By Gary Lynch, Vice President, Group Show Director, Informa Markets
We moved the World Tea Conference + Expo to Denver to put ourselves in the heart of the natural food industry where there are hundreds of natural food restaurants and retailers all of whom serve and sell specialty tea; amidst the natural beauty of Colorado to reflect the natural beauty of tea plantations and their geographic locations; and among an artisan community that reflects the art form and creative process of tea production.
Specialty tea is more than just a beverage—it is a community of beauty and elegance filled with creative, passionate, wonderful people—and we are moving the World Tea Conference + Expo to Denver because its characteristics reflect the best characteristics of specialty tea.
Denver, andthe nearby cities of Boulder and Colorado Springs, exude health and wellness.The heart of the natural and organic food industry resides in these cities andspecialty tea, which is natural, organic and a source of wellness, fitsperfectly.
Colorado representsnatural beauty—spectacular mountains, lush national forests, foothills, mesas,rivers, lakes and the shortgrass prairie. When you immerse yourself in any ofthese natural environments you discover a sense of serenity and calmness, muchlike you might with a cup of herbal tea.
Both Denver andBoulder have vibrant art and music scenes with world class museums, privategalleries, opera houses, theatres, parks and art districts. These cities have atrue artisan sensibility, much like you would find in the production of tea.
The InternationalSpecialty Tea Association states in their Definitionof Specialty Tea, “Qualitytea requires a significant amount of skill…like any other art, these skillsrequire honing over a lifetime.” In other words, tea producers and tea makersare artists with a creative process.
Our goal in 2020 is to embrace the local community by integrating the natural foods and artisan community into World Tea, and to bring World Tea into the local community. It is going be something special and we hope you join us.