World Tea Conference + Expo, taking place March 27-29, 2023, at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, is right around the corner, and this year’s roster of exhibitors and participants is more than double the 2022 event, including strong international representation. The event is co-located with Bar & Restaurant Expo.
Valda Blackmoore, founder and CEO of Sabinea Blends, one of the exhibitors, said, “We're super excited to be part of this year's expo, and we can't wait to come together with other tea enthusiasts and share our passion for this wonderful beverage."
Sabinea Blends, based in Atlanta, Ga., focuses on wellness blends – both loose leaf and in pyramid tea sachets. They also plan to expand their offerings to include ready-to-drink bottled herbal beverages in the near future.
Blackmoore grew up in the Caribbean and said herbal teas were a staple in her household. From a young age, she was introduced to herbal tea blends that were passed down from her grandmother, and she quickly grew to love the soothing and healing properties of tea. In honor of that heritage, Sabinea Blends was born.
“Our goal is to share these beloved blends with the world and promote the many benefits of herbal teas,” said Blackmore, who’s delighted to be a part of the upcoming expo in Vegas.
Amelia Quelas, president of the American Yerba Mate Association (AYMA), is also thrilled to be a part of the World Tea Conference + Expo. AYMA is a new organization, and their participation in the event is their first-ever contact with the U.S. market.
“AYMA was formed to promote yerba mate in the United States in its various forms, being most well-known for the traditional way of drinking mate with the metal straw or bombilla, in the gore or mate,” said Quelas. “However, there are other ways to enjoy yerba mate, such as drinking it by infusing the yerba mate leaves.”
Quelas shared that there are already communities in the United States where yerba mate is popular, especially communities with roots in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, where drinking mate is an everyday custom and as common as drinking tea or coffee.
“We want to reach those who are not familiar with yerba mate and, perhaps, the first step would be to teach them that mate is pronounced, mah-te,” explained Quelas.
Besides the promotion of yerba mate and sharing info on its health benefits, AYMA’s mission is to become a source of information and assistance for those who want to conduct business around the product. Currently, there are many importers and distributors from around the world who are bringing yerba mate to the United States, independently, according to Quelas. “Your readers may be surprised to know that one of the larger importers [of yerba mate] is the country of Syria, which buys yerba mate from Argentinian producers,” she said.
Quelas added: “Another objective of our association, aside from performing scientific research regarding yerba mate as a superfood, and a very important issue to us, is to keep yerba mate products sold in the U.S. true to its roots of being non-GMO, free of chemicals and genuine in the origin, production and quality standards.”
‘Looking Forward to Meeting Amazing Business Owners in the Tea Industry’
William Karis and Patricia Graells, the owners of Seven Senses Organic, based in Greece, are also eager to participate in the World Tea Conference + Expo this month, because of the value it brings to businesses and the overall industry.
“We’re looking forward to meeting amazing business owners in the tea industry, sharing ideas and finding new partners worldwide, where we can explore expanding the horizons of our Greek herbal tea products,” said Karis, whose company is the fastest-growing organic, Greek herbal tea company in the world.
“This is our first opportunity to share the Mediterranean herbal tea benefits with the rest of the participants at the World Tea Conference + Expo, coming from all over the world,” noted Graells. “We are a unique, premium, organic, Greek tea brand that focuses on product purity, sustainability and offering the freshest organic herbal teas on the market. Drinking our teas will have a positive impact on your emotional, spiritual and physical health, as it has done for Greeks for thousands of years.”
Seven Senses Organic sources all of its organic ingredients from different parts of northern Greece. “The legendary Greek Sun, fertile land and wonderful Mediterranean climate give our Greek herbal teas an unparalleled beauty, flavor and aroma,” explained Karis. “Our local Greek farmers harvest our high quality herbal blends manually, as well as with Fair Trade practices.”
‘Eager to Participate in the World Tea Conference + Expo’
Poland-based SCORPION, a global leader in machine manufacturing, will exhibit once again at the World Tea Conference + Expo. The family business has worked within the tea and herbal industries since its inception more than 25 years ago, and it has a prominent presence in markets all over the globe. Their machines are currently in operation in more than 300 companies in more than 35 countries across five continents, with more growth to come.
“We are eager to participate in the World Tea Conference + Expo for the second time, and are ready with re-doubled strength to showcase the quality, power and capabilities of our machines, which are already in operation in most global markets and are responsible for processing the significant quantities of tea and herbs that find their way into our homes or restaurants,” said Jakub Nowak, sales manager at SCORPION.
Sara’s Tea Caddie, based in New York, is also returning to the World Tea Conference + Expo this year as a sponsor of the event’s popular Tea Bar. The company is an importer and distributor of the finest Japanese teas, and they specialize in the highest quality Japanese tea varieties, which are typically produced by smaller and more exclusive tea producers.
“Our mission is simply to share with our North American consumers the fabulous green teas the Japanese have been enjoying for hundreds of years,” said Sara Kadowaki, president and owner of Sara’s Tea Caddie. “Since our establishment 20 years ago, we have added numerous varieties of teas from more regions in Japan. Our teas now come from 18 regions from within seven prefectures – Shizuoka, Gifu, Kyoto, Mie, Fukuoka, Miyazaki and Kagoshima. Our teas include not only the highest quality traditional teas but also some of the rarest types.”
Kadowaki noted that Sara’s Tea Caddie has always been focused on finding teas that are delicious and provide the best value. “We hope you’ll have a chance to experience the wonderful taste of some of our teas [at the Tea Bar], and we are eager to reconnect with the international tea community.”
Plan to Attend or Participate in the
World Tea Conference + Expo, March 27-29, 2023
To learn about other key developments, trends, issues, hot topics and products within the global tea community, plan to attend the World Tea Conference + Expo, March 27-29, 2023 in Las Vegas, co-located with Bar & Restaurant Expo. Visit WorldTeaExpo.com.
To book your sponsorship or exhibit space at the World Tea Conference + Expo, or to enquire about advertising and sponsorship opportunities at World Tea News, contact:
Ellainy Karaboitis-Christopoulos
Business Development Manager, Questex
Phone: +1-212-895-8493
Email: [email protected]
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