I have been closely associated with the tea industry for 17 years now. The change in the speciality tea industry has been one of the most noticeable new achievements for our small tea world.
I have been especially impressed with the new tea shops, boutiques, and tea parlours springing up in every nook and on every corner. These establishments have changed the mindsets of people, exposed them to a tea culture that they never knew existed, and taught them that there is an alternative to Lipton and other tea companies which sell low quality/common teas at obnoxious prices. The tea shops and tea chain owners, on the other hand, have travelled to the tea producing countries and have a good idea about what they buy. They are conscious of serving only the very best teas to their customers. These tea entrepreneurs deserve a big hand from the whole leaf industry because they have achieved an important milestone in the history of tea in a very short short time span. We owe them a lot of credit. I am actually thinking of writing a book featuring some of these eminent tea chain owners – that’s the level of success I feel they have achieved from their hard work. Maybe they don’t make a lot of money, but they have the highest level of satisfaction from doing what they love! Their work ethic and dedication to quality control is commendable.
At the same time, I am disgusted and saddened at many of the new online tea companies springing up everyday – especially in the tea producing countries. Many, if not most, have no idea of the tea industry in any aspect: they have no taste training, educational qualifications, nor do they have infrastructure to run a tea company. Many of these online tea companies are run by computer professionals who believe they are changing the tea industry. A tea’s true value is not determined at any point by these online tea resellers – their motive is to photoshop the tea so their profit mark ups are in excess of 500%. This online bubble has disturbed the quality supply of teas, has upset the speciality tea industry in so many ways that we need to be very careful when buying teas online.
The source of these teas is questionable. What you see is not what you get. A lot of online vendors are mixing and selling Nepal teas as Darjeeling teas by using novel names like Himalayan teas, as well as many others. Many of these online computer professionals who have converted into tea sellers are selling teas that are two years old or more. For the indian tea scenario, our teas have a shelf life of 12 months. It is neither safe nor ethical to sell tea – or any other consumable – that has passed its shelf life. These untraceable, in-the-air companies rely on hype, stories that aren’t true, and misguiding the customers. Many of these companies boast of offering teas from 200 estates, but their inventory is absent. There is no foundation for these companies. Nothing on the ground exists – a big farce. They are causing serious concern for the tea industry.
Trust me friends: it’s better to see and smell the tea before you decide to buy it. Reliable and correct value for a product and consistent quality standards is the customer’s right and which should not be compromised. I would advise my friends – tea lovers – to be very careful in buying teas from these unprofessional tea companies. We need teas from tea people who know their product – not from computer people. Support the honest tea movement by buying the best teas from the tea professionals. It’s unfortunate that new customers who want to drink quality teas have to go through such uncertainty when they opt to buy teas from these computer tea companies that are only interested in figures, numbers and scores!
The online tea shop bubble is very dangerous – beware friends!
Ankit I 100% AGREE with you! Although I do not think that this problem is restricted to business setting up out of India alone. There are a lot of people globally who are setting up shop as a side business. Again having no understanding of tea, tasting, grading or manufacture. But seem to be over night experts exploiting consumers.
I was unaware of this problem coming out of India. Thanks for the heads up. I would have to say that all on-line business needs to be carefully vetted. One never knows what you’re getting. Until you have a trusted referral or tried a vendor yourself a few times, it’s impossible to know what will arrive in the mail. I have purchased stunning hand made designer clothes on line – believing I was buying something that was 100% cotton or 100% linen – only to receive it in the mail and discover that it was a blend.
It is curious why tea from India has a shorter shelf life – of only a year. I was unaware of this distinction. Why do you suppose that’s the case?
It’s always passion vs. just wanting to make money. And somehow it seems that a lot of the time those just wanting to make money actually start with the money to make more, while those with passion often start from scratch, self-funded, and then, at times, an unscrupulous partner or investor can cause even more problems. Like Michelle mentioned, this happens in other industries as well ..aka bait and switch.
it’s really saddening that a tea lover is promised such nice pictures and is delivered crap ! this upsets the whole chain and the new convert maybe from coffee or any other drinks goes back to it .. the whole industry stands to loose out .. we have seen so many of these online shops springing up in our area that its become a scary scene..
Yes.,Ankit your a 2nd/3rd generation tea person well written my friends..here’s me a 3rd generation Tea planter slogging it out every day making artisan Teas..hoping upon hope to get a fair deal for my Tea..but some nit wit online trader makes a killing..knowing nothing what goes on to making that cuppa of yours… post such as this hopefully get more read world wide on the web..n the customer eventually gets a fair deal..Cheers …
Michelle – normal mechanical everyday production teas have a longer shelf life due to the production ways and because there is not much that can change in their quality structure over a period of time. for high end authentic speciality teas, hand rolled or special plucking teas – their ways of manufacturing are delicate and the teas in order to have high taste profiles and special appearances go through a delicate manufacturing process. the best taste and aroma from those teas can actually be obtained within 6 months from the date of manufacture, however the graph may start going down from the 6th month onwards but it will sustain till the 12th month. After that the teas goes flat and maybe worse ..