A little more than a decade ago, two Iraqi American siblings were vacationing at the Grand Canyon when they decided to create a tea company that prized art and social justice. Today, Numi Organic Tea in Oakland is the leading brand importer of fair-trade certified teas in the United States.

For co-founder Ahmed Rahim, the desire to build a people-focused company came out of his experience as a child growing up in Cleveland, the son of Iraqi immigrants. For Reem Rahim, his sister and co-founder, a near-fatal car accident as a college student studying biomedical engineering led her to embrace what she really loved – art. And so it was that the two came up with the idea to start a business named after the dried lime tea they had drunk as children, Numi.

“We’re not really businesspeople,” said Ahmed Rahim, 43, who at the time of that fateful vacation had just returned home from living in Europe, where he managed tea houses in Prague and studied film in Paris.

The tea company they crafted in 1999 was focused on offering organic, premium quality tea leaves without flavorings. There’s no Earl Grey in their selection, or fruity herbal drinks, which Ahmed Rahim said are largely produced by spraying on natural and artificial flavors.

Growing movement

Over the years, Numi Organic Tea has become known in the tea marketplace for its business practices, despite the emergence of other high-end tea brands.

“When we started, there wasn’t much talk of fair trade. The movement has grown as we’ve grown,” said Ahmed Rahim. “So, it’s been easier for us to incorporate these principles into our business because we did it starting with a smaller scale. Doing it the other way around, when you’re bigger, is much tougher.”

Recently, news of a breakup between Fair Trade USA and Fair Trade International has created controversy, with critics arguing it could result in a watering down of regulations. Fair Trade USA, however, said the move could enable greater impact, as they change guidelines to allow for fair trade with large-scale farms and estates.

Brian Durkee, vice president of operations at Numi, said it’s far too early to determine what the move will mean.

“People who are more involved in the details recognize that it’s not a watering down,” he said. “The bottom line is that it’s trying to increase the amount of suppliers who can get certified as opposed to decrease the requirements of the certification,” he said.

Tea is still a small component in the world of fair trade, Durkee said. Last year, the United States purchased more than 110 million pounds of fair-trade coffee and only 1.8 million pounds of fair-trade tea.

For Numi, fair trade has become a critical component of the business.

Time with workers

Durkee, who has been with the Rahims for eight years, said the company works with several fair-trade organizations to ensure they’re reaching as many people as possible. His job includes visiting remote parts of rural China, Africa and India, spending mornings hitching a ride in the back of a truck and randomly surveying 100 workers for hours in the field as they pluck tea leaves. Workers have seen their wages increase by 20 percent, he said, once their employers go organic and fair-trade.

“You can’t go to your suppliers with a stick and demand low cost and expect them to be socially or environmentally conscious. So, we don’t go just for the cheapest option. We’re looking for good quality, a fair price, along with social and environmental impact,” Durkee said. “My job as a supply chain expert is to take on that challenge.”

That knowledge of their suppliers is reflected in the packaging, which showcases the farmers they work with.

Reem Rahim, 45, who spent months testing patterns for the boxes, ultimately decided on spiritual designs, a sharp contrast to loud branding labels. The aim, she said, was to remind customers of the soothing effect of tea and the art of drinking tea.

Mighty Leaf Tea is my most favorite tea, mostly because the flavors are incredible and interesting. I’ve had them on my top ten list for years, but I never knew they did anything besides tea.

Turns out they also have a very clever travel mug specifically for tea users, which they were kind enough to send me to review. Putting tea in a normal travel mug isn’t that great—there’s no easy way to get the bag out, so the tea brews too long and ends up tasting bitter. If you do pull the bag out, there’s no easy place to put it and you end up making a mess.

The TeaTop Brew Travel Mugis the first travel mug specifically made for tea I’ve ever tried, and it is very cool.

What it is: a travel mug designed for use with tea bags.

The good: It’s so clever! Allows you to pull the bag out of the tea once it’s done brewing, but keeps the bag inside the cup so there’s no mess. It also keeps your beverages warm for a long time.

The less good: It’s not spill proof, so don’t turn it upside down or knock it over. It also doesn’t really work with non-Mighty Leaf bags.

How it works: Fold the tea tag in half and slide it through the slot so the bag is underneath the lid. Drop the bag into the cup full of hot water and close the lid (picture 1). Brew your tea for the specified time, then pull on the tag to get the bag out of the water (picture 2). The tea bag stays in the indention in the lid, keeping you from over brewing your tea (picture 3). Genius!

Still have some last minute gifts to buy in time for the holiday season? Don’t panic – here’s our Holiday Tea Gift Ideas part two!

• Did you miss part one? Click here for more Tea Holiday Gift Ideas 

We’ve spent a long time trawling the internet looking for good tea gifts. Before we make our latest suggestions, we thought we’d give a special mention to MightyLeaf Tea, whose range of tea gifts just about blew us away! They have such an extensive range that they’ve compiled a list of their Top 20 Tea Gifts. If you can’t find something there…

Adagio Tea Loose Leaf Holiday Tea Collection

Every year, just in time for the holidays, Adagio offers loose flavored black teas with a seasonal theme. Sure to instill the spirit of the season and bring a welcome warmth to the growing cold, the Adagio Holiday Tea Collection make the perfect gift for your friends and loved ones, as well as a great indulgence to savor for yourself.

But these are only available for until the end of December, so make sure that you stock your stockings full!

Price: $9.00

The Tea Farm’s Tea Gift Basket

This Hawaiian style Tea Gift Basket is presented in a custom Lauhaula Basket (10″x10″x4″) and includes a maroon glass teapot, can of 4.5oz Mauna Loa macadamia dry roasted nuts, two small 0.5oz packs of macadamis nut with Maui Onion & Garlic flavor and Ghirardelli chocolate flavor, and of course The Tea Farm’s quality best selling tea:

(2 oz) Jasmine Dragon Pearl, (2 oz) Lichee Tea, (2 oz) White Peony and (2 oz) Oolong rose tea

Price: $40.00

Tea From Taiwan’s Splendor Tea Gift Set

Looking for the perfect gift for the tea lover on your list? Look no further! Here are two of Tea From Taiwan’s best-selling teas packed in an attractive gift box.

The Splendor Tea Pack has two canisters of their most popular tea - Tsuei Luan and Shi Zuo. They are representative teas of the top two tea regions of Taiwan – Ali Shan (Mount Ali) and Li Shan (Pear Mountain).

Price: $47.50

MightyLeaf Tea’s Holiday Tea Box

The Abaca Holiday Tea Box makes the perfect eco-friendly holiday gift. Handcrafted of tree-free Abaca plant fibers and cogon grass, our sustainable Abaca Holiday Tea Box is fastened with a whittled coconut-shell button.

Each box comes filled with 30 of Mighty Leaf’s whole leaf biodegradable tea pouches that includes the following seasonally festive blends: Organic Breakfast, Bombay Chai, Marrakesh Mint, Organic Hojicha Green Tea, Rainforest Mate and Ginger Twist.

Price: $24.95

Tea Gift Certificates

It’s definitely easier when you don’t have to choose gifts! If you’ve still not found anything to inspire you, why not let your loved one decide for themselves by getting a tea gift certificate. Here are some particularly good ones…

• Adagio Teas Gift Certificate

• Silver Leaf Tea Gift Certificate

• Tea From Taiwan Gift Certificate

We hope that you’ve taken some ideas for tea gifts from either Part One or Part Two of our Holiday Tea Gift Ideas. Please have a happy and safe holiday season

The Tea Spot launches the ‘Dessert Tea Sampler‘, a perfect guilt-free tea to match a holiday sweet tooth, any time of day. Perfect as a holiday tea gift, the Dessert Tea Sampler has six gourmet loose leaf teas, spanning the gamut from loose black teas to oolong tea and caffeine-free herbal teas. The Dessert Tea Sampler combines chocolate, caramel, vanilla cream, citrus and bergamot, as well as almonds, coconut and hot spices.

This zero-cal, gluten-free, dessert tea collection includes 6 mini tea tins, filled with handcrafted blends that have notes of chocolate, vanilla, caramel, cinnamon, and coconut. The loose leaf teas in the Dessert Tea Sampler are three of The Tea Spot’s signature black teas, one oolong, and two herbals: Chocolate “O”, Creme Caramel, Earl of Grey, Red Rocks, Red Hot Chai, & Coconut Oolong. All six of the teas are handcrafted in Boulder, Colorado.

Click here to buy at The Tea Spot

Chocolate “O” is a certified organic full leaf black tea laced with the purest of chocolate aromas on a delicious malty base, with hints of caramel and honey.

Crème Caramel is an aromatic dessert tea blend of premium black tea with real pieces of gourmet caramel.

Earl of Grey takes traditional Earl Grey to the next level by combining the traditional bergamot flavoring on full leaf black tea then adding other citruses, vanilla, licorice root, and mallow flowers.

Coconut Milky Oolong is a smooth milky hand-rolled Oolong blended with roasted coconut.
Red Rocks is a blend of naturally caffeine-free South African red Rooibos, vanilla, and almond bits.

Red Hot Chai is also a strong naturally caffeine-free South African red Rooibos base spiced with the season’s boldest flavors: red rooibos, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, chai spices and a hint of vanilla.

The Dessert Tea Sampler is designed with teas for anytime of day, to go alongside a sophisticated dessert, or in lieu of a sugary indulgence. It is being launched for the holidays, as the perfect tea gift for gourmet tea lovers and anyone looking for a healthy, sweet holiday treat. The Tea Spot’s Dessert Tea Sampler includes a card with the descriptions & steeping suggestions for each of the teas. The net weight of the teas in the set is 4.0 oz, and the collection of six teas retails for $26.95. It is available exclusively at The Tea Spot’s online tea store at theteaspot.com.

ABOUT THE TEA SPOT: The Tea Spot is a for-profit philanthropic business producing handcrafted loose leaf teas and Steepware® – the tools that make loose tea easy. The Boulder, Colorado-based woman owned and operated company was founded by Maria Uspenski in 2004. A cancer survivor drawn to the health benefits of leaf tea during her recovery, she set forth to modernize the loose leaf tea experience. Her message is simple and powerful: tea in its freshest form renders incredible flavor, unmatched health benefits, and is eco-friendly. The Tea Spot is a Certified B Corporation and ensures that its products uphold clean, sustainable and fair manufacturing standards. The company’s model of social entrepreneurship incorporates a culture of giving as it grows: ten percent of every sale made is donated in-kind to cancer and community wellness programs.

The world’s most expensive cup of tea is packed with cancer-fighting elements, but it’s not without a stomach-turning catch — the tea leaves get a boost from panda feces.

Wildlife expert An Yashi is launching the special blend of green tea, which could cost up to $36,000 per pound, Australia’s SBC.com reported.

Yashi, a college lecturer at Sinchuan University, said using panda excrement to fertilize the tea plants has a health-promoting upside because it contains nutrients from one of the bear’s favorite meals — bamboo.

“Pandas have a very poor digestive system and only absorb about 30 percent of everything they eat: that means their excrement is rich in fibers and nutrients,” said Yashi, noting that those nutrients make their way into the tea through the fertilization process.

“Just like green tea, bamboo contains an element that can prevent cancer — and enhance green tea’s anti-cancer effects — if it is used as fertilizer for the tea.”

Yashi, who collects the dung at a panda breeding center in southern China, said he hopes the tea will snag him a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records once it’s released.

But he’s not the first to use feces to fertilize tea plants. Kopi Luwak, the world’s most expensive coffee, is made from droppings of the Indonesian civet cat.

A website showcasing thousands of varieties of tea and tea-related products has been relaunched. Tea Selector offers visitors a convenient way to browse the whole world of tea.

“We’re excited about this new website” said Tea Selector’s Richard Fray. “We’ve spent a long time researching thousands of products and we think we’ve put together a simple way to compare the baffling number of teas now on the market.”

Tea Selector breaks products down into categories which include Loose Leaf Tea, Teabags, Tea Samplers, Iced Tea and Bubble Tea, with many sub-categories so you can really target what you’re looking for. You can also search for famous and not-so-famous tea brand, as well as explore the worlds of tea wares and accessories, tea gift baskets, gourmet tea foods, tea books and more.

“It’s the perfect website for anyone interested in tea. Not only can tea drinkers find their preferred tea products and compare prices at different retailers, but we also have information about how to make tea, the history of tea and recommended tea websites” said Fray. ”There’s something for everyone, so we hope you browse through the many different tea categories and enjoy”.

Tea Selector Navigation:

• Home
• About
• How To Buy Tea
• How To Make Tea
• Tea History
• Tea Varieties
• Recommended Links
• Contact

• LOOSE LEAF TEA
  • Loose Leaf Green Tea
  • Loose Leaf Black Tea
  • Loose Leaf Oolong Tea
  • Loose Leaf White Tea
  • Loose Leaf Pu-erh Tea
  • Pu-erh Tea Cakes & Bricks
  • Loose Leaf Flavored Tea
  • Loose Leaf Blooming Tea
  • Loose Leaf Chai Tea
  • Loose Leaf Herbal Tea
  • Loose Leaf Decaf Tea
• TEABAGS
  • Green Tea Teabags
  • Black Tea Teabags
  • Oolong Tea Teabags
  • White Tea Teabags
  • Pu-erh Tea Teabags
  • Flavored Tea Teabags
  • Chai Tea Teabags
  • Herbal Tea Teabags
  • Decaf Tea Teabags
• TEA SAMPLERS
  • Loose Leaf Samplers
  • Teabag Samplers
  • Tea of the Month
• ICED TEA
  • Ready to Drink Bottles
  • Ready to Drink Cans
  • Iced Tea Mixes
  • Iced Tea Teabags
• BUBBLE TEA
  • Bubble Tea Mix
  • Bubble Tea Kit
  • Bubble Tea Tapioca
  • Bubble Tea Straws
• FAMOUS TEA BRANDS
  • Adagio Teas
  • Art of Tea
  • Ashby’s Tea
  • Barry’s Tea
  • Bigelow Tea
  • Celestial Seasonings
  • Choice Tea
  • Frontier Tea
  • Generation Tea
  • Harney & Sons Tea
  • Heavenly Tea Leaves
  • Ito En Tea
  • Lipton Tea
  • Mighty Leaf Tea
  • Newman’s Own Tea
  • Numi Tea
  • PG Tips
  • Republic of Tea
  • Revolution Tea
  • Rishi Tea
  • SerendipiTea
  • Stash Tea
  • Tazo Tea
  • Teas Etc
  • Teavana Tea
  • Tetley Tea
  • The TeaSpot
  • Traditional Medicinals
  • Triple Leaf Tea
  • Twinings Tea
  • Typhoo Tea
  • Yogi Tea
  • Yorkshire Tea
• TEA GIFT BASKETS
• GOURMET TEA FOODS
  • Tea Candy
  • Tea Chewing Gum
  • Tea Mints
  • Tea Chocolate
  • Tea Sweets, Cookies
  • Tea Rice Cakes
  • Jams & Preserves
  • Green Tea Oil
  • Tea Flavored Soup
  • Tea Flavored Seaweed
  • Tea Flavored Noodles
• TEAWARES
  • Tea Pots
  • Teapot Trivets
  • Teapot Warmers
  • Tea Cozies
  • Tea Sets
  • Tea-for-One Sets
  • Tea Cups
  • Tea Mugs
  • Tea Glasses
  • Matcha Bowls
  • Traditional Kettles
  • Electric Kettles
  • Tea Makers
  • Iced Tea Machines
  • Tea Pitchers
  • Tea Storage
  • Tea Filter Bags
  • Tea Bag Coasters
  • Tea Strainers
  • Tea Tools
  • Teaware Brands
• TEA BOOKS
  • Tea Ceremony, Culture
  • Tea House, Business
  • Cooking with Tea
  • Tea Parties
• TEA GIFTS

Source: Tea Selector
Website: www.teaselector.com

There can be no better gift to give than the gift of tea. There are some really great ideas for tea gifts this holiday season, and we’ve trawled through them all to bring you our recommendations. This is part one of a two part special. Here is Holiday Tea Gift Ideas part two.

Here are some tea gifts to delight any tea lover this holiday season.

Golden Moon Tea has a great range of tea gifts. Here’s our favorite:

Tea Taster’s Sampler

Someone you know will no doubt savor this treasure chest of Golden Moon Tea’s 31 best-selling premium teas. They call them Monologues – single-servings carefully packaged and labeled with their name, description, and serving instructions.

Packaged in a beautiful Pandan Leaf Sampler gift box. Perfect as a remarkable but inexpensive gift.

Price: $29.95

Teatulia’s gift box makes for a substantial and classy gift:

Tea Gift Box

A variety of Teatulia teas and herbal infusions in a beautiful, handcrafted tea chest made from reclaimed Rocky Mountain pine. Each chest contains a 2oz variety of loose leaf teas such as Black, Green, White, Earl of Bengal, Peppermint Herbal and award winning lemongrass herbal. This is a high quality tea chest filled with great tea; a really special gift

Price: $75.00

ThePuriTea has some very nice tea gifts. This is a particularly good choice:

Tea Starter Kit

They’ve included their most popular products into one affordable package. The set consists of ThePuriTea’s Personal PushTop Teapot (24oz), four sampler sets of the tea of your choice and a Double Layer Glass Cup.

It makes a for an attractive and practical holiday gift, and inexpensive, too – it’s exceptional value.

Price: $25.00

Art of Tea has a wonderful range of tea gifts, perhaps the best we found. It was hard to pick one out:

Complete Matcha Set

Ceremonial matcha 30 gram tin, matcha whisk, container, bamboo scoop and ceremonial matcha bowl, all of the highest quality. Reviews include ”You must get this set.  The matcha bowl is a great piece.” and ”My friend was completely bowled over. I did the right thing to choose this gift for a tea lover. Art Of Tea has the best tea gifts. I’ll be coming back for more.”

Price: $97.00

And this is a really neat idea. Make any tea into a gift with Tea District’s clever gift packing range, eg.:

Gift Bag Tote

A unique, two-compartment jute gourmet bag with separator and bamboo cane handle.  Order with your tea selections and they’ll prepare it for your gift recipient. The gift bag tote will arrive as shown in the image. If you’d like a special note to the recipient enclosed with the gift, just include this in the comments section at checkout. These bags are durable, eco-friendly, sustainable and reusable!

Price: $7.50, plus price of tea

Still don’t know what to get for that special tea gift? Make it easy on yourself! Buy the tea lover in your life a tea gift certificate from California Tea House. All you have to do is select the amount and you’re done!

Price: $ Your Choice

Hopefully this will give you some ideas for the perfect tea gift this holiday season. If it hasn’t, look out for part two of  Tea News Direct’s Holiday Tea Gift Ideas…

Best-selling black spiced tea blend is back for the holidays at online tea retailer The Tea Spot. With customers calling months in advance to confirm its return, Tea Specialist Bo Olson prepares new batches of this unique spice tea to launch this week.

The Tea Spot’s Holiday Spice Tea is back in time for the holidays. This is a limited-edition loose tea blend of black tea with orange peel and aromatic holiday spices. The aroma is reminiscent of mulled cider and cinnamon hard candy. It will be available from The Tea Spot in a decorative tin throughout the holiday season, while this limited-time microblend remains in stock.

The Tea Spot’s Tea Specialist, Bo Olson, said “Seasonal changes always offer us a chance to reach out to our customers in new ways, and we cherish the opportunity. We strive year-round to create unique, palate-pleasing blends for a variety of tea drinkers, always keeping in mind the reviews (both good and bad) our customers return to us. Their input is invaluable and their tastes are our primary concern, and we feel lucky to include their feedback in every cup of tea. We hope our blend loving fans will rejoice at the return of our Holiday Tea this fall season.”

With Autumn in full swing, Holiday Spice Tea is a natural choice to steep this season, and perfect to pair with favorite fall recipes. The complementary spices in this cinnamon tea blend are citrus peel and clove oil, which is pleasantly noticeable but not overpowering. Rich layers of orange notes, cinnamon and clove give the black tea base a signature taste and aroma. As a special occasion drink, the Holiday Spice works well at Thanksgiving or Christmas, when the cold nip in the air makes hot spiced tea a welcome aroma to fill the home.

Olson added, “Nothing serves to remind us of the holidays quite like the aroma and flavor of this tea. Its strong cinnamon notes and slightly sweet black tea base make it an exceptional cup to pair with a cold morning or an evening fire. It takes incredibly well to milk, brews strong and compliments the season’s charm with every sip. When I brewed myself a cup of this season’s first batch, it felt as though the holidays had really begun-and that’s a feeling we hope to bring to each of our customers.”

ABOUT THE TEA SPOT: The Tea Spot is a for-profit philanthropic business producing handcrafted loose leaf teas and Steepware® – the tools that make loose tea easy. The Boulder, Colorado-based woman owned and operated company was founded by Maria Uspenski in 2004. A cancer survivor drawn to the health benefits of leaf tea during her recovery, she set forth to modernize the loose-leaf tea experience. Her message is simple and powerful: tea in its freshest form renders incredible flavor, unmatched health benefits, and is eco-friendly. The Tea Spot is a Certified B Corporation and ensures that its products uphold clean, sustainable and fair manufacturing standards. The company’s model of social entrepreneurship incorporates a culture of giving as it grows: ten percent of every sale made is donated in-kind to cancer and community wellness programs.

More information at: The Tea Spot

When Seth Goldman, TeaEO and co-founder of Honest Tea, visited the tea garden in central China that would supply the leaves for his organic tea, he was puzzled by its remote location. Locals explained that the organic garden, located across a river with no bridge, was better served cut off from vehicles that could pollute it.

“That’s when I got it,” Goldman says. “What I saw as a problem, the lack of a bridge, was already a solution to another problem, that of pollution.”

Several years earlier, Goldman had seen another problem. An avid athlete, he found his post-workout beverage options were either sugary sports drinks and soda or watery drinks without much flavor.

Knowing that if he wanted something different he’d have to make it himself, Goldman and co-founder Barry Nalebuff brewed the first batches of Honest Tea in Goldman’s kitchen. Goldman brought the drinks to a Fresh Fields Market (now owned by Whole Foods) representative in five Thermoses and a Snapple bottle with a mocked-up label. The grocery company placed an order for 15,000 bottles on the spot.

Mere months after that first order, Honest Tea became the best-selling tea in the grocery chain’s 17 stores in the local metro area. This led to a problem in search of a solution: distribution.

Cheese, corned beef, charcoal…and tea?
Traditional beverage distributors didn’t think the not-so-sweet tea would be able to compete with the sugary bottled teas available at the time, and declined to distribute them. So Goldman and Nalebuff got creative.

First, they worked with a cheese distributor who serviced the gourmet stores. Then, to access a local bagel shop they had targeted, Goldman and Nalebuff approached a corned beef distributor with a relationship to the store. To deliver to supermarkets, they worked with a charcoal distributor. Eventually, the tea became visible in more outlets, and traditional beverage distributors came calling. That brought another challenge.

From the beginning, Honest Tea has been run as an environmentally and socially responsible company, with a strong commitment to healthy living. The founders quickly understood that beverage distributors didn’t exactly share their cause. “No matter how much commitment we have to sustainable fair trade,” Goldman says, “we had to deal with traditional bottlers with different priorities.”

The little tea that changed an industry
Distribution became easier when Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO ) took a minority share in the company in 2008, eventually acquiring the entire company in 2011. But the sale brought other challenges, including how Honest Tea could remain committed to sustainability and healthy living while working hand in hand with a conglomerate not known for either. But Goldman says Coca-Cola has committed to Honest Tea’s mission, and is incorporating it into many of its own business practices.

It’s just one way that the ripple of Honest Tea has caused large waves. Dr Pepper Snapple (NYSE: DPS ) has taken note of the popularity of Honest Tea’s teas with less sugar and fewer calories, and is slowly decreasing the sugar content in its Snapple teas, as well as in its sodas. Kraft (NYSE: KFT ) is following suit, lowering the sugar content of its children’s drink, Capri Sun, by 25%.

Honest Tea was also the first to offer organic and Fair Trade Certified teas — offerings that are now commonplace among competitors such as Hain Celestial (Nasdaq: HAIN ) .

Thinking outside the bottle
It would be enough just to make a product that customers love, but the team at Honest Tea doesn’t content easily. The company is leading the charge in full calorie disclosure on labels (rather than just per serving, which can be misleading), minimal packaging designs, creative grass-roots marketing, and, of course, delicious tea. From 1998, when the tea was first brewed in Goldman’s kitchen, to today, when the products are bottled in organic certified Coca-Cola facilities, this company is challenging the way people drink and its competitors operate.

Honestly, that’s a good thing.

We’ve been searching for special offers again, and here’s what we’ve found for November 2011…

15% off all tea at Art of Tea + a free sample of Santa’s Little Helper

David Oliver from Art of Tea has emailed with two very special offers for Tea News Direct readers. Art of Tea is one of our favorite tea vendors, with high quality teas at good prices, so we’ll be taking advantage of these special offers ourselves…

Enter Coupon Code: SANTA15

Free shipping for orders over $50 + get a $5 Art of Tea gift certificate for next time

These discounts from Art of Tea will be available for the rest of 2011, so there’s plenty of time to find the right tea and get that holiday gift for a fellow tea lover.

Enter Coupon Code: MERRY50

10% off all products plus free shipping at California Tea House

Great news! Will from California Tea House has emailed with a special Thanksgiving offer.

California Tea House is offering Tea News Direct readers 10% off all products plus free shipping, until 11/30/2011.

At checkout, just enter coupon code: THANKFUL10

25% off Kabusecha Plum Tea at American Tea Room

A 25% discount is excellent value for a tea of this quality. Kabusecha is a rare, shade-grown Japanese green tea that is typically reserved for special occasions and visitors in Japan. For Kabusecha Plum, American Tea Room have combined the sweet, oceanic taste of this rare tea with sweet plum.

Normal Price: $33.80 - Sale Price $25.35

37.5% off Premium Teabags at Generation Tea

Generation Tea produce some of the best teabags in the world. Using their exclusive loose leaf Oolong, Pu-erh and White teas, they’ve created top quality teabags. They were already at a great price of $8 for a box of 18, so an extra 37.5% off  is truly outstanding value!

Normal Price: $8.00

Sale Price: $5.00

20% off Teatulia 100% Organic Green Tea Pyramid Bags

Teatulia is named for the region in Northern Bangladesh where the tea is grown. Teatulia Organic Teas reflect the pristine and delicate environment from which they hail.

This premium green tea is medium-bodied with earthy and grassy notes. A light finish with a refreshing cooling quality.

Use Promo Code: gr2011

20% off three green teas at The Tea Spot

Great offer from The Tea Spot. Buy these three great green teas and get 20% off the bundle.

- Thin Mint Green
- Meditative Mind
- Boulder Blues

We hope you take advantage of one or more of these great deals. We’ll have more for you soon…

Here are some more of the new exclusive TEA shirts from Tea Selector, the tea comparison website. They’ve created 26 unique, cool designs for you to pick from. Each design is available in a variety of styles, colors and sizes. They make ideal gifts for tea lovers.

Check out the other 22 designs at the Tea Selector T-Shirt Store!

On the heels of Coffee Fest Award in Seattle, Big Train wins two Product Awards in two months.

Big Train, a leading manufacturer and distributor of premium powdered and liquid concentrate beverage mixes serving the specialty coffee, food service and retail industries in the US and abroad, won an award for the 2011 Gourmet Product Awards, in the Beverages (Mix) category, for their Shaken Mango Passion Green Iced Tea.

The product was introduced to Gourmet Products at the Summer 2011 Fancy Food Show in Washington, DC.

• Buy it now at Buy Tea Online

“We were delighted to have been approached at the Fancy Food Show in DC this year”, says Tim Pisarski, Big Train’s Strategic Marketing Director. “It is a great honor to get the Gourmet Products Award. This award echoes the overwhelmingly positive response we see in the marketplace for our Shaken Tea product line.”

The Gourmet Product Awards Program is solely dedicated to recognizing and honoring the most delicious and innovative new gourmet foods and gourmet products. The Gourmet Product Awards recognize companies, products and services that stand out in tier quality, innovation and special merit. In total, they have made extraordinary contributions to the advancement of gourmet and gourmet product standards and market environment, and may have achieved ‘great’ quality at the highest and broadest level. The products may also exhibit processes and/or innovations that have added to the profession of health and enhance personal well being, wellness and the enjoyment of their consumers.

Last month at the Coffee Fest Show in Seattle, Big Train announced that its Fit Frappe™ Protein Coffee Drink mix line had won one of three Best New Products awards. For this award, Big Train was selected by a team of specialty beverage industry experts, adding to a growing list of beverage mix product awards.

About Big Train, Inc.:

Founded in 1991, Big Train is a leading manufacturer and distributor of premium powdered and liquid concentrate beverage mixes serving the specialty coffee, food service and retail industries in the US and abroad. Headquartered in Lake Forest, California with a manufacturing facility in Rancho Santa Margarita, California, Big Train is known for high quality beverage solutions that are great tasting and easy to prepare. Big Train offers a wide array of products including blended ice coffees, coffee-free blended crème frappes, chai teas, iced teas, protein drink mixes, fruit smoothies, kids’ beverages, hot cocoas (hot chocolates), low carb beverages and baked goods, powdered soft serve and flavored syrups to more than 20,000 customers including independent and small chain coffeehouses, bakeries, foodservice operators and its extensive international distributor network. For more information, visit www.bigtrain.com or call 800-BIG-TRAIN (that’s 800-244-8724). Or follow @BigTrain on Twitter www.twitter.com/bigtrain or like Big Train on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bigtrain.

About Gourmet Products Awards:

The Gourmet Product Awards recognize companies, products and services that stand out in tier quality, innovation and special merit. In total, they have made extraordinary contributions to the advancement of gourmet and gourmet product standards and market environment, and may have achieved ‘great’ quality at the highest and broadest level. The products may also exhibit processes and/or innovations that have added to the profession of health and enhance personal wellbeing, wellness and the enjoyment of their consumers. For more information, go to www.gourmetproductawards.com.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2011/10/28/prweb8920052.DTL#ixzz1ct49Bj6p

The Times of India, 27 Oct 2011

BRUSSELS: The European Union (EU) has registered India’s Darjeeling tea with a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI). The tag seeks to protect product names from misuse and imitation. This has made Darjeeling tea the seventh non-EU product receiving the protected status, following one from Colombia and five from China.

In all, Darjeeling tea has been added to over 1,000 names of agricultural products and foodstuff protected as PGIs in the EU, according to the European Commission, the EU’s executive body.

Three EU schemes, PGI along with PDO (protected designation of origin) and TSG (traditional speciality guaranteed) promote and protect names of quality agricultural products and foodstuff. These EU schemes encourage diverse agricultural production, protect product names from misuse and imitation and help consumers by giving them information concerning the specific character of the products.

Here are four of our favorites. We’ll feature more in the coming weeks…

Check out the other 22 designs at the Tea Selector T-Shirt Store!

Company Curates Small Parcel, Single Estate Full-Leaf Teas from the World’s Finest Tea Gardens

Rare Tea Republic™, a company that curates fresh teas from the world’s finest tea gardens, was launched today. Rare Tea Republic works directly with artisans around the world to select small lots and procure single estate teas that best express the character of the terroir. Rare Tea Republic’s tea collection launched with nineteen teas from single estates throughout Northern India and the Himalayan Mountain region including: Darjeeling, Kangra, Sikkam, Assam, Bihar and Nepal.

Rare Tea Republic teas range from $6 to $30 for 50 grams and are hand-packed by weight in resealable bags. Available weights include six, 50 and 100 grams. Rare Tea Republic teas are available via website (www.RareTeaRepublic.com) and by calling 855-RARE-TEA (855-727-3832).

“As American tea drinkers become more educated about tea, these new connoisseurs are seeking out rare and unique teas,” said Sarah Scarborough, tea buyer for Rare Tea Republic. “We select from hundreds of samples to ensure Rare Tea Republic brings our customers the best and most fresh teas available in the world.”
By visiting countries of origin multiple times a year, Rare Tea Republic has developed deep relationships with tea growers and source directly from them. The teas in the Rare Tea Republic collection will be continually updated throughout the year to deliver the freshest, most unique selection of single estate full-leaf teas to consumers.

Tea Buyer Sarah Scarborough has worked in the tea industry for 11 years. Prior to her involvement in the tea industry, she worked in sustainable agriculture and the culinary arts. These experiences have given her a unique “garden to cup” perspective and allow her to share her passion for fine teas.

For more information, please visit Rare Tea Republic (www.RareTeaRepublic.com) or call 855-RARE-TEA (855-727-3832). Like Rare Tea Republic on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/RareTeaRepublic and Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/RareTeaRepublic

Media contact: Eva Wong, Rare Tea Republic, 510.386.7632, evaw@raretearepublic.com
5 Hamilton Landing, Suite 100, Novato, CA 94949 – Tel 855-RARE-TEA – www.RareTeaRepublic.com

SOURCE Rare Tea Republic

RELATED LINKS

http://www.RareTeaRepublic.com

OFFER 1:

15% off all tea + a free sample of Santa’s Little Helper
Ends: 12/31/2011
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These discounts will be available for the rest of 2011, so there’s plenty of time to find the right tea and get that holiday gift for a fellow tea lover.

A website showcasing hundreds of varieties of Chai tea and related chai products has been relaunched. Chai Buyer offers visitors a convenient way to browse the world of Chai, the popular spiced, milky tea originating from India.

“We’re really excited about the new website” said Chai Buyer’s Richard Fray. “We’ve spent a long time researching hundreds of products and we think it’s now the most comprehensive collection of Chai tea ever assembled online.”

Chai Buyer breaks products down into categories which include Loose Leaf Chai, Chai Teabags, Chai Samplers, Chai Mixes, Chai Concentrates and Ready-to-Drink Chai, as well as teawares, accessories, books and more.

“It’s the perfect website for anyone interested in Chai. Not only can Chai drinkers find their preferred Chai products, we also have information about how to make Chai tea, the history of Chai and recommended Chai websites” said Fray.

Source: Chai Buyer
Website: www.chaibuyer.com

Tea News Direct Recommended Link: YOGIC CHAI

Celebrate Fair Trade Month this October with a delicious cup of Numi Organic Tea (www.numitea.com), recently named the leading brand importer of Fair Trade Certified teas and teasans in the United States for 2010. Numi’s Fair Trade Certified teas are certified by Fair Trade USA, which guarantees that farmers are paid a fair wage for their labor and receive a community development premium which they can collectively invest in programs including new roads and schools, cooking stoves, and college scholarships.

In honor of Fair Trade Month, Numi asks consumers to take a deeper look into what goes in their shopping cart – and their teacup. As a result of Fair Trade, the Dazhangshan Organic Tea Farmer Association in China was able to purchase new tea processing equipment to improve the quality of its tea and the living conditions of its members. Members of the association, nearly 35 percent of which are women, now make nearly 20 percent more than other families in the area.

“From our humble beginnings in 1999, we are thrilled and honored to announce that from all the Tea Brands on the market, Numi is officially the leading importer of Fair Trade Certified Teas and Teasans in North America,” says Ahmed Rahim, CEO and Co-Founder of Numi. “Since our inception, we have made it a major part of our mission to source from suppliers who believe in not just Organic farming but in ethically supporting their workers through Fair Trade initiatives such as access to healthcare, higher wages, to better education, homes, roads and overall, a more balanced quality of life.”

“It is exciting to see Numi Organic Tea grow in market share while maintaining its strong relationship with its tea growers and deep commitment to Fair Trade,” said Paul Rice, President & CEO of Fair Trade USA. “In addition to the far-reaching benefits of Numi’s Fair Trade purchases, the company has made it possible for consumers to find Fair Trade tea at thousands of retailers throughout the country and make a real difference with every cup they drink.”

Numi Organic Tea purchases more Fair Trade Certified tea than any other U.S. brand. With more than half of their blends (and 80% of the raw ingredients purchased) bearing the Fair Trade Certified label, Numi is proudly dedicated to the Fair Trade system that helps workers earn fair wages across the world. In 2011, Numi Fair Trade imports are projected to grow by more than 75% over 2010.

Numi is also working on a new social certification called Fair Labor Practices, which ensures a level of social responsibility that directly benefits workers, their families and their communities. Fair Labor Practices can certify all crops in all countries, farms of all sizes, domestically and internationally. It audits every step of the supply chain from farm to cup, including domestic operations. During this process, Numi has funded social, economic, and environmental development projects in the villages where the ancient Puerh tea trees exist. Numi Organic Puerh Teas will be the first product line to bear the Fair Labor Practices label.

For more information on Numi Organic Tea and their Fair Trade Certified products, please visit http://numitea.com/people/fair-trade-certified/ or join Numi’s “communitea” at https://www.facebook.com/numitea.  Fans can also enjoy 15% off all of our Fair Trade Certified teas and teasans: Enter code NUMIFAIR at checkout, available at NumiTea.com only.  Offer valid until October 17, 2011 11:59pm PDT.  One time use only.

SOURCE

Numi Organic Tea

RELATED LINKS

http://www.numitea.com

I’m not the biggest fan of tea infusers. As a regular drinker of the finer, loose leaf teas, I like to watch my tea swirl in the water as it steeps. But there’s no doubt that tea infusers are a large part of the mainstream tea drinking culture, and have a bona fide place in the modern world of tea drinking.

So it was with great interest that I took delivery of Teafu, the latest invention from the amazing imaginations of Dreamfarm, an Australian company which specializes in innovation in the kitchen.

Teafu is a tea infuser like never before. The first innovation, and a real benefit, is that Teafu opens flat so you can use it as a tea scoop or spoon to measure and collect your loose leaf tea ready to brew. Once you’ve scooped your tea, flip the infuser shut and you’re ready to go. An excellent start!

Once I’d scooped my tea, I was ready to drop Teafu straight into a cup of boiling water. The infuser itself is made from premium grade, heat resistant silicone and has the unique property of being squeezable. This seriously speeds the brewing process. The cleverly designer handle allows you to squeeze the tea, speeding up the infusion process by manipulating and stimulating the leaves. Another benefit.

In a much shorter time than usual, my tea was ready to drink. Yet another brainy innovation was evident when I lifted Teafu from my glass mug and turned it, standing it smartly on the flat base of the handle, alleviating any mess on the counter top. High quality teas that can be infused multiple times can sit comfortably in Teafu, waiting for the next brew. Brilliant!

So what were my overall impressions? I used Teafu to brew diferent types of tea and came to several conclusions:

• OK, the reason I don’t generally use infusers is because I believe tea has to have room to circulate, to dance in the hot water and reveal its full flavor and character. Teafu, in common with all tea infusers, restricts tea to a smaller area and therefore it immediately loses marks on that score in my opinion. But many people love tea infusers and use them on a daily basis, so unless you’re an infuser-free purist like myself, this is not be a reason to be put off. If you use an infuser, read on…
• I tried several different loose leaf teas using Teafu. I had a couple of minor complaints:
  • With a lower grade, finely chopped black tea, when I squeezed Teafu using its unique handle and silicone infuser, small particles were forced out of the infuser and into my drink. It wasn’t a big deal really, but I was left with small particles at the bottom of my cup. This was simply resolved by not drinking the last mouthful, but some people may be put off if they use a cut loose leaf tea and experience the same problem.
  • With a really high grade, loose leaf oolong tea, such as Da Hong Pao, Teafu, just like all other infusers, wasn’t quite big enough to enclose the long, slender leaves. I had to shake and snap a few leaves to make it fit. After that, no problems at all – it made a great cup.
• To sum up, as someone who doesn’t use tea infusers as a rule, Teafu was definitely the best infuser I’ve ever used. The clever innovations - the ability to speed the brewing process by squeezing the tea, the handle which doubles as a stand, and the overall look and feel of what is clearly a top quality product – made for an enjoyable experience.

If you use tea infusers to make loose leaf tea, at a bargain $14.95 USD, Teafu is most definitely worthy of your attention. You can find out more by visiting the Dreamfarm website at: http://www.dreamfarm.com.au/products/teafu/.

Thanks to Joanna from Dreamfarm for sending me the Teafu to try. I shall certainly use it whenever I need an infuser, as it’s the best tea infuser ever!

Starbucks, the world’s largest coffeehouse chain, may soon be serving Darjeeling tea in its more than 17,000 outlets across 49 countries. The Seattle-based coffee retailer has approached the Tea Board for a licence to import and sell premium Darjeeling tea, Tea Board chairman Basudeb Banerjee told ET.

“They have initiated correspondence with us and have sought some clarification on the present CTM (Certification of Trade Mark) licence,” said Mr Banerjee. Certification of Trade Mark from the Tea Board is a mandatory for all producers, manufacturers, packagers, blenders, exporters, and traders who wish to sell tea labelled as Darjeeling tea.

The certification is awarded only for teas produced by the 87 authorised Darjeeling estates or gardens and sold as single source or blended Darjeeling teas. The board gets an annual licence fee from all licence holders.

Starbucks, which bought Tazo Tea for $8.1 million to enter tea business in 1999, subsequently teamed up with McLeod Russel India (MRIL), Apeejay Tea, Warren Tea and Chamong Tee Exports to sources teas for the international market.

“It is already present in the Assam tea space. But for selling pure Darjeeling tea in their outlets they need a CTM licence,” said Mr Banerjee.

Nobody is entitled to use the word Darjeeling on packets of tea without a CTM licence, even if the teas originate from the authorised estates.

By TANNIS TOOHEY

Some people do yoga to relax. Susan Ho bakes. It’s been that way since she was a child.

“I remember when I was really young… mixing ingredients together. I didn’t know whether it would taste good or bad, but it was always fun,” Ho says. Later, she entertained friends with culinary delights she brought to potlucks.

As the founder of Tea Aura Inc., these days Ho, 34, is often in a kitchen, whipping up innovative, mouth-watering baked goods.

Her Toronto-based company creates shortbread cookies infused with tea flavours, such as Rooibos Chai, Earl Grey or Chocolate Mint. The company’s tea leaf-shaped cookies are carried by 215 Canadian and 20 American boutiques.

While baking with tea is rare in North America, when Ho visits Taiwan, where her mother is from, she frequently sees tea-infused cakes, cookies and candy. She didn’t know of anyone baking a similar product in North America. She began to wonder, “Why don’t I?”

Before launching Tea Aura, Ho – who has a nutrition diploma from Centennial College – worked as a hospital research nutritionist. Moving to self-employment went smoothly, thanks in part to Ho’s participation in several programs that provide advice to budding entrepreneurs.

In 2007, Ho applied to the Ontario Self-Employment Benefit Program, which offers business classes, for help developing a business plan and support from a mentor. When Ho joined the program, she initially planned to open a tea shop where she would sell tea-flavoured cookies. While developing her business plan, she realized setting up a tea shop would require a large amount of capital. She switched her focus to starting a tea-flavoured cookie business, which had lower startup costs.

Ho brought her revised business plan to Enterprise Toronto, which provides free business plan consultations. A consultant suggested Ho contact the Toronto Food Business Incubator, a non-profit organization that runs a shared commercial kitchen for entrepreneurs. By April 2008, Ho was in the incubator’s kitchen twice a week developing recipes.

The Toronto Food Business Incubator, which has a table at the St. Lawrence Market where clients can sell their wares, also gave Ho a chance to test her products. In July 2008, a month before Tea Aura launched, Ho spent several Saturdays at the market selling her cookies.

“That was a confidence booster for me,” she says, “to see that people actually like my product and that people will actually pay for it.”

When it came to branding, Ho and her husband Charles Wu – Wu is a partner in the business and has an MBA from the Schulich School of Business – decided to position Tea Aura’s cookies as a high-end product. “You sit back with a cup of tea and relax with it rather than rushing out the door and grabbing a cookie,” Ho says.

The company’s cookies feature top-notch ingredients. For the lavender currant cookie, the lavender comes from Provence. The Matcha Green Tea that flavours another is imported from Japan. Every cookie is made with Ontario pure butter.

Ho and Wu wanted the packaging to reflect the luxurious nature of Tea Aura’s products. Tea Aura’s cookies come in a tin, which retails for $9, and two different size bags ($3 for the smaller bag, $7 for the larger one). Each features elegant writing and sophisticated design.

The cookies’ flavours and packaging appealed to retailers on both sides of the border. At first, Wu and Ho did all the sales and distribution themselves. Within a year, 50 stores carried Tea Aura products. Last fall they began to work with a Canadian distributor who quickly brought the number of stores that carry Tea Aura’s products to nearly 240, which helped the young business become profitable.

Tea Aura’s products are still made in the Toronto Food Business Incubator’s kitchen, where Ho rents space three days a week. Ho and Wu fill small orders themselves but for larger orders call on up to 10 part-time staff.

“We would love to be able to get into our own kitchen but financially, it would be a really big burden on us,” Ho says.

But there may come a time when the incubator kitchen is not big enough. Tea Aura is in talks with brokers interested in bringing the line to Europe and Japan. If Tea Aura secures overseas distribution the increased demand may eventually lead the company to set up its own kitchen.

The small company is thinking big regarding its product line, too. In the future, Ho hopes Tea Aura’s products will include savoury tea-flavoured chips, tofu and sauces. “Tea can go into anything,” she says.

By Emily Fredrix – Associated Press

Sonoma County-based kombucha maker Vibranz said its fermented tea is back at Whole Foods stores, marking the first return after the grocer pulled the products from shelves over worries they contained too much alcohol. Whole Foods Market removed all varieties of the trendy tea from stores in mid-June. The retailer and regulators are concerned that some bottles have more than 0.5 percent alcohol — the legal limit for a drink not to be considered alcoholic. The tea in its most popular form is raw and unpasteurized, meaning it ferments and the yeast inside produces alcohol.

Kombucha (pronounced com-BOOCH-a or com-BOOK-a) contains live bacteria and yeast, similar to yogurt. People like the bubbly drink and say it has health benefits such as improving digestion.

The government since June has tested hundreds of types of kombucha to determine if it should be labeled like beer or wine. Distributors and retailers have removed raw kombucha from stores, saying they won’t restock until they know more.

Vibranz, with headquarters in Healdsburg, said it has a new formula that reduces alcohol to fall within the limits. Its kombucha, which it first started making in April, is now back in Whole Foods stores in Northern California. The company said it has more orders from around the country. It would not say how much alcohol its drinks had previously.

Whole Foods, which is based in Austin, Texas, did not return messages left seeking comment. G.T. Dave, CEO of the company that makes category leaders GT’s Kombucha and Synergy, said his company is close to relaunching new products within weeks.

The federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, which has not issued a recall, has been testing samples and plans to come out with new guidelines when testing is complete.

From Jim Boulden, CNN

The East India Co. began as a trading monopoly in 1600. It was the world’s first multinational company, a trading giant during the colonial rule of the Indian subcontinent. This week, The East India Co. is being reborn as a luxury brand — under Indian ownership.

Sanjiv Mehta, an Indian-born importer and entrepreneur, bought the intellectual property rights to the company in 2005, after they had lain dormant for a century. His goal was to create a global luxury brand.

His dream is realized in a new store off London’s high-end Regent Street, where the new East India Co. now sells gourmet tea, chocolate, coffee and gifts.

“Its name has a huge relationship with all that is high-end products,” Mehta said.

The East India Co. began as a trading monopoly under Queen Elizabeth I in 1600 to ship commodities to the West from India, China and the Spice Islands, countering the clout of the Dutch, Spanish and Portuguese.

It brought all the exotic foods from the East to the West.

At various times, the company controlled the trade in indigo dye, cotton, silk, opium and tea.

The “tea library” at the new store features more than 100 different types including green, black, herbal, and flavored teas.

“There would not be tea on the tables of London but for The East India Co.,” Mehta said. “So, in a way, we own this category.”

In time, the company and British colonialism became one and the same. It was the company’s tea that was dumped in Boston Harbor in 1773, and the company once controlled Singapore and India.

“It brought all the exotic foods from the East to the West,” Mehta said.

That idea is infused in the goods for sale at the store, from Japanese mustard to chocolate and biscuits flavored with sea salt and red peppercorns.

The British crown slowly took control of the company’s routes, ports, currency and military, becoming the symbol of the British empire.

In 1874, the company ceased trading, prompting an obituary in The Times newspaper now inscribed in a marble table at the new store: “It accomplished a work such as in the whole history of the human race no other company ever attempted, or is ever to attempt in the years to come.”

The company’s name may also remind some of the illegal opium trade from China, and oppression and wars in India. Mehta, however, sees another side in his native India.

“The English language, the ports, the railway system, the civil system … the bridges — all was built by The East India Co.,” he said. “So there’s a huge relationship between The East India Co. and various walks of life. It is not just food products.”

Mehta said he has invested around $20 million in the company so far. He hopes to open more stores and launch leather goods, jewelry and home interiors, plans that will take an additional $100 million, he said.

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These great offers won’t last for long, so take advantage of them now. Click here for more information…

Art of Tea has a couple of great deals this month. Their Springfling Deal – $5 off any product (excluding Tea of the Month or Gift Certs) starts on March 17 and runs through April 15 2010. The Customer Code is: SPRINGFLING. They are also offering free shipping on orders of $75 or more (continental USA only), Customer Code: ILUVT.

Teas Etc is running a Celebrate Spring Sale with 20% off all tea and tea ware products and Free Shipping on orders of $60 or more (after discounts have been applied). In addition, for every order received, Teas Etc will plant a tree as part of CarbonFund.org’s Million Tree Challenge. This special offer runs from today, Friday, March 19, 2010 through Monday, March 22, 2010, so get in quick! The promo code is SPRING. Click here for full details of the sale

Staying with Art of Tea, their excellent Pyramid Teabag Gift Box Set are still on sale with a saving of $10. It’s one of the nicest gift boxes we’ve seen, and the presentation is perfect for B&Bs or restaurants, or to add a touch of class at home. The superior pyramid teabags are a bonus!

Golden Moon Tea has one of the bargains of the century! Their outstanding Iced Tea Starter Set includes a Bodum Ceylon Iced Tea pitcher, a tin of their award-winning Coconut Pouchong loose leaf tea, a tin of refreshing Vanilla Mint loose leaf tea, and 100 T-sacs. Save 25% and get this great package for just $29.99.

Generation Tea is offering a real opportunity to make an investment in tea and profit in the future. You can buy a stack of seven 2005 Green Beeng Cha Pu-erh Tea Cakes for just $175, a saving of $55. This works out at just $25 per cake! These classic cakes, in the original bamboo leaf wrappers, are already aged five years, and the dated neifei inner paper seal and Awazon company name will make this edition desirable in the future. Store the entire 2.5kg package in a well ventilated place, preferably within the 60-85% humidity range, and be sur to avoid extreme temperatures and strong odors. Aged ten years these cakes can fetch $80 each; leave them for another decade or two and they will be worth hundreds of dollars per cake. I couldn’t resist getting a stack myself…

And my last special offer this month is also from Generation Tea. They are offering their Organic Loose Leaf Baimudan White Teabags, a bargain at $5 for a pack of 18, saving you over 37%. Top quality loose leaf white tea in the convenience of a tea bag… for $5? I’m in!

Look out for more special offers and discounts on tea and tea wares in our special tea offers section.

But don’t hesitate – this special runs only until TODAY, Monday, January 25, 2010… so get in right now!

Teas Etc: After a great cup of premium loose leaf tea on her honeymoon, Beth Johnston quit her job to form Teas Etc, which has grown to become an important company in the tea business.  Quality Certification Service (QCS) certified USDA organic, their teas are of the highest quality. Based in West Palm Beach, FL, they have offices in Atlanta, Georgia and Shanghai, China. Their Shanghai office gives them instant access to the most recent harvests direct from the garden. Direct trade such as this benefits farmers, workers and the community. They look firsthand at the working conditions and environment from which their teas originate to deliver quality products and service with genuinely ethical roots.

Tea News Direct Exclusive Review

We’ve recently tried a few offerings from Green Tree Coffee & Tea and were pleasantly surprised by the quality of their teas. They’ve got a classic range of loose Buy brand levitra online leaf teas with fine examples of Buy Viagra Online Pharmacy No Prescription Needed many of the great tea staples from China, Taiwan, India, Sri Lanka and South Africa. Their loose teas are available in bulk or by the pound. They have an attractive range of teabags, again available in bulk or smaller quantities, and great pyramid tea sachets.

Green Tree’s Loose Leaf Tea Selection is available at Buy Tea Online and we recommend that you take a look. In particular, their Darjeeling FTGFPO1 Black Tea, one of India’s most famous teas, is a product of genuine character. The Jasmine Pearls are good value, whilst the Buy micardis online target=”_blank”>China Magnolia Oolong Tea is a high-grade tea for a very reasonable price.

The whole Green Tree range is worthy of exploration as they offer many of the world’s famous teas - the standout Chinese green and black teas, Formosa oolong, Assam, Darjeeling and Chai teas from India, Ceylon estate teas, the list goes on. Check them out for yourselves and tell us what you think. We’d love to hear your opinions.

X-Men star signs up with drink firm

Hugh Jackman, the actor most famous as the testosterone-fuelled Wolverine in X-Men, is to show his softer side in a global advertising campaign for Lipton Ice Tea. Jackman, who also played the rugged stockman Drover opposite Nicole Kidman in Baz Luhrmann’s Australia, has signed a three-year deal to front a multimillion-pound campaign, the first he has starred in outside his native Australia.

The European marketing director for Lipton Ice Tea, Francois Bazini, said that it was Jackman's singing and dancing performance as a host at last year's Academy Awards that convinced the company to sign him up. “He has a great personality liked by men and women,” said Bazini. “He is very different from many other actors. He is a true entertainer who can dance, sing and act. We will use all of his skills.”

Lipton Ice Tea, which is owned by PepsiCo and Unilever, used celebrities in its TV advertising during the 1980s and early 1990s, including Tom Selleck, when he was at the height of his fame from Magnum PI, Sylvester Stallone in Rocky-style ads for the US and the tennis star Jimmy Connors. But the brand has not used a “face”, according to Bazini, since 2002, when Eric Cantona fronted a campaign across Europe.

Two Lipton ads featuring Jackman are now being shot in Brazil, for a worldwide launch in March. They are the work of the agency DDB Paris, and aim to position Lipton as a positive, guilt-free, optimistic drink. Jackman was quoted as saying: “I’m delighted with my new role as the Lipton Ice Tea ambassador, which is a totally new experience for me, so it’s very exciting.

“Lipton Ice Tea is a really positive brand and its values match those that are important in my life, so I can't wait to get started on all our plans.”

A new website has been launched offering “the biggest collection of chai teas on the web.”

Chai Buyer is aimed directly at those looking to buy chai tea, the delicious traditional spicy Indian tea made with milk. The website makes the final selection that much easier for those who already know they want to buy chai tea.

Chai Buyer is divided into simple categories to make browsing for chai tea straightforward. The categories are:

• Loose Leaf Chai Tea Blends
• Loose Leaf Black Chai Tea
• Loose Leaf Green Chai Tea
• Loose Leaf White Chai Tea
• Loose Leaf Pu-erh Chai Tea
• Loose Leaf Herbal Chai Tea
• Black Chai Teabags
• Green Chai Teabags
• White Chai Teabags
• Herbal Chai Teabags
• Chai Teabag Samplers
• Sugar and Spice…

There’s also an advanced chai tea search facility which allows you to pinpoint exactly what you want using keywords and category filters.

Chai Buyer plans to become the ultimate chai tea source on the internet, and many more chai teas have been identified for inclusion on the site over the coming weeks. Chai tea fans will be able to browse hundreds of products from the best suppliers around the world.

Manufacturers and retailers of chai tea are sought for possible inclusion on the site. For more information, please go to: www.ChaiBuyer.com