STiR coffee and tea magazine

STiR coffee and tea 45 SALIM ARIA NOUSH (Ltd) Expertly Brings You The Best Of Iranian Teas and Herbals. ISO 9001:2008 Certificate. I ISO 10002:2004 Certificate. I HACCP Certificate. I HALAL Certificate. I info@ salimaria.com Tel : +98 21 5589 4000 I Fax : +98 21 555 900 15 visit salimaria.com "I had assumed that we needed to keep a few pretty basic teas on the menu and some tisane blends that would appeal to a broader audience," said Riethmaier. The menu initially included all the teas I really wanted to feature, plus some more introduc- tory teas that would seem more familiar to the casual tea drinker. "What I immediately realized is that our 'premium,' or high- er cost teas, were clearly our best performers. That insight gave me the confidence to invest in higher quality and adventurous teas", he adds. Even in the land of Southern sweet tea, the greater shift in awareness of flavor exploration has enabled Mammoth Espres- so to share beautiful pu'er cakes (beeng cha) and other treasures in their rotation of around 15 specialty teas. "Tea is so incredibly technical and ceremonial, like where specialty coffee brewing is now," says Khanh. "The different types of tea brewing apparatuses plus time, temperature and wa- ter are all key components to preparing a beautiful cup of tea - very similar to coffee brewing on the slow bar." The takeaway advice from these coffee experts? Just go for it. Riethmaier says: "If we assume that tea is inherently compli- cated, is that not also true of coffee? Is that not true of cultivat- ing the customer experience? These are all complicated aspects of a retail environment. The difference is our familiarity with one versus another." Khanh makes a similar observation. "There's a belief that if you expect your consumers to be able to taste the quality in your coffee, why would you not expect them to taste the quality in the teas." Identifying your priorities and needs before you dive in too deep will also improve your chances of success. The points that caught Nelson's eye when he started talk- ing to suppliers were very simple. "Good selection. Consistent products. Training. Quick shipping. Easy ordering. Those are what get my attention as a retail owner. Solve problems for me, don't give me more." Nelson also says any tea program has got to be profitable and "fit your 'why'." "Brand alignment in values and presentation is so important to make sure the product is being used to its fullest potential, not to mention the synergy of strong partnerships," he said. Riethmaier emphasizes the importance of doing your home- work and getting to know various tea suppliers and what they can do for you. He also recommends finding independent re- sources to keep in your toolkit, including books such as "Tea: A User's Guide", released this year by World of Tea's Tony Gebe- ly. Online tea training is also a great option. One such program, World Tea Academy, now has nearly as many international students as domestic, showing the steady interest in vetted tea education. Independent tea consultants can also assist you with training needs (not all tea companies are able to provide onsite training), beverage development, menu selection, and vendor introductions. "Allow your knowledge of coffee to guide you just enough to get your bearings, and then understand that the world of tea is wonderfully distinct. Interview numerous tea suppliers to find someone you can relate to and who can help you build your tea program," says Riethmaier. He says "The great opportunity for coffee shops is that, gen- erally, if they invest heavily in quality tea they will almost assur- edly be the bright spot in their market."

• Cover