Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/612330
STiR tea & coffee industry international 37 Photos courtesy Firsd Tea North America health began to be told," he recalls. "To- day no serious importer or blender can stay exclusively black tea. Green is a basic credential to be mastered," he said. The most recent incarnation of the trend is fresh brewed commercial green iced teas. "To begin offering green or- ganic teas in quick service is very signifi- cant. Wendy's introduction of a mango green tea was a glaring green light about changes coming," said Jayakamur. Greens are usually lightly flavored. Demand is greatest for blends that pair Japanese sencha and Chinese style teas with colorful florals and fruit. Popular retail outlets including Teavana, Teaopia, Ten Ren Tea, and DavidsTea displayed walls of tea tins in every style. To be a successful tea retailer "the main thing is to cover the waterfront with good teas," says Michael Harney, president of Harney & Sons Fine Teas. He told Tea Afficionados that "China is our largest source for tea, then India. We find the Chinese tea to be a good neutral backdrop and we can use it for our blends," he said. "Chinese tea is less brisk, more mellow, and so it becomes a good canvas to paint on." Green tea opportunity Tea is a rounding error in China's ¥26.4 trillion yuan export market. Tea exports were valued at $1.27 billion last year—about 3% of the country's total—considerably less Packages of green tea are readied for shipment at a Zhejiang Tea Group fac- tory in China. Photo courtesy Firsd Tea North America, LLC