STiR coffee and tea magazine

28 STiR coffee and tea / Issue 2, 2017 (April/May) Anglo-German Club in Hamburg because of their excellent food… and tea! Reluctantly at first, each member was required to draw a number from a hat to discover his luncheon seating assign- ment," he recalls. "Over time, the transformation was truly heartwarming. Even staunch competitors collabo- rated willingly, ultimately uniting in a successful bid to elevate Hamburg's stature as a tea center of the world, surpassing Rotterdam and London," said Ellerbrock. "Throughout my tenure with Deutscher Teeverband until 1998, we made great strides in gen- erating professional opportunities for those of our colleagues just starting out - actively welcoming young tea merchants and fledgling tea companies to become members," he said. "To this day, and to our delight, this mentoring outreach has proven to be mutually beneficial, vastly expanding the horizons of our members and infusing Deutscher Teeverband with fresh ideas!" Dietmar Scheffler, Hälssen & Lyon's c.e.o. and member of the Deutscher Teeverband board of directors, adds: "Tea today is not only the most healthful beverage, but also the cleanest bever- age one can imagine, especially in Germany, where we are ever mindful of our ethical responsibili- ties in the tea trade. "We respectfully insist on proper conditions for all tea-growing planters, for them to take every precaution to protect the environment," said Scheffler. "We fully honor best practice pro- cedures at every stage, collaborating with our tea partner countries on product safety, supply chain, sustainability, and implementations of certifications such as UTZ, Fairtrade, and Rainforest Alliance," he said. "Realistically, although most members are, indeed, competitors, in the context of the Deutscher Teeverband, we manage to transcend our individual interests, serving as a strong alliance to ensure the highest levels of satisfaction for our esteemed customers – tea enthusiasts both in Germany and abroad!" he said. "Germany and Japan are the two countries where tea connoisseurs indulge in the most expen- sive and coveted teas in the world. As approximate annual figures show, Germany imports 50,000 metric tons, consumes 20,000 metric tons, and re-exports 30,000 metric tons of tea." One can find many charming tea boutiques throughout Germany - to savor and purchase fragrant, artfully packaged loose tea and tea bags, as well as beautiful tea accessories. TeeG- schwendner, the most visible tea retail chain in Germany, operates 132 franchise tea shops throughout the country, with additional locations in Austria, Luxembourg, Chicago, Prague, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. As TeeGschwendner general manager, Thomas Holz, points out: "Our most expansive 55 sq.m. (500 square feet) shops offer as many as 350 varieties of teas. Our franchise partners are continu- ously informed, with up to 90 days of training per year on products, product development, sales techniques, and strategies for optimal tea shop layouts. We empower our franchisees to be knowl- edgeable tea proprietors and competent business owners, and, of course, to operate with the highest levels of integrity." "At the corporate level, we take care of the sourcing and purchasing of the best teas, to ensure that all of our affiliates sell coordinated and consistently appealing, safe products," he said. "We've implemented a sophisticated communication system among our franchise partners, which includes annual meetings, intranet with exchange possibilities, and customer relations management." Mathias Kloth and Axel Köhnken, each a tea taster and trader, joined forces in 1992 to build one of Germany's largest tea import operations exclusively for black and green teas. Kloth and Köhnken Teehandel is situated in the quaint, old port city of Bremen in northern Germany, deliv- ering original goods or blends to wholesalers and packers. Asked how the tea trade has changed over the last twenty or so years, Mathias Kloth replies: "Sustainability is very important all over Europe, and there is a growing demand for organic tea. We're working with tea growers, especially in China, to use fewer pesticides and to qualify our teas to be certified by UTZ and Fairtrade." In terms of customer demand, Axel Köhnken adds: "We see a growing demand for more green tea which has already reached a market share of 30%." Wittig said the association's longevity and success emanates from inspiring industry leaders, like those quoted above, who shared their valuable insights and achievements on the occasion of the 100th anniversary and the centennial celebration. Anniversaries are just as much about the future of the Deutscher Teeverband as it is the past. Olav Ellerbrock fondly and aptly quoted Robert Scheibler, his predecessor as chairman, who proclaimed at his farewell speech in 1974: "Tea is not only a commodity, but also a philosophy!" Olav Ellerbrock, senior partner of Hälssen & Lyon Thomas Holz, general manager TeeGschwendner Dietmar Scheffler, Hälssen & Lyon's c.e.o.

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