If there was ever any question whether you’re in great hands at the Tea Smith, those doubts are about vanish into thin air like a wisp of steam from a freshly-brewed cup. We’re excited to report that our very own Chief Leaf, Tim Smith, took top honors at the the 2012 World Tea Expo Tea Infusion Challenge, held June 1-3 in Las Vegas!
The World Tea Expo, now in its tenth year, is the largest trade show and conference in the world for premium tea and tea-related products. With over 200 high-quality tea suppliers and vendors showing new products and innovations, Tim faced some stiff competition from the best in the business.
So what does it take to become a top tea infusionist? Well, besides possessing exceptional brewing skills, a top infusionist also has an encyclopedic knowledge of tea and an inherent ability to express a tea’s characteristics.
According to Tim, “There’s so much more to tea than just placing a tea bag in a cup, and many tea consumers don’t know that. So the Tea Infusion Challenge does a great job of reinforcing education and training within the industry, so we can share with customers how each tea has its own character “ how it’s grown, its origin or where it’s grown, how it’s traditionally enjoyed at origin. The challenge brings laser-focus to how important it is for a tea business to become highly familiar with its teas and the related processes and customs. At the Tea Smith, we train all of our employees in our teas, and we think this challenge promotes and reminds us how essential it is for a tea company to communicate with customers and instruct them on the diversity of tea, tastes and preparation methods.”
What happens in Vegas usually stays there (and for good reason), but on this particular occasion we want to share our sweet victory with all of you! That’s why we’re celebrating by taking 15% off our seasonal teas. Look for Summer Favorite in the description and use discount code EXPO12 at checkout.
