Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/520302
20 STiR tea & coffee industry international / Issue 3, 2015 (June/July) mellow floral aroma of orchids and other wild flowers that thrive in the Ilam Hiamalayas; Himalayan Gold is a complex earthy black tea plucked during the summer monsoon that brews a copper red liquor with notes of wild honey; Khumbu Black took three years to develop, has dry leaves that look black but have a dark green luster, and gives a liquor that is reminiscent of pine trees in the spring; the First Flush black tea made from one small bud and one new leaf is hand-picked and has all the delicate floral notes of a Himlayan early spring tea; the one silver bud and one young leaf that make the White Orange tea are plucked in mid-summer or autumn, and the beautiful mix of silvery buds and dark lightly oxidised leaves give a red-gold liquor that is sweet and fruity; and Sandakphu Black Pearl is shaped into tiny pellets or half moon pearls that yield a coppery red cup that is mild and sweet as Himalayan wild honey. Learn more at: http://teadirect. org/about.htm UK New Wedgwood Tearooms Wedgwood, the British luxury lifestyle brand, is launching a new tea room concept in three different formats. The Wedgwood Tea Room will be a full service restaurant providing a premium all-day dining experience; The Tea Bar is designed for shorter visits and offers light bites and teas from the counter; and The Tea Emporium will be a retail space that allows consumers to sample teas before they purchase. Each is founded on Wedgwood's 250 years of heritage and will deliver a high quality experience with exclusive menus, beautiful interior décor and impeccable service. The company has been develop- ing its tea business for many years and now offers a very special range of 50 tea blends. Every tea will be available through Wedgwood's Tea Rooms and through a variety of high-end depart- ment stores and specialist food retailers worldwide. The first tea bars opened in Shanghai and Hong Kong in 2014; the first Wedgwood Tea Rooms will launch in Summer 2015 in the UK, Mumbai, Taipei, and Beijing; and there are plans to open 10 to 20 franchised locations each year with a target of 89 locations globally by 2019. Wedgwood and tea have been inextricably linked since the mid-eigh- teenth century, when Queen Charlotte of England commissioned cream-colored earthenware (Queen's Ware) and made Josiah Wedgwood 'Potter to Her Majesty'. Throughout the centuries, Wedg- wood has refined tea ware, becoming an authority and reference for the definitive English afternoon tea experience around the world. T2 opens 4th London Shop As it celebrates its first birthday in the UK, Australian tea retailer T2 has opened its fourth store at the Bentall Center in Kingston, West London. The company also operates stores in Chelsea, Shoreditch, and Shepherds Bush Westfield Shopping Center. During opening week the focus was on matcha, the Japanese powdered green tea that is fast becoming a craze around the world because of the high dose of antioxidants and L-theanine delivered in one shot. T2 offered "Matcha three ways – Matcha Straight Up, Matcha A Little Bit Naughty, and Matcha Fresh." And on sale too in all the stores are matcha chocolate, matcha ice cream, and a matcha kit that contains an earthenware, glazed bowl, bamboo scoop, bamboo whisk, an essentials booklet, and a tin of Matcha. Learn more: www.t2tea.com/ h220ak001p.html Greek Saffron Tea launches In March the Krocus Kozanis herbal tea brand, a range of teas and infusions that blend popular teas and herbals with Greek saffron, launched in Selfridges, London. Managed and distributed by Devon-based Nova Foods Products, the saffron tea products will also be available nationwide through selected retailers and online. Greece is one of the leading world producers of the best organic and non-organic saffron, which in Greek is Krokus Kozanis. The brand mixes saffron with various herbs to create unusual premium blends. "Our herbal and tea collection, with Greek red saffron, with awards from the International Taste & Quality Institute, is a 'first' for the international food & drink market," said Angelos Markou, g.m. of Krocus Kozanis Products. Nova Foods Products said that the current Krocus Kozanis range provides a premium product at a great price to discerning tea consumers who appreciate the well-documented taste and potential health benefits of saffron. The range includes green tea with ginger, liquorice and saffron; black tea with lemon, spearmint and saffron; and various herbal infusions mixed with herbs such as mint, lemongrass, rosemary, thyme, sage, and lemon verbena; spices such as cinnamon and clove; and with honey and orange as extra flavorings. Learn more: www.greeksaffron.co.uk Wedgwood tea room Saffron tea Sandakphu