China Mist's Global Tea Championship Awards Boost Sales

China Mist Tea won three awards in the recent Global Tea Championship Single Serve Hot and Iced Small Batch competition for its bagged iced teas. China Mist’s Berry Hibiscus and Fiesta Fria each won a silver medal and the company’s Coconut Pineapple won bronze. “We take great pride in our teas,” said Kermit Peterson, general manager at China Mist Tea, which is based in Scottsdale, Arizona. “Competing and winning in the Global Tea Championship validates what we’re trying to do and accomplish as a company, which is to be a premium fresh brewed iced tea supplier.” He added, the competition also helps the company see how their flavors compare to those of other tea companies. Berry Hibiscus and Coconut Pineapple are from the company’s new Naturally Flavored line, which launched in the grocery sector in June 2017. “[Winning medals in the competition] is always good when making sales calls at retail grocers’ headquarters; it gives us more credibility,” said Peterson, who believes China Mist's recent success in the competition will ultimately boost the company's overall sales. However, China Mist is more than a company that sells tasty tea, it also prioritizes sustainability in its sourcing. The company imports green and black tea from Ethical Tea Partnership-approved plantations in the world’s top tea-producing countries: China, Japan, Sri Lanka and India. The Ethical Tea Partnership focuses on social and environmental sustainability and encourages the prosperity of small holder tea farmers. “We’re creating a sustainable community, not just a sustainable product,” said Desiree Whitten, marketing communications manager of Farmer Brothers, China Mist’s parent company. China Mist sources most of its hibiscus from within the United States. “People are becoming more educated about tea, both iced and hot,” said Peterson, who believes iced and hot tea will continue to become a more integral part of menus and get paired with entrees in the same fashion as wine. “Tea is a healthy alternative beverage,” he said. “There isn’t much out there that is mainstream [and also] a healthy alternative beverage.” The company continuously keeps abreast of trends and reformulates existing tea lines and creates new ones in response to the marketplace. The 2018 Global Fall Hot (Loose Leaf) Tea Championship is March 24-25! Click here for information.