The last time Oprah Winfrey named her favorite tea in December 2010, sales at Talbott Tea in Chicago soared. The company received a big injection of funds from investors after appearing on ABC's Shark Tank and was later sold at a tidy profit to Jamba Juice.
Last week, Oprah announced her newest favorite, Montreal-based DavidsTea and her star power apparently has not diminished. She was speaking at the Bell Centre stage Thursday before a sell-out crowd of 15,000 fans when she mentioned her delight at receiving a gift bag of tea sent to her hotel by DavidsTea employee Melanie Barbusci. Oprah mentioned Barbusci by name after phoning her thanks.
DavidsTea has sent Oprah gift selections on several previous visits to Canada. Nothing came of the effort until the latest, which was requested by the Fairmont Hotel and arrived with personal note from Barbusci. Oprah tried the tea, phoned to say thank you and listened to the story of DavidsTea, Barbusci told the Montreal Gazette.
Winfrey said she was impressed with Barbusci’s passion. In addition to mentioning the tea during her appearance, on Friday Oprah notified her millions of Twitter and Facebook and Instagram followers.
All in all, David’s Tea “hit the jackpot,” marketing expert Demetrios Vakratsas told the Gazette.
The 106-store chain opened in Toronto in 2008 and has since expanded throughout Canada with locations in San Francisco, Chicago, Boston and New York City.
Sources: Montreal Gazette
The last time Oprah Winfrey named her favorite tea in December 2010, sales at Talbott Tea in Chicago soared. The company received a big injection of funds from investors after appearing on ABC's Shark Tank and was later sold at a tidy profit to Jamba Juice.
Last week, Oprah announced her newest favorite, Montreal-based DavidsTea and her star power apparently has not diminished. She was speaking at the Bell Centre stage Thursday before a sell-out crowd of 15,000 fans when she mentioned her delight at receiving a gift bag of tea sent to her hotel by DavidsTea employee Melanie Barbusci. Oprah mentioned Barbusci by name after phoning her thanks.
DavidsTea has sent Oprah gift selections on several previous visits to Canada. Nothing came of the effort until the latest, which was requested by the Fairmont Hotel and arrived with personal note from Barbusci. Oprah tried the tea, phoned to say thank you and listened to the story of DavidsTea, Barbusci told the Montreal Gazette.
Winfrey said she was impressed with Barbusci’s passion. In addition to mentioning the tea during her appearance, on Friday Oprah notified her millions of Twitter and Facebook and Instagram followers.
All in all, David’s Tea “hit the jackpot,” marketing expert Demetrios Vakratsas told the Gazette.
The 106-store chain opened in Toronto in 2008 and has since expanded throughout Canada with locations in San Francisco, Chicago, Boston and New York City.
Sources: Montreal Gazette