day! After the first few sessions, I thought, I have to attend tomorrow’s. The presentations, chats with the farmers, and videos, got me hooked into exploring each new tea region of Japan each day.

    About midway through the marathon, I decided to sign up as a Pioneer Member with the Global Japanese Tea Association. I thought what they were doing, their passion, was inspiring, and I had to support it. Whenever I struggled to get up early to attend the marathon, making sure I turned up to support them was what spurred me on.

    Jessica: Did you set up your own tea rituals when partaking in the tea marathon? For example, did you select specific vessels to use with certain teas or set up your space a certain way?

    Kyle: I have a little bit of an admission here. I attended the first few events from the bath — with camera and microphone off and sticker over the camera on the iPad, just to be sure that I wasn’t flashing the world! I’m just not a morning person. So being compos mentis, awake and functioning for 8 am and looking respectable for the camera was not going to work for me and took some getting used to. My solution was to soak in the bath while I adjusted to the schedules. The first two or three sessions I did from the bath, and then got up and did the tea tastings downstairs. The rest of the sessions I did on my iPad while I did the washing up, made breakfast, and went through my morning routine. When it came to brewing the teas, then I would sit down, get out my nice Japanese tea ware and enjoy brewing the teas along with everybody else on the marathon.

    That was really nice — delving into my collection and selecting pieces based on the tea we were brewing and its requirements for brewing, the recommendations the farmers gave about volume and water temperature. I got to use pieces I haven’t used in ages. It was so nice to do that and then post some pictures to Instagram.

    The first day of the marathon was quite special as I had my first tea ceremony guests since before the first lockdown last year. I saved the teas from that day’s session to serve to my guests. I used the Fukamushicha from Kagoshima and brewed it cold to serve when they arrived as a refresher. I served it to my guests in the garden while we chatted. Later, we brewed the tea hot. I made a ponzu dressing (soy sauce and lemon), and we ate the tea leaves after brewing three infusions. It was a lovely touch to open the first day of the marathon in that special way.

    Jessica: How did hearing from the tea producers right before you tried their teas influence the tasting experience?

    Kyle: We heard from the farmers before and during the tasting, learning about their growing and processing. What I really enjoyed was them teaching us how to brew their teas. You can’t get much better brewing advice than that. It was interesting to explore with them their individual approaches and practices. We learned so much from them — new and interesting brewing methods for specific teas. They had great fun showing us the special tea ware they had developed with local potters specifically for those teas that they grow. You were actually learning how to use the tea at home from the person who grew it.

    Jessica: Did any particular farmer’s story capture your imagination?

    Kyle: Several! Their passion and dedication really shone through, as did that of the marathon organizers. I was particularly caught by the story of Otoyo Goishicha Kyodo Kumiai from Kochi prefecture. He makes Goishicha, a rare fermented tea. He was the last farmer making it at one point and saved it from extinction. There are now three producers, but he saved this tea; it would no longer exist otherwise. It was captivating.

    Slabs of dried, fermented Goishicha. Photo credit: Simona Suzuki

    I also really enjoyed Forthees from Nagasaki. We heard a really lovely story of four young tea farmers who joined together to open a factory and create their special teas, which we tasted. It was just lovely, the way they’d come together in their community to push forward and promote tea together. We tasted their Tamaryuokucha and Bo Hojicha, made from the stems from matcha production.

    Jessica: Is there one tea in particular that, because of the marathon, is on your list to explore further?

    Kyle: How to pick just one? I might have to pick two or three.

    Goishicha absolutely! I only heard about this rare, fermented Japanese tea last year. I was excited when I saw it was on the list for the Japanese Tea Marathon, and I was looking forward to hearing from the producer. I loved it. It was amazing. Absolutely delicious. I drank it all day; it’s one of those teas you just keep on brewing. It’s way at the top of my shopping list.

    Sannen Bancha, note the unusual inclusion of thick, woody stems. Photo by Denis Torres.

    I also really enjoyed the Sannen Bancha, which I’m sipping as we’re chatting. It’s made from tea bushes that have been left to grow for three years before being harvested and processed. It has huge big chunks of stem in it, and it tastes really delicious. It’s sweet and gorgeous.

    The other one that stood out for me was the Gyokuro from Yoshida Meicaen in Kyoto. It was amazing. I had goosebumps when I took the first sip. It was one of those incredibly amazing teas.

    Gyokuro from Yoshida Meicaen in Kyoto. Photo credit: Kyle Whittington

    Jessica: After this rigorous test of your tea endurance, are there any lessons learned you can share with our listeners?

    Kyle: One thing that really came through is the importance of brewing techniques. Understanding each individual tea and its brewing requirements and characteristics. Especially with the Japanese teas. With the farmers showing us different ways to brew, it showed how much a difference it makes. The Japanese method of boiling the water and then cooling it to the required temperature actually makes a huge difference to the taste of the tea and how it brews rather than what we tend to do, which is heat the water right to the required temperature.

    I hope we’re going to have more of these events in the future, given that we’re used to online events now. With any event like this, I think it’s important to find a way to make the structure and the time work for you — like I did, by attending from the bath! When events are digital, we have flexibility that we wouldn’t have if we were attending in person.

    Explore Kyle’s favorite Japanese teas — Yokuro, Goishicha, Sannen Bancha — and all the other teas from the Japanese Tea Marathon on the Japanese Tea Association website.

    The Global Japanese Tea Association reports that association membership increased by 25% during the course of the marathon, with some 89 new member registrations. GJTA has therefore, thanks to the Japanese Tea Marathon, achieved their target of reaching 100 Pioneer Members, those who were the first to trust in and support the association.

    Listen to Tea Biz’s interview with Simona Suzuki of the Japanese Tea Association.

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  • The Life of Tea

    Later, pouring some of last year’s temple tea, he says, “Tea has so much information to give. If you pay attention, you know not only the place, but how the tree grew, even the mood of the person who processed it.” – The Life of Tea by Michael Freeman and Timothy d’Offay (page 101)

    Kyle Whittington reviews The Life of Tea, Journey to the World’s Finest Teas
    The Life of Tea by Michael Freeman and Timothy d’Offay

    Visual Splendor

    By Kyle Whittington | Tea Book Club

    This book, in a word, is stunning, just stunning. By far the most beautiful tea book visually to land on my tea shelf. The coffee table book format and fabulous photography by Michael Freeman make this a treasured addition to any collection of tea books. Add to that the knowledge that pours forth in the words written by Timothy d’Offay and we have a truly special book in our hands.

    One of the lovely things about this book is that you don’t feel that you’re rereading information on tea that you’ve read 1,000 times before. Rather, you go on a journey to each tea type, each country, region, artisan or tea house, and along the way, dotted throughout the text like so many villages amongst the tea mountains are these wonderful gems and nuggets of information. There’s so much to learn and absorb both from the pictures and the text in this book. It sits such at an unusual sweet spot where a visually enticing book meets a well-researched and written reference book.

    This is not a book that requires cover to cover reading. Rather, you can pick an area and go on a journey, then move on to another. In any order. An approach that Tea Book Club members really enjoyed. The text is so well written, with great flow, great knowledge and great humanity. From historical and cultural context to processing details of a specific tea and the atmospheric approach up a tea mountain road. You really feel that Tim has been there, knows the farmers, the people, and the tea.

    The large format and visual splendour of this book is, however, perhaps its biggest sticking point, as well as what sets it so beautifully apart. It’s simply not easy to read and requires effort to open and get on with. One solution is to grab the Kindle copy for easy train or bed reading, allowing you to fly through the content laden and beautifully written text without the heft and size the physical book requires.

    That being said, I simply love this book… but I’d also love to see a paperback size version falling into the hands of every tea lover out there. Because really, we all ought to read this book at least once.

    The Life of Tea. Photo by Michael Freeman Photography.

    And here is what some of the Tea Book Club members had to say:

    “A great coffee table book, the text wrapped around photography bringing it to life.”  – Alison, UK

    “I adore it. It’s definitely going to be a long term treasure for me.” – B, USA

    “The artistic quality of the depiction is so beautiful and has such integrity. It’s connected things in my head.” – Terri, USA

    “One of the strengths of this book is to show different views of what we see in every tea book” – Aimée, Canada

    “This book gives you all the information like other tea books but in a very elegant way… plenty of little details, but very important ones.” – Pilar, UK

    “The writing was really insightful and the photography was really beautiful.” – Karri, USA

    “I really liked his focus on the people in all the different places he traveled to. His perspectives of the farmers was really really nice.” – Nicole, USA

    “I’ve been drooling over the pictures. My husband is not a big tea drinker but he even picked it up and learned a lot just from the pictures.” – Terri, USA

    “I love the text and I also love the pictures but I found ti difficult to read at night. But I found there was a lot of pieces of information that added a piece to the puzzle in my mind about tea… ‘Oh, that’s the link between those two ideas!’” – Aimée, Canada

    “I loved the section on tea ware, his knowledge and love for the tea ware really shines through.” – Nadine, UK

    “I really really like that it didn’t have the ad nauseam facts that are repeated in every other book on tea. There’s so much in there but it’s not done in a stereotypical way.” – Nicole, USA

    “I really appreciated seeing pictures of some of the behind the scenes stuff that you don’t usually see in such good quality.” – Sean, USA

    “The tea ware section is amazing, you feel like you are reading about art!” – Pilar UK

    Although based in the UK, The Tea Book Club is an international group of tea lovers and readers who meet up virtually each month to discuss tea books. If you’d like to join us for next read, visit teabookclub.org or @joinTeaBookClub on Instagram. 

    Freeman’s photography depicts every aspect of tea.

    The Life of Tea:
    A Journey to the World’s Finest Teas

    Goodreads: Documentary photographer Michael Freeman and tea expert Timothy d’Offay explore the terroir, taste, and culture of the world’s favorite drink.

    Amazon | Hardcover, 256 pages

    Published Sept. 4, 2018
    Octopus Publishing Group
    Imprint: Mitchell Beazley

    Michael Freeman Gallery

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  • Beijing International Tea Expo 2021 Postponed

    The 10th Edition scheduled for Aug. 27-30, 2021 at the Beijing Exhibition Center in Beijing, China has been postponed in a city-wide effort to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

    Beijing Exhibition Center
    Beijing Exhibition Center

    Beijing International Tea Expo

    During the past nine years organizers of the annual Beijing International Tea Expo have focused on enhancing the marketing and promotion opportunities for select producing regions. To register click here.

    The strong alliances and synergies resulting from this close cooperation with producing regions makes the popular exposition a benchmark in northern China by which other shows are measured. Attendees are highly qualified tea industry professionals and large-volume buyers including international representatives. A diverse show floor that includes every type of tea, plus processing and packaging machinery leads to many transactions and remarkable results.

    The past nine years the Expo was co-organized by Pu’er city in Yunnan province, Xinyang city in Henan province, Lu’an city in Anhui province, Lincang city in Yunnan province, Huangshan city in Anhui province, Zunyi city in Guizhou province, Wuzhou city in Guangxi province, Xianyang city in Shanxi province, and Yiyang city in Hunan province, respectively.

    The expo, which is approved by the Ministry of Commerce in China, is organized by the China Tea Marketing Association and the People’s Government of Xicheng District in Beijing.

    Since 2012 the event has featured more than 3,000 exhibiting companies (90% are first-line brands), more than 1,000 media representatives generated nearly 30 million online searches. Visitors total 620,000, including 220,000 professional buyers. Exhibitors report a total of 7,282 projects, with turnover of RMB 5.9 billion. Tea delegations at the event are from a dozen countries including India, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Australia, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, Germany, Italy, and Argentina.

    The expo annually attracts the best-known tea companies and tea brands in China. The 2021 exhibition covers 26,000 sq. meters with 600 companies participating. Brands include Zhejiang Tea Group, Xiangcha Group, Sichuan Tea Group, Dayi Group, Wuyi Star, Zhuyeqing, Zhang Yiyuan and Wu Yutai.

    Education sessions spread tea knowledge and expose attendees to tea culture by showcasing local customs and heritage. A variety of tea cultural activities attract young and fashionable consumers seeking to better understand the tea industry.

    Sessions also cover topics of interest to caterers, resort, and hotels operators, tea preparation and proper use of utensils, advice on selecting and properly utilizing water with an introduction to new style tea beverages. Many cross-border tea events are planned, revealing new trends that drive consumption.

    The Beijing International Tea Expo has it all: popularity, extensive publicity, high standards, strong professionalism, a broad range of exhibition categories, international buyers, and good service.

    Learn more…

    • Scenes from past editions of the Beijing International Tea Expo

    10th Beijing International Tea Expo
    Aug. 27-30, 2021
    Beijing Exhibition Center

    Tickets available at the Exhibition Center Gate. Everyone is welcome with a health code on your phone.

    Directions: Take Subway Line 4 (Beijing Zoo exit) then walk a short distance to the Expo Center: No. 135 Xizhimenwai St., Yicheng District, Beijing

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  • India’s Cloud Auction Option

    Jorhat Tea Auction Centre
    Jorhat Tea e-Marketplace in Assam, India is the nexus of five major tea-growing districts with annual output of more than 200 million kg,

    Tea Day e-Auction Highlights Boutique Teas

    Buyers seeking quick turn-around of fresh tea from specialty and smallholder gardens in India bid record prices at a the first International Tea Day auction, the latest of 1.3 million kilos of tea traded since June 2020. All teas on offer were plucked May 21.

    The e-Marketplace at Jorhat is cloud-based making it accessible to buyers around the world.

    There are currently six auction centers in physical locations, each run by a separate committee which acts as the auction organizer, all sharing an electronic auction system pioneered by the Tea Board of India. About 500 million kg of tea out of India’s annual estimated at 1,350.

    “We created India’s first e-marketplace for buying and selling bulk tea. Along similar lines, we want to develop an international e-marketplace where foreign buyers can directly buy fresh tea from the gardens in the shortest possible time with complete transparency” says mjunction managing director Vinaya Varma.

    Vinaya Varma
    Vinaya Varma

    The International Tea Day Special Auction on June 21 was organized by mjunction Services, India’s largest B2B e-commerce company. The e-Marketplace launched last year amidst the lockdown. India offers a wide bouquet of teas across the year and ships regularly  to more than 90 countries. At a webinar on the occasion of International Day, Indian Tea Association Chairman Vivek Goenka said that India has set an export target of 300 million kg by 2023 — a 20% increase by next 2-3 years.

    Mjunction is an equal joint venture of Tata Steel and SAIL (the Steel Authority of India), is India’s largest B2B e-commerce company and a leading e-marketplace for steel in the world. Since inception in 2001, mjunction has e-transacted over INRs 1,053,663 crore ($142 billion) on its various e-platforms (an Indian crore is currently valued at $135,000 USD).

    Varma said there is a lot of excitement amongst stakeholders on the teas offered in the special auction and have got tremendous response and fetched some record prices. “More than 93% of the total teas on offer got sold. Buyers had logged in from Assam, West Bengal, Delhi, Gujarat, and Rajasthan,” he said.

    Nilesh Divekar of Shangrila Enterprise, who purchased Pabhojan Orthodox at Rs 4,000 per kg, said he  appreciates the efforts of the mjunction team to provide such a platform where best of the teas are available fresh and in small quantities without any hassles.

     Most of the best marks of Upper Assam like Hookhmol, Lankashi, Diroibam, Aideobari Premium, Muktabari, Rungliting Tea Estate, Narayanpur Panbarry, Durgapur, Tirual, Arin, Kathonibari, Friends Tea and Pabhojan participated.

    Pabhojan Tea Estate INRs4000 Record Price
    The Pabhojan Tea Estate orthodox tea pictured above brought a record INRs 4000 ($54 per kilo)

    Pabhojan Orthodox tea was sold at a record price of INRs 4,000 per kg. Diroibam Speciality Green tea was sold at INRs 1000 per kg, and a Hookhmol CTC tea fetched INRs 510 per kg – also record prices in their respective categories.

     Rakhi Dutta Saikia of Pabhojan Organic Tea Estate  lauded mjunction’s efforts on the occasion. “I am very happy that Pabhojan has fetched a record price, and  hope the mjunction platform continues the good work,” she said.

     Dr. Nazrana Ahmed of Diroibam Tea Estate, whose Green Tea was sold at INRs 1,000 per kg, said, “Today’s special auction is of special significance to us, as we have received the highest bid for our Specialty Green Teas. We are happy with the professional approach of the mjunction team and the trust reposed on the platform by the buyers.”

     He said the company is trying to make small tea growers’ tea available to the connoisseurs of tea worldwide.

     “Our Jorhat office is in constant touch with the small tea growers  segment. There is a lot of interest from STG to be part of our platform.

    We are very well aware of their struggle and contribution to the tea industry in Assam as well as the rest of the country. “mjunction is also very well aware that many of these small tea growers are producing some of the finest handcrafted tea in the country. Some of the tea is also organic and there is a huge demand in the world market for such tea” he said.

    He said in one year, it has  been able to bring a lot of buyers and sellers who have been outside the purview of auctions till now. There are many first-time tea entrepreneurs who are now associated with our platform.

     “We hold weekly sales. Our first sale was on June 1, 2020 and since then we have not dropped a single weekly sale. During the past year the e-Marketplace connected with hundreds of sellers and buyers across the country, fetched some record prices and received offerings of more than 1.3 million kg of tea from Assam, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh. Nearly 300 stakeholders, consisting of major tea buyers and sellers, are registered in this tea e-marketplace.

     “The founding principles and processes of our e-marketplace and Tea Board are different, so a comparison is not really possible,” he said.

     The event organized by mjunction elicited positive response from buyers and sellers alike. Kamal Sharma and Pradeep Sharma, Directors of Tea World who purchased Hookhmol CTC from the platform at INRs 510 per kg, said, “With shorter cycle time, teas sold on the mjunction platform are the freshest. We are pleased to have bagged Hookhmol. We have had our own packet with brand name Shree Mangalam since 2002, and we are committed to give our customers the best of Assam tea.”

    “While the pandemic hit the industry adversely, it has also given us a chance to let go of inefficient and archaic systems. If we look around in the last one year, the adoption of technology and digital platforms has been wide, deep and rapid. Similarly, the industry leaders must think of ways to include technology in plantation, manufacturing, trading etc while focussing on delivering quality produce.

     “I am optimistic about the Indian tea industry picking up using new-age processes and technologies,” he said.

     “Many specialty tea producers from North East India have approached our Jorhat office for inclusion. We are going to have separate catalogues for specialty teas and we are expanding our buyer base of Speciality teas” he said.

     He said the company will shortly be introducing Buyer and Seller Finance. Again this will be a first of its kind in the industry, as this shall be provided through the platform in a transparent manner. “We are also planning a B2B bulk packet platform, where single-origin and other packeteers may directly sell to retailers across the country, without intermediaries,” he added.

     The company is focused on bringing down the sales cycle-time and making freshly produced tea available in the market, directly from the producing region in the shortest possible time. “We want to make the supply-chain efficient, and ease up the working capital burden of the stakeholders,” Varma added.

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