STiR coffee and tea magazine

Volume 4, Number 2

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STiR tea & coffee industry international 65 By Barbara Dufrene China has advanced from literally zero tea exports in 1980 to France's leading trade partner for both black and green tea. In 2013 imports of Chinese teas totaled 1,900 metric tons of black and 4,900 metric tons of green. Tracing developments in global trade of the past 30 years reveals the events that have shaped the modern French tea market: Beginning in the 1980s China gradually restored private property rights and re-opened access to its hundreds of fine origin teas. Output from 2003 to 2012 grew from 770,000 metric tons to 1.79 million metric tons, an increase of 132% making the tea giant the world's biggest premium tea supplier and opening opportunities for a high added-value niche market in France. Chinese teas became a prominent addition to the standard premium teas sourced from Darjeeling, India, and Sri Lanka. Pu-erh teas, for example, were launched in the 1980s, initially selling in French pharmacies and later Asian food markets. The tea, known for its cholesterol lowering properties, is now found prominently displayed in fine tea shops where it brings top prices reaching several thousand francs per kilo. The French avidly followed scientific research link- ing tea consumption to health beginning in September 1995 following the first "International Scientific Sympo- sium on Tea & Human Health" in New York. Green tea emerged in the late 1990s and continues to increase its market share. The above helps explain the development of an ex- ceptional premium tea market in France. Tea is very much a part of the "French gastronomic meal" which was listed as a world cultural heritage by UNESCO (UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) in November 2010, enhancing the reputation of "food and drink" in this country. Consumption rose from 210 grams in 2009 to 230 grams per capita in 2011 with Chinese imports account- ing for 7,027 metric tons of the 14,924 tons consumed. Even during the tough times of the economic crisis, with slumping incomes and high unemployment rates the interest for genuine fine terroir food remains very topical. - By Barbara Dufrêne China Connection Olivier Scala, c.e.o. of "Thés George Cannon", a third generation tea taster currently training his son Augustin, closely follows the mar- ket in his capacity as chairman of the "Comité Français du Thé". He reports a significant growth in sales of quality tea. Fine leaf teas today represent about 15% of the market, compared to less than 10% in 2000, when supermarket shelf tea bags accounted for more than 90% of tea volume. The total market is valued at $72 million. Iconic "Mariage Fréres" shook to wakefulness a stagnating market in the late 1980s by introducing innovative concepts defining tea as a luxury cup. Kitti Cha Sangmanee, c.e.o. and president of the company, positions their teas in the luxury food niche. He said that many of their teas are from traditional tea gardens exclusive to the firm. "These often small family gardens produce some of the best tea in the world, and they know that our customers are fully aware of the outstanding quality and full traceability of the Mariage Fréres teas," said Sangmanee, adding, "They also know that tea lovers travel from all over the world to visit our shops and are ready to put their hands deep into their pockets to pay for these exquisite and unique cups." All the specialty tea companies offer lovely stories about their trav- els to origin and proudly display details about their suppliers and their tea gardens on their websites. Today everyone compares availability and prices of the many teas as listed in the companies' portfolios, how- ever the cup quality needs to be assessed, either by sipping a cup in the tea house or buying some leaf in the tea shops. In order to attract consumers, each company is carving out its own specific profiles that appeal to a narrow range of buyers. All these companies have several hundred teas on file, maybe one third genuine origin leaf tea, and the rest are flavoured teas of their own creation together with herbals and a few blends. France's established names include Dammann Fréres, Mariage Fréres, Georges Cannon, Kusmi, and Betjeman & Barton. All were founded more than a century ago and each has since been purchased by new owners. Newcomers include Palais des Thés, Cha Yuan, Les Jardins de Gaïa, and Comptoir Français du Thé which were established in the 1990s by individual tea lovers and tea travellers who have decided to invest and compete in the high end market. Through hard work and a wealth of experience and creativity they have prospered and grown to become full-fledged national players, winning awards, exporting some of their rare teas abroad and expanding their tea shops to Japan and the U.S., two of the world's most discerning tea markets. In addition to the dozen national brands there is a network of small local tea shops. Many cater to the various quarters of Paris, with others in larger cities including Lyon, Bordeaux, Marseille, and Montpellier. Dammann spring teas and a company tasting conference.

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