Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/716988
54 STiR coffee and tea / Issue 4, 2016 (August/September) Very early on, we began supporting our partners in the tea growing countries who switched to sustainable production with expertise and financial aid. Rightfully so, our customers prefer that we are not on the package but in the package." How do you introduce the young- est generation to the pleasures of tea? (The passions of the youth generation… and future tea connoisseurs… is a topic Scheffler really likes to talk about!) "A tea company highlighting only very traditional blends is unlikely to at- tract young people," Scheffler advises. "You rather catch their attention with unusual blends or a matcha latte instant tea in a stick. Young people are well-con- nected and well-informed through the in- ternet and social media. They share their opinions on new trends and products. Since wellness is also a dominant theme in social media, tea, whether served hot or cold, is increasingly valued as an ex- citing and healthful alternative to sugar- sweet beverages. "Exclusive packaging design is also of utmost importance. The classy and styl- ish tea package is not tucked away in the kitchen cupboard but rather displayed as a lifestyle product on the shelf. "We noticed another important trend: once the adventurous have discovered tea's pleasures, they are likely to explore and experiment with exotic varieties, far more than their parents' generation. They even develop their very own tea ceremo- nies – another phenomenon we did not observe 30 years ago: young men speak of a fulfilling evening when they have enjoyed a Chinese tea tasting event with their buddies!" Hälssen & Lyon's modern warehouse and distribution facility photo credit Tim Hoppe Dietmar Scheffler Dietmar Scheffler joined Hälssen & Lyon in 1987. He started his tea career as assistant to the two managing partners Olav C. Ellerbrock and Horst-Jürgen Ellerbrock. Special- izing in sales and marketing, Scheffler built the company's instant tea business and advanced the company's market presence in Eastern Europe. He set up H&L's fruit and herbal business including the construction of a factory specializing in the cleaning, cutting and refining of fruits, herbs and spices in the southeast of Germany. An early believer in the concept of packing whole leave teas in transparent tea bags, Scheffler pioneered the market for pyramid tea bags, making H&L a leader in the field of specialty tea packaging. In 1998, Scheffler became the first non-family managing director of Hälssen & Lyon, a family-owned company in its then third generation. Under his leadership over two decades Hälssen & Lyon has prospered as a leading group of companies covering all aspects of tea, fruits and herbals. H&L comprises the world of tea under one roof, including the world's largest warehouse for tea specialties. H&L's latest acquisition is a bottling facility producing high-quality ready-to-drink teas. This company by the name of "tbottlers" is able to produce small runs of RTD tea drinks in glass bottles, PET or Elopak for private label customers. Hälssen & Lyon is a family-owned company now in its fourth generation. It is said to be the only tea company dealing with all aspects of the product and is perceived as a creative innovator in the industry. Packaged teas for every brand