Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/491377
36 STiR tea & coffee industry international / Issue 2, 2015 (April/May) tion in the media about "its health and cosmetic properties: it is known as 'the tea of beauty'. Customers are aware of the wide availability of beauty products that contain white tea − anti-aging creams, medicines, perfumes, etc. They often ask if the health facts are true." In the U.K., Thacker said, "Some customers are actively requesting white tea as they have heard by word-of-mouth of its health benefits. They know generally very little apart from the fact that it is reportedly healthy and 'good for you'". Oxalis sells a lot of white teas and finds that customers "usually ask about the caf- feine and antioxidants levels and are interested to know about its detox, weight loss, and invigorating effects. Men usually buy them for the health benefits, while women are mainly focused on the taste. Around 70% of our customers drink white teas for the health benefits, and 30% for the taste." Lee in Hawaii has found the same and said, "Men are readily informed about the high level of antioxidants while women are more interested in the taste. One of our customers, a doctor in Canada, gives high dosages of white tea to his cancer patients to boost antioxidants in body cells during chemotherapy." At Babingtons Tearoom in Rome, Chiara Bedini has noticed that more white tea is selling because customers "have been told it's good for them and they drink the more ex- pensive silver needle teas because they think they offer more benefits and will fight cancer." At Satemwa Tea Estate in Malawi, Wouter Verelst, knows that customers love the taste of the farm's white teas, but explains, "we use a unique cultivar to make our white teas – the Bvumbwe varietal that is known for its high level of polyphenols and the- anine and rich in EGCG, the most powerful of tea's flavonoids. We have found that people ask about antioxidant levels and tend to see green and white teas as more healthful, but we try and educate our cus- tomers that the blacks and oolongs also have health benefits and that tea in gen- eral is rich in antioxidants." Sundmalm in Spain has found that people have been influenced by "an in- crease of information about tea's health benefits in general and the particularities of each of the varieties. At Tea Shop we work day by day to spread the news about the benefits of white tea and the majority of our costumers ask for white tea for its antioxidants and because they think it is low in caffeine." Hazelwood in Germany thinks that the rise is because, "People are mostly interested in the health benefits of green and white tea. They perceive white as be- ing more pure and healthy and are some- times surprised that it contains caffeine!" In the U.S. too, Newman Johnston of Teas Etc has found the same: "Most people have heard that white teas offer the highest concentration of antioxidants and believe that white teas are good for building the body's immune system, fight- ing cancer and increasing one's longevity. Historically, consumption in white teas was driven by consumers' perception that it offered the most health benefits and lowest caffeine. We explain that tea is a healthy lifestyle choice so find the tea you like and then you will drink it every day and enjoy the benefits. In addition, if they believe it offers the lowest caf- feine content, then we educate them on caffeine and tea." Many people assume or have been told, mistakenly, that white teas contain no caffeine or only very small quantities. Gascoyne said, "People tend to think, many journalists and bloggers included, that the sweet, subtle, and delicate flavors indicate less caffeine, but our lab results show clearly that this is not the case." For completely different health rea- sons connected to pesticides residues and food safety rather than to levels of antioxi- dants, many customers seek out organic teas. For Kwan in Hong Kong, the organic trend has a positive influence and his or- ganic green teas continue to sell well. Malawi's Satemwa Estate has a num- ber of customers who specifically ask for products that are pesticide free. "We see this requirement as one of the biggest changes compared to ten years ago. All Elegant White Needles made at Satem- wa Tea Estate in Malawi Tea Hawaii's white tea, from the slopes of Kilauea Volcano on The Big Island