“What’s Brewing?” is a World Tea News round-up of recent happenings, news and factoids from the global tea industry.
Here’s what’s notable:
Hennessy Debuts Commemorative Cocktail Set with a Tea Cocktail Recipe
Hennessy, the world's best-selling Cognac, announced a limited-edition Hennessy X.O 49 Commemorative Cocktail Set, featuring a tea cocktail recipe called The 49th.
The Hennessy set celebrates the odyssey and accomplishment of the first Black and South Asian American Madam Vice President of the United States and the relentless pursuits of all those striving to break boundaries. The set features a 750ml bottle of Hennessy X.O, the recipe for The 49th cocktail, a custom ice mold with display tray, and elegant keepsake glassware, etched with the historic number 49 – all housed in commemorative packaging.
Fitting for a toast to groundbreaking achievements, The 49th is a sophisticated sip that combines tangy pomegranate and botanical hibiscus tea with ice.
The Hennessy X.O 49 Commemorative Cocktail Set is available for purchase now at CocktailCourier.com, with a SRP of $259.99, while supplies last.
To learn more about Hennessy, visit Hennessy.com.
Chinese American Museum to Host a Tea Talk with Tea and Culinary Educator Yoon Hee Kim, Feb. 9th, 5 - 6:30 p.m. PST.
“Stories of a Leaf,” a digital event with Yoon Hee Kim – presented by the Chinese American Museum in Los Angeles – will guide attendees into the foundations of Korean tea, including tea rituals, uses, steeping and beyond. Kim, who is a global tea and culinary educator, will also perform a demonstration of a traditional Korean tea ceremony.
To register for this free event or to learn more, visit: CAMLa.org/TeaTalk.
Kamitsujien CO., Ltd. Launches Flavored Green Tea with Uji Matcha
Kamitsujien CO., Ltd. launched three types of flavored green tea (strawberry, banana and mango) with the mild taste of Uji Matcha and the aroma of fruits, in order to make it easier for people to enjoy Uji Matcha, which is a cultural asset of Kyoto. The teas became available in the United States on Amazon.com in January.
Takanobu Kamitsuji, president of Kamitsujien CO., noted that the launch is a major step by the company to share its flavor with the world. “We developed flavored green tea in order to share the taste of our Uji Matcha, which is popular among tea ceremony conductors and confectionery artisans, with many people around the world. You can enjoy the mildness of Uji Matcha and the aroma of fruits,” he explained.
Kamitsujien CO has been in the tea business for 250 years. The company started producing green tea at its own field in Uji-Tawaracho, Kyoto, the birthplace of Japanese green tea. Since then, the company has been producing green tea using traditional techniques that have been handed down through its long history.
Kamitsujien teas are sold in supermarkets and department stores all over Japan. It is also very popular among restaurants for commercial use and confectionary stores for use as a raw material for confectionery.
To learn more, visit https://kamitujien.jp.
Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea Reviews 2020 Lessons, Looks Forward to Growth in 2021
According to Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea, the COVID-19 pandemic made 2020 a challenging year for the business but, as the company celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2021, they’ve never been more confident of the role terrific coffee and tea plays in bringing people together – and in Crimson Cup’s strength in building communities.
“This was a challenging year for everyone – our company, our employees, our customers, their customers and the farmers who grow our coffee,” said Greg Ubert, founder and president of Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea. “The pandemic forced us to re-examine almost every aspect of our business. Still, with a lot of hard work by our team and our customers, we grew more agile. We learned to ride some pretty big waves. And, our persistence during the pandemic paid off with some important achievements.”
The company’s 2020 milestones included: opening 19 new independent coffee/tea shops through the company’s “7 Steps to Success” coffee shop franchise alternative, launching the new Crimson retail flagship store at Easton Town Center, and winning a 2020 Good Food Award, among other accomplishments.
“Our independent coffee shop owners are an amazing group,” Ubert said. “They found ways to streamline their operations, focusing on speed, efficiency, and contact-free delivery of terrific beverages. In some cases, they had to create impromptu drive-thrus where none existed. One shop put such an emphasis on speed that they now average less than two minutes per car for drive-thru service. That’s innovation.”
Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea, through its “7 Steps to Success” franchise alternative program, teaches entrepreneurs to run independent coffee/tea houses in their local communities. By developing a shop business plan, entrepreneurs gain insight into how much it costs to open a shop. Crimson Cup also supports life-enriching projects through its Friend2Farmer initiatives, promoting the education, health, sustainability and economic growth of small-plot farmers and their communities.
To learn more about Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea, visit CrimsonCup.com.