We have mostly described Kopius Teas as a resource for resellers, that is wholesalers and distributors who purchase our bulk teas for resale. In reality, our market also includes institutional food service and federal, state and local governments who may use our bulk teas, herbs and spices for culinary and quick service dining. Some of our core capabilities in this area include the following:
1. Bulk tea bags. We can now produce food service, bulk pyramid tea bags directly in our facility. The advantage of this step is the avoidance of shipping charges to a third party for packaging. Our clients select their teas, the weight per tea bag, and the number of total tea bags. The pyramid bags are manufactured and bagged in bulk (without wrappers) and sent directly to our clients.
Not only is this helpful in reducing the carbon footprint for individual wrappers, but it also gives our clients the flexibility to take a single order of pyramid tea bags and use them in a combination of retail repackaging, wholesale distribution, and food service tea preparation.
2. Pre-packed institutional pouches. Food service bulk distribution of loose tea need not carry the same polish as finished, retail packaging. We have many coffee roasters and tea distributors who simply want 1-2 lb bags of bulk tea labeled with the name of the product, lot number, date, and weight. This goes on generic packaging, which is often less expensive than pre-printed foils. We offer this as a more cost effective way to ship volumes of tea to different elements of the distribution channel.
3. Filter and cello tea packs for iced tea. Iced tea continues to be the most popular form of tea consumption in the US. We can manufacture 1 - 3 oz bags of tea for use in automated iced tea brewing machines, such as Fedco, Curtis, and Bunn. 1 oz typically produces 1 gallon of iced tea.
4. Formulation services. All of the above can begin with our formulation services which are specially designed to create a finished product that has a predetermined leaf appearance, taste, texture, color and price. Whether we are designing an artisan blend with flowers, fruit, tea and spices, or a simple tea bag cut blend for high volume, low cost targets, our master blenders devote significant energy towards constructing a recipe that is both consistent and scalable.
Optional formulation considerations include ingredients that are Organic, Fair Trade, Biodyamic, and Rain Forrest Alliance certified.
5. Documentation. We continue to see greater demand among our larger buyers for documentation of quality and food handling. This includes Certificates of Analysis, Product Specifications, and sometimes third party laboratory testing.
Kopius Teas can now accept GSA Smartpay and GSA Smartpay 2 credit cards with the VISA or Mastercard logo. We continue to support federal, state, and local governments with the ability to conveniently purchase our products in bulk or tea bag formats. Kopius Teas is registered as a Certified Small Business by the United States Small Business Administration and the State of California. Government institutions and Prime Vendors are invited to contact us for a formal capabilities statement, including potential bids for subcontracting of GSA or non-GSA procurement.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Sunday, April 17, 2011
EarthFair on Earth Day 2011
What a beautiful day in San Diego to walk the EarthFair. In the age of the internet, it was a wonderful experience seeing a broad range of community booths, all providing excellent information on helping to protect our planet. I think the highlight for me was learning about all the local organizations dedicated to park preservation and the restoration of our natural habitat.
Even though I don't know much about bugs and species of native plants, many experts were available for a quick consultation.
If your city or county has a Earth Day celebration, I encourage you to get out an get involved.
Even though I don't know much about bugs and species of native plants, many experts were available for a quick consultation.
If your city or county has a Earth Day celebration, I encourage you to get out an get involved.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Current crisis in Japan
More than in our hearts and mind, we pray for the victims and families of the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear crisis in Japan right now. Even as we watch the youtube and media coverage of live and historical footage of the devastation, we know we cannot really comprehend the extent of the damage, both at present and to be realized in the near future. Residents of Sendai and surrounding regions have been exposed to such a multitude of natural and unnatural hardships - shaking, water, waves, fire, cold, radiation, lost family, lost friends, lost homes, lost businesses.
One only needs to view the USGS website to get a sense of the continual shaking. Since March 12, there have been over 159 earthquakes of magnitude 5.0 or greater. Our relatives who currently reside outside of Tokyo are living in constant fear, often unable to sleep and weary of potential radiation fallout.
The world is connected, not just in information, but in trade. We have already heard inquiries into the safety of tea we are currently importing from Japan.
First of all, our last shipment from Japan arrived Feb 22. Secondly, it originates from Shizuoka, Kyoto, and Yama. The closest region, Shizuoka, which produces over 50 percent of Japan's tea, is over 250 miles from Sendai. I spoke with the US office of the Shizuoka producer company this week and will visit with them next week.
As we continue to gather more information into any potential disruption of shipments, we will post it to this blog.
Please take a moment to consider a donation or additional donation by texting REDCROSS to 90999
One only needs to view the USGS website to get a sense of the continual shaking. Since March 12, there have been over 159 earthquakes of magnitude 5.0 or greater. Our relatives who currently reside outside of Tokyo are living in constant fear, often unable to sleep and weary of potential radiation fallout.
The world is connected, not just in information, but in trade. We have already heard inquiries into the safety of tea we are currently importing from Japan.
First of all, our last shipment from Japan arrived Feb 22. Secondly, it originates from Shizuoka, Kyoto, and Yama. The closest region, Shizuoka, which produces over 50 percent of Japan's tea, is over 250 miles from Sendai. I spoke with the US office of the Shizuoka producer company this week and will visit with them next week.
As we continue to gather more information into any potential disruption of shipments, we will post it to this blog.
Please take a moment to consider a donation or additional donation by texting REDCROSS to 90999
Friday, January 14, 2011
SpecialTeas Substitutions / Replacements
As many of you may have heard, SpecialTeas is closing down their wholesale and retail web site. We enjoyed their teas and we wish them much success in their future endeavors.
For those of you who don't know us, Kopius Teas (www.kopiusteas.com) is a business to business distributor of fine teas and herbs. We offer the finest selection of Certified Organic and Fair Trade teas and blends, all shipped direct from our blending and packaging facilities in Southern California. In addition, we stock an abundance of conventional products as well.
We thought it would be helpful to create a quick chart of SpecialTeas equivalent teas to see how many we could match. The traditional unflavored teas should be fairly close in character. The blends will vary slightly based on the percentage and nature of the flavoring used.
In researching the SpecialTeas list, I was quite impressed by the range of teas and non-teas they stock. Of course, we're not Kopius (Copious) Teas in name alone.
Here's our initial view. It's slightly over 75 at first glance. Not too bad. If you're a business in need of a replacement for a SpecialTeas tea or tisane, you can use the chart below to find our closest equivalent. If you're a retail customer, shoot us a message, as we may still be able to assist you.
We'll try to update this list when we get a chance - this is a preliminary view. Do you have a favorite that's not shown below? Let us know...
For those of you who don't know us, Kopius Teas (www.kopiusteas.com) is a business to business distributor of fine teas and herbs. We offer the finest selection of Certified Organic and Fair Trade teas and blends, all shipped direct from our blending and packaging facilities in Southern California. In addition, we stock an abundance of conventional products as well.
We thought it would be helpful to create a quick chart of SpecialTeas equivalent teas to see how many we could match. The traditional unflavored teas should be fairly close in character. The blends will vary slightly based on the percentage and nature of the flavoring used.
In researching the SpecialTeas list, I was quite impressed by the range of teas and non-teas they stock. Of course, we're not Kopius (Copious) Teas in name alone.
Here's our initial view. It's slightly over 75 at first glance. Not too bad. If you're a business in need of a replacement for a SpecialTeas tea or tisane, you can use the chart below to find our closest equivalent. If you're a retail customer, shoot us a message, as we may still be able to assist you.
We'll try to update this list when we get a chance - this is a preliminary view. Do you have a favorite that's not shown below? Let us know...
| SpecialTeas Product / Item | Recommended |
| No. 249 ASSAM TGFOP-1 | Assam FOP |
| No. 220 MALTY FBOP | Organic Banaspathy GBOP |
| No. 264 MANGALAM FTGFO | Satrupa SFTGFOP1 |
| No. 317 KENILWORTH OP1 | Kenilworth OP |
| No. 318 DIMBULLA OP | Kirkoswald Full Leaf |
| No. 311 KOSLANDA OP | Koslanda BOP |
| No. 316 LOVER’S LEAP B | Lovers Leap Pekoe 1 |
| No. 304 NUWARA ELIYA B | Mahagastotte FBOP |
| No. 321 VITHANAKANDE F | New Vithanakanda Extra Special |
| No. 319 VITHANAKANDE F | New Vithanakanda FBOPF Special |
| No. 310 PETTIAGALLA FO | Pettiagalla |
| No. 502 KEEMUN IMPERIA | Keemun Black OP 1276 |
| No. 501 KEEMUN SPECIAL | Keemun Black Superior |
| No. 515 SUPERIOR TI KU | Organic Tie Kuan Yin Oolong Ex Special |
| No. 511 FINE TI KUAN Y | Tie Kwan Yin K103 |
| YUNNAN FBOP | Yunnan Black 6112 |
| No. 507 YUNNAN IMPERIA | yunnan Black Needle |
| No. 142 MARGARET'S HOP | Oaks TGBOP |
| No. 135 SELIMBONG FTGF | Selimbong |
| No. 104 JUNGPANA FTGFO | Jungpana |
| No. 882 DECAF ENGLISH | Decaf English Breakfast |
| No. 871 DECAF CHAI WIT | Decaf Rockin Chai |
| No. 895 DECAF SENCHA G | Decaf Papaya Green |
| No. 928 RASPBERRY WITH | Berries & Rose |
| No. 908 ALMOND COOKIE | Fortune Cookie |
| No. 916 GINGER PEACH A | Ginger Peach |
| No. 927 PEACH WITH PEA | Ginger Peach |
| No. 915 COCONUT WITH C | Hula High |
| No. 917 SWEET LEMON WI | Lemon Drop |
| No. 919 MANGO WITH MAN | Mango Swirl |
| NO. 933 WILD CHERRY WI | Persian Delight |
| No. 867 GREEN TEA GREE | Apple Pear Green |
| No. 940 GREEN TEA SWEE | Lovely Lemon Drop |
| No. 946 MOROCCAN MINT* | Moroccan Mint |
| No. 771 GREEN TEA ORAN | Orange Spritzer |
| No. 712 SWEET CRANBERR | Crimsonberry |
| No 725 Lemonade Sonata | Lemonade |
| No. 755 GREEN ROOIBOS | Cape Carnival |
| No. 750 PURE GREEN ROO | Green Rooibos |
| No. 976 AFTER DARK | Chamomile Blend |
| No. 987 LEMON VERBENA, | Lemon Verbena |
| No. 977 PEPPERMINT, CU | Peppermint Organic |
| WHITE PEONY (PAI MU TA | Bai Mudan Ex Special |
| No. 655 GENMAI-CHA | genmaicha |
| No. 700 GYOKURO SUPERI | Gyokuro |
| No. 654 HOJI-CHA | Hojicha |
| No. 591 BOLD-LEAF PU-E | Organic Pu-erh #2 |
| PEACH BLOSSOM WHITE TE | Peach White |
| STRAWBERRY WHITE TEA | Pomegranate White |
| SILVER NEEDLE (YINZHEN | Silver Needle |
| No. 551 China Silver N | Silver Needle White Down |
| No. 800 ENGLISH BREAK | Venture English Breakfast Organic |
| No. 705 MATCHA 30g tin | Yame Matcha |
| LAPSANG SOUCHONG ORGAN | Organic Lapsang Souchong |
| No. 966 MATE TIRAMISU | Chocolate Vanilla Mate |
| No. 963 MATE ROASTED | Roasted Yerba Mate |
| No. 960 MATE GREEN | Yerba mate |
| No 350 Himalayan Golde | Organic Gurance SFTGFOP1 |
| No 354 Himilayan Tips | Organic Gurance SFTGFOP1 |
| No 351 Himilayan Mount | Organic Gurance SFTGFOP1 |
| No. 331 TIGER HILL OP | Chamraj FOP |
| No. 952 ROOIBOS CHOCOL | Chocolate Mint Rooibos |
| No. 760 ROOIBOS CHAI ( | Herbal chai |
| No. 950 PURE ROOIBOS, | Rooibos Short Cut |
| No. 763 ROOIBOS WHITE | Rooibos White Chocolate Melange |
| No. 956 ROOIBOS SIMBA | Safari |
| No. 562 JASMINE ORGANI | Jasmine #4 DZS |
| No. 565 JASMINE PHOENI | Jasmine Pearls |
| No. 569 CHINA ROSE CON | Rose Congou |
| No. 522 CHINA CHUN MEE | Chun Mee 9371 |
| No. 533 LUNG CHING (DR | Dragonwell Extra Special |
| No 547 Superior Lung C | Dragonwell Extra Special Organic |
| No. 520 GUNPOWDER SPEC | Gunpowder |
| No. 527 PI LO CHUN SEL | Organic Bi Luo Chun |
| No. 618 TUNG TING JADE | Organic High Mountain Oolong |
| No. 614 FORMOSA POUCHO | Paochong |
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Reordering Wholesale Teas and Herbs
We recently posted a video on how to quickly reorder products from the Kopius Teas website. If you order from us frequently, give it a look. We're sure it'll save you much time and energy.
3 new organic flowering teas
We just added three NEW organic flowering teas to the menu.
Personally, I like the presentation of the Solstice the best. We'll be loading some videos of the flowerings opening to the www.kopiusteas.com site shortly.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Contract Tea Formuation Services and Ingredients
Sometimes people view our range of different organic and conventional teas and tea blending ingredients and forget to note that Kopius Teas (www.kopiusteas.com) and its partner QTrade Teas & Herbs are also in the business of contract formulation and manufacturing. In fact the main reason why we even offer our vast selection of herbs spices flowers and fruit pieces is because we use those ingredients in our own contract blending operations. The tea blending ingredients we show on our website are, in fact, only a small portion of the ingredients we actually maintain in our inventories.
Why don't we show all of our inventory for sale? The two main reasons are availability and price stability. Some ingredients may be subject to large price fluctuations based on crop size, climate, and overall demand. In addition we may need to reserve inventory simply to fulfill ongoing, manufacturing commitments.
The other component we do not show on the website are our flavorings. Most of the flavors we use are liquid-based and are shared across the manufacturing of multiple flavored teas. Tea is normally a naturally hydroscopic ingredient, which absorbs and retains applied liquid flavors quite readily.
Now that we know there are many ingredients and flavors to choose from, we can begin to address how new and novel blends are created.
Like many things in life it, product development begins with an idea, a concept. These may be variations of things that we've already tasted, or they can be completely new. I like to think of one company that's brought this to life most recently and that is Jelly Belly. Jelly Belly innovates and introduces completely new and interesting concepts in jelly bean flavors. Buttered popcorn, bubble gum, peanut butter, etc.
You can think of the range of flavors to be at this extreme and even further. Although you may immediately reject the idea of drinking a peanut butter flavored beverage, some of these concepts became immediate hits, just because someone had the foresight and courage and determination to see these items to market.
That same originality can be applied to contract tea formulation. We start with an idea, and build from there. We try different ideas and remain open to variations and subsequent new avenues for pursuit.
As a business, our wholesale custom tea formulation services are geared at working with your ideas and defining a range of alternative recipes that fits your specific pricing needs. We generally offer a series of different alternative sample blends for consideration. Tasting these samples under a range of different steeping conditions is the best way to understand how the product may be accepted by your clients.
Once the formula has been finalized, the manufacturing process then returns to one of sustaining quality and availability.
I should end by noting that not all formulation projects entail the use of flavors. Some of our largest contract formulation projects revolve around the proper blending of pure, natural teas. This is where our expertise in sourcing and cupping becomes paramount. A well balance tea blend, whether served hot or iced, needs to exceed a set range of criteria for flavor, aroma, texture, color, strength and freshness. Tea, being a natural product subject to seasonal variations in rain, moisture, wind, sunshine, soil, and processing, can introduce new considerations from lot to lot.
Seek a business partner who will take a personal interest in the size of your project and can make a commitment to developing and maintaining the resources needed to both formulate and manufacture according to your volume requirements.
Most contract blenders will start with a minimum size order of 50 - 100 lbs of tea. Of course, you may also wish to check how your vendor can accommodate a dramatic increase in scale, should you develop the next blockbuster product in tea and obtain a distribution contract with a large grocery store chain or big box retailer.
Lastly, if you are building an organic tea recipe, you should inquire about Organic Certification with your vendor. This documentation trail is necessary to support the US National Organic Program requirements for use of the USDA Organic Seal on the package label. Similarly, if you are seeking other certifications, such as Fair Trade or Kosher, be sure to mention these to your vendor early on so you select ingredients that maintain these standards.
Why don't we show all of our inventory for sale? The two main reasons are availability and price stability. Some ingredients may be subject to large price fluctuations based on crop size, climate, and overall demand. In addition we may need to reserve inventory simply to fulfill ongoing, manufacturing commitments.
The other component we do not show on the website are our flavorings. Most of the flavors we use are liquid-based and are shared across the manufacturing of multiple flavored teas. Tea is normally a naturally hydroscopic ingredient, which absorbs and retains applied liquid flavors quite readily.
Now that we know there are many ingredients and flavors to choose from, we can begin to address how new and novel blends are created.
Like many things in life it, product development begins with an idea, a concept. These may be variations of things that we've already tasted, or they can be completely new. I like to think of one company that's brought this to life most recently and that is Jelly Belly. Jelly Belly innovates and introduces completely new and interesting concepts in jelly bean flavors. Buttered popcorn, bubble gum, peanut butter, etc.
You can think of the range of flavors to be at this extreme and even further. Although you may immediately reject the idea of drinking a peanut butter flavored beverage, some of these concepts became immediate hits, just because someone had the foresight and courage and determination to see these items to market.
That same originality can be applied to contract tea formulation. We start with an idea, and build from there. We try different ideas and remain open to variations and subsequent new avenues for pursuit.
As a business, our wholesale custom tea formulation services are geared at working with your ideas and defining a range of alternative recipes that fits your specific pricing needs. We generally offer a series of different alternative sample blends for consideration. Tasting these samples under a range of different steeping conditions is the best way to understand how the product may be accepted by your clients.
Once the formula has been finalized, the manufacturing process then returns to one of sustaining quality and availability.
I should end by noting that not all formulation projects entail the use of flavors. Some of our largest contract formulation projects revolve around the proper blending of pure, natural teas. This is where our expertise in sourcing and cupping becomes paramount. A well balance tea blend, whether served hot or iced, needs to exceed a set range of criteria for flavor, aroma, texture, color, strength and freshness. Tea, being a natural product subject to seasonal variations in rain, moisture, wind, sunshine, soil, and processing, can introduce new considerations from lot to lot.
Seek a business partner who will take a personal interest in the size of your project and can make a commitment to developing and maintaining the resources needed to both formulate and manufacture according to your volume requirements.
Most contract blenders will start with a minimum size order of 50 - 100 lbs of tea. Of course, you may also wish to check how your vendor can accommodate a dramatic increase in scale, should you develop the next blockbuster product in tea and obtain a distribution contract with a large grocery store chain or big box retailer.
Lastly, if you are building an organic tea recipe, you should inquire about Organic Certification with your vendor. This documentation trail is necessary to support the US National Organic Program requirements for use of the USDA Organic Seal on the package label. Similarly, if you are seeking other certifications, such as Fair Trade or Kosher, be sure to mention these to your vendor early on so you select ingredients that maintain these standards.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
Fair Trade Resource Network
If you're new to Fair Trade or want a fresher on how these programs are designed to assist small farming communities, sign up for a series of seminars offered by the Fair Trade Resource Network.
They are offering a new series called, "Webinar Series "Clarifying Certifications in Fair Trade". A small donation is requested per webinar segment.
You might also want to visit FairTradeUSA or FairTradeCanada for additional resources.
They are offering a new series called, "Webinar Series "Clarifying Certifications in Fair Trade". A small donation is requested per webinar segment.
You might also want to visit FairTradeUSA or FairTradeCanada for additional resources.
Friday, October 15, 2010
First Pyramid Tea Bags
We just completed our first run of wholesale, bulk pyramid tea bags for food service. I think they came out rather nice!This particular manufacturing run was made with a slightly larger bag and contains 2.5 grams of tea per bag. The pyramid bagging machine is all digital, so we can set the desired weight per bag and it will constantly monitor the weight per bag to ensure the proper minimum quantity.
Think of it. Any restaurant chef, tea merchant, coffee roaster can now come to us and we can custom formulate and manufacture tea bags for food service. Pretty cool.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Customer Support Live Chat Upgraded
We just completed an upgrade to our live customer support chat rooms. Previously, our chat rooms were rarely monitored, with the chat link located fairly far down the home page left navigation panel. Now we will be offering live support more frequently throughout the week to bring you a higher degree of customer service, especially as we approach the busy holiday season. Look for the Live Support link (shown above) in the upper left corner, directly above our contact telephone numbers.
Several new features include:
- include initial contact information so we can immediately locate your account records
- print or email chat transcripts
- transfer files without leaving the chat window
- participate in optional exit satisfaction surveys
- quick link to our customer support ticket resolution system during non-monitored sessions
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
New Over the Cup Teaze Infuser for Elegant Tea Preparation
|  | |
|
Saturday, October 2, 2010
T-sac disposable tea filters now available
The five options we now offer include:
#1: 100 cup tea bags per box
#2: 100 mug tea bags per box
#2 bulk: 1000 mug sized tea in non-retail box for food service
#4: 100 pot tea bags per box
#5: 40 slim carafe tea bags per box
This range of filter sizes allow flexibility for not only food service, but also for consumers who wish to select the proper sized bag for the personal, family or entertainment audiences.
I usually travel with loose tea and a few disposable t-sac tea filters. This lets me enjoy quality tea in my hotel room, on the airplane, and anywhere I can find hot water.
Here's a hint...you can fill these tea bags and heat seal them yourself in advance of an event. Offer them to your friends who may not be familiar with how to steep loose leaf tea. When the bags are sealed, you can just drop them in a cup, pot, or thermos without worrying about the tea floating out of the bag.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
QTrade Teas & Herbs Awarded Five First Place Winners at North America Tea Championship 2010
SANTA FE SPRINGS, Calif., Aug. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- World Tea Media has awarded QTrade Teas & Herbs five first place awards from over 200 submissions at the North America Tea Championship - Hot Tea Class. An independent, expert panel of seasoned tea professionals granted top honors to QTrade across a wide range of tea categories and origins.
QTrade's first place finishers included:
Best Ceylon - New Vithanakande Supreme, Sri Lanka
Best Darjeeling - Jungpana 2nd Flush, India (3rd year as Best Darjeeling)
Best Blended White Tea - Organic & Fair Trade Silver Serenity
Best White Tea - Organic & Fair Trade Silver Needle Supreme
Best Pan-Fired Green Tea - Tunxi Green Tea, China
"We're quite pleased the panel selected not only five exceptional teas from QTrade, but that two of the entries originated from Certified Organic and Fair Trade tea gardens," explains Manik Jayakumar, President, QTrade. He adds, "QTrade continues to work at the forefront of socially responsible, sustainable agricultural methods. Organic Silver Serenity and Organic Silver Needle Supreme finished top in their class, signifying how organic methods can often lead to superior tasting teas."
"We wish to commend QTrade on their continued participation and success in these tasting competitions," exclaims Ronald Eng, President, Kopius Teas. "If you look at the thirteen first place awards and the twenty-eight total awards from the past three years, it's clear that QTrade not only has the global network to acquire some of the world's finest teas, but that they also have the expertise to consistently identify best-in-class entrants."
About QTrade Teas
QTrade Teas & Herbs (www.qtradeteas.com) is a direct from source importer of quality ingredients serving the middle to upper tier food and beverage industries for over fifteen years. QTrade is the largest importer of organic teas in the United States, and also offers a growing selection of organic herbs, spices, fruits and flowers. Augmenting the products is a complementary set of custom formulation, blending, and private label services.
About Kopius Teas
Kopius Teas (www.kopiusteas.com) specializes in providing premium teas, herbs, and accessories for the startup to middle tier wholesale markets. The website features a broad selection of over 400 teas and blending ingredients from QTrade Teas & Herbs and is designed for tea merchants, coffee roasters, cafes, and specialty retailers.
Contact: Ronald Eng, 1-949-766-0070 x500.
QTrade's first place finishers included:
Best Ceylon - New Vithanakande Supreme, Sri Lanka
Best Darjeeling - Jungpana 2nd Flush, India (3rd year as Best Darjeeling)
Best Blended White Tea - Organic & Fair Trade Silver Serenity
Best White Tea - Organic & Fair Trade Silver Needle Supreme
Best Pan-Fired Green Tea - Tunxi Green Tea, China
"We're quite pleased the panel selected not only five exceptional teas from QTrade, but that two of the entries originated from Certified Organic and Fair Trade tea gardens," explains Manik Jayakumar, President, QTrade. He adds, "QTrade continues to work at the forefront of socially responsible, sustainable agricultural methods. Organic Silver Serenity and Organic Silver Needle Supreme finished top in their class, signifying how organic methods can often lead to superior tasting teas."
"We wish to commend QTrade on their continued participation and success in these tasting competitions," exclaims Ronald Eng, President, Kopius Teas. "If you look at the thirteen first place awards and the twenty-eight total awards from the past three years, it's clear that QTrade not only has the global network to acquire some of the world's finest teas, but that they also have the expertise to consistently identify best-in-class entrants."
About QTrade Teas
QTrade Teas & Herbs (www.qtradeteas.com) is a direct from source importer of quality ingredients serving the middle to upper tier food and beverage industries for over fifteen years. QTrade is the largest importer of organic teas in the United States, and also offers a growing selection of organic herbs, spices, fruits and flowers. Augmenting the products is a complementary set of custom formulation, blending, and private label services.
About Kopius Teas
Kopius Teas (www.kopiusteas.com) specializes in providing premium teas, herbs, and accessories for the startup to middle tier wholesale markets. The website features a broad selection of over 400 teas and blending ingredients from QTrade Teas & Herbs and is designed for tea merchants, coffee roasters, cafes, and specialty retailers.
Contact: Ronald Eng, 1-949-766-0070 x500.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Kopius Teas can now contract manufacture your own tea inside pyramid tea bags
We have a new Fuso tea bagging machine in the warehouse! Yeah!This means we can not only create custom tea blends, but we can also manufacture the pyramid tea bags directly from the same facility in Los Angeles, CA.
At present, we are only making bulk tea bags - bags without individual wrappers. Nevertheless, I think this is a significant step towards offering restaurants and cafes their own signature line of pyramid tea bags for food service and retail applications.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Thoughts on the World Tea Expo
We had a great time at the World Tea Expo 2010. This was the second time we've exhibited and the first time the conference was held in the Las Vegas Convention Center. At first I was a little concerned that the venue was not as appealing as the Mandalay Bay, but perhaps the only difference was that we had further to travel to go to a nice place for drinks or meals.
Our overall traffic was a little off from last year - this was expected. We continue to see strong interest in our organic teas, contract blends, and private label tea bags.
We did have a chance to go out on the Las Vegas strip more than last year. We visited the new Aria at City Center TWICE! It's such a nice hotel - we hope to stay there next time we're up in Vegas. There's a great british pub, Todd English at City Center. Give it a try. I liked the Arbor beer from England, and I wouldn't even consider myself a beer drinker.
Let me know if you have questions about our experiences at the WTE. Overall, it's a time to meet our clients and talk tea. We've already signed up for next year - exhibiting at the same booth space slightly later in June 2011.
Our overall traffic was a little off from last year - this was expected. We continue to see strong interest in our organic teas, contract blends, and private label tea bags.
We did have a chance to go out on the Las Vegas strip more than last year. We visited the new Aria at City Center TWICE! It's such a nice hotel - we hope to stay there next time we're up in Vegas. There's a great british pub, Todd English at City Center. Give it a try. I liked the Arbor beer from England, and I wouldn't even consider myself a beer drinker.
Let me know if you have questions about our experiences at the WTE. Overall, it's a time to meet our clients and talk tea. We've already signed up for next year - exhibiting at the same booth space slightly later in June 2011.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Tea Clubs
Our website and business is designed for business to business transaction. Having said that, our minimums are only 2 lbs per item. If you have a tea club and group of friends who really enjoy tasting new, quality teas and want to purchase tea at a significant discount, please contact us to set up an account. The savings would be very significant over retail prices.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Is that coffee with your tea? Or tea with your coffee?
Coffee drinker. Tea drinker. Why not both - at the same time?!Our latest blends cross the chasm by blending tea with real roasted coffee beans. Three exciting flavors:
- White Chocolate Mousse Cafe
- Toasted Coffee Almond
- Cafe Naranja
Make peace between the divisions. And let tea take the first step.
Visit Kopius Teas at the World Tea Expo in Las Vegas. June 11-13, Las Vegas Convention Center. Booth 302.
Kopius Teas - Tea with an Attitude.
Just what I am talking about at the World Tea Expo New Business Boot Camp?
People always laugh when I try to describe my contribution to the World Tea Expo's New Business Boot Camp. Technology and Tea - could we have selected a set of more diametrically opposite topics?!!
As I mention in my introductory remarks, my background is in biotechnology and I used to live in Silicon Valley. Technology is in my blood, whether I like it or not. Actually, I'm very adamant about using only what you need.
For a retail tea shop or online tea business, this might mean one or more of the following:
The above lists are just some of the tools we've implemented. The end result is we know what we've done, what we're doing, and where we're going. I remember one of my old employers had a high paid consulting team come in and tell us the core of what they try to discover is simply "what's working" and "what's not working".
As I mention in my introductory remarks, my background is in biotechnology and I used to live in Silicon Valley. Technology is in my blood, whether I like it or not. Actually, I'm very adamant about using only what you need.
For a retail tea shop or online tea business, this might mean one or more of the following:
- Point of Sale system (a computer) or basic cash register (dedicated cash register)
- Accounting system
- E-commerce domain, hosting, and cart
- Merchant account
- Electronic postage
- Digital camera and photo editing software
- Gift and loyalty cards
- Security cameras and digital recording systems
- Wireless hotspot
- Social networking strategy
- Data security plan
- Scorecards
The above lists are just some of the tools we've implemented. The end result is we know what we've done, what we're doing, and where we're going. I remember one of my old employers had a high paid consulting team come in and tell us the core of what they try to discover is simply "what's working" and "what's not working".
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Getting the most out of your visit to the World Tea Expo
We have been attending the World Tea Expo (WTE) in Las Vegas since its first inception as the Take Me to Tea conference. The event is always well attended and if you're still on the fence in terms of deciding whether to go or not, I would certainly encourage you to go.
So what makes the WTE so attractive? Believe it or not, I would have to say its organizers. George and Kim Jage and the team at SFG Group, LLC are really dedicated to making a good experience for all. Sure they try a few ideas that don't work so well, but you can easily tell they truly want everyone to walk away thinking they will attend next year, too. I've attended similar coffee shows where they just randomly throw up a bunch of speakers and open an exhibit hall to vendors. On the contrary, the organizers of the World Tea Expo are always trying to keep you engaged, offering lots of activities and sidebar type opportunities.
While the World Tea Expo has been conducted for probably near 7 years now, it's much more than a "seen that" "done that" experience. The format of education and exhibits and cultural demonstrations and workshops offers a nice balance between the pure fact finding about tea and the practical world of how we can all share our love for this healthy, simple beverage.
The event is scheduled for June 11-13 at the Las Vegas Convention Center with a New Business Boot Camp (where I am an instructor) offered immediately before and the Specialty Tea Institute certification courses offered immediately after. It will certainly be a long show if you run the whole span, but I've know people to have done it!
To get the most from the World Tea Expo, here are my list of top recommendations (not in any particular order):
1. Network, network, network. Bring your business cards and get to know as many people in the industry as possible. Whether you are just starting out or have been in the business for awhile, you quickly realize there aren't too many formats that allow us to meet face to face. Certainly, once you've opened your tea room it becomes even harder to break away for several days in a row. I recommend you take the time now to make at several hundred business cards and try to make it a point to hand them all out! Of course, a business relationship is more than exchanging business cards, but at the very least, you don't want to run out of cards at the show.
2. Sign up for courses that best suit your needs. The seminars in the morning run concurrently, so you will need to find the classes that best match your interests. If this is a repeat visit for you at the WTE, don't feel as if you have to revisit a class that you've taken before just to see if there's anything new. Chances are you'd be better served attending a class that's completely a new experience. For me, I think many new ideas are sparked by the unexpected. Putting yourself if a new, unexplored situation is the best way to feed the creative fire.
3. Manage your exhibit time. The exhibit floor is generally buzzing every minute of the show. Last year as an exhibitor, we were constantly swamped with so many show attendees that we hardly had time to take a break, let alone see the other events scheduled throughout the afternoon. This year we're a little smarter and will have additional staff at the show. If you're attending, you should have ample time to visit all the exhibit booths without a problem. You shouldn't feel rushed at all, especially if you're going to be there all three days.
On the other hand, if you're only going to be at the show for a single day, I would certainly encourage you to visit the exhibits for the entire time it's open. Manage your time wisely and know that if you're planning on attending a guided tasting or afternoon cultural demonstration, this is time you will not be on the exhibit floor.
4. Taste a few teas, but know it's the relationship that counts. Many of the exhibitors will offer a few teas to sample. While this can give you an idea of a new tea that they are introducing, don't take it as an indication of whether you will work with that vendor or not. For each vendor offering tea, there are probably about 100 or more teas that aren't being offered for sampling. Furthermore, will you really be able to make a decision about tea quality when you're sampling out of a small paper or plastic cup, standing in a loud conference hall while holding a bag of conference materials over your shoulder? No, it's much better to select a few vendors to work with and get a catalog or website to examine when you get home.
4a. Establish a relationship with your vendors. We have owned our own retail storefront for over 6 years now. We used to see the World Tea Expo in terms of a buyer. Now we see the World Tea Expo in terms of both a buyer and seller. Since overall there are fewer sellers than buyers, let me share a secret with you. Vendors can often be your source for much more than providing product. Since they work with so many independent retailers, they can also be a source of guidance on which teas might work best in your environment. If they have direct retail experience, they will also know much more about the hurdles you will need to overcome in a retail environment - anything from business plan, to staff management, to product margins. While you don't want to use the time at the show to pound vendors for information, it's an ideal time to quickly describe your business and what makes it unique. The vendor will appreciate and remember your individual story and be able to note that for future interactions after you get home.
As a wholesaler, we often receive inquiries from start-up business owners, but if a start-up entrepreneur has taken the time to introduce themselves at the show, to share their vision and a little of their personality, it goes a long way in terms of understanding timeframe, range of teas, typical client demographics, seasonality and much more.
5. Consider attending the pre show New Business Boot Camp and the STI Certification Classes. I lump these together, but they are really quite different animals. The bootcamp is designed more for the fundamentals of setting up your own storefront. The STI Certifcation Classes are dedicated to educating you in the appreciation of a specific set of teas. Both are quite valuable. If you have never attended an STI class, you will probably wish you had a chance to attend even before the exhibition had started. Both pre and post courses are very practically oriented, loaded with lots of tips and hints you will be able to immediately bring back with you once you get home and your head stops spinning. By all means, consider the STI Certification class if there is not a class offered in your region some other time throughout the year. The time and cost you'll save by not having to travel to another location will be well worth it. FYI, the Boot Camp is only offered once a year.
6. Consider scheduling meetings at the conference. Let's say there is an open slot in the morning that's not taken up by a class or perhaps you will want time to sit down some time throughout the busy exhibition schedule. Why not set up a time to meet with someone you'd like to have some face-to-face time with? Perhaps it's someone you've just met at the show, or even a vendor who you'd like to discuss some specialized blending or packaging project with. Chances are they'd be more than happy to meet with you, especially when they're going to be giving you their complete attention and not looking to help a new client who's been waiting patiently at the booth for 5 minutes.
7. Practice your 15 second elevator speech. You know the story. What would you say to a rich investor if you bumped into them in an elevator? Practice this script so it will aid you in transmitting your vision and act as a base for discovering who you will be able to partner with after the show. "I'm starting a tea shop." while possibly accurate and succinct isn't going to get the same reaction as "We're launching a new, retail and online resource for the world's freshest organic teas, SensitiviTea. SensitiviTea be sold across the country and will include home recipes for adding seasonal fresh fruit and flowers to freshly brewed tea." What you're doing is getting others excited by your idea, leading them to want to help you be successful. What about divulging too much? Believe me, if your idea is that easy to copy, you probably won't last long in a competitive environment where some parties will have much deeper investment resources than you. Who knows, maybe your idea is unique enough to attract investors at the show - wouldn't that be great?!
8. Be prepared to blog/facebook/twitter about your experience. Nothing can be more viral than the net. Your enthusiasm, your new venture, your overall impressions at the World Tea Expo, when shared with others who participate in your success, can only help fuel your expertise and dedication to the field. Let's face it, no one really cares if you're the type of person who bounces from one interest to another without really accomplishing anything. For many of us, tea is a life long journey. Whether we stay in the field professionally or not, we will always be loyal to the leaf and the many facets of its appeal.
9. Consider all contacts valuable. Maybe this comment has more to do with how you manage your contact information when you get home, but take note of the fact that the industry is always bigger than you are. Today you may have specific needs to launch your business. Next year you may stumble upon a big corporate client who wants to use your brand to make tea bags in every national health food store across the country. How could you do that? Would you have the connections to pull this off? Or did you just shop for new tea blends, tea cups, and novel infusers for 6 hours?
10. Give back. My last recommendation is to take a few moments to contemplate how you can give back to the tea community. Whether it's a donation of tea, or hosting a few tea seminars, or even becoming a featured speaker at next year's World Tea Expo, it's a great feeling to help those who were in your position a year or two from now. That's why I'm speaking at the Expo. That's why we're exhibiting. That's why I'm so interested in helping you. This industry has always been so supportive - everyone wants you to do well.
11. I leave #11, 12, 13 and on to you. Share you ideas on our blog or consider cooperatively linking with us at Kopius Teas (kopiusteas.blogspot.com).
Ron
So what makes the WTE so attractive? Believe it or not, I would have to say its organizers. George and Kim Jage and the team at SFG Group, LLC are really dedicated to making a good experience for all. Sure they try a few ideas that don't work so well, but you can easily tell they truly want everyone to walk away thinking they will attend next year, too. I've attended similar coffee shows where they just randomly throw up a bunch of speakers and open an exhibit hall to vendors. On the contrary, the organizers of the World Tea Expo are always trying to keep you engaged, offering lots of activities and sidebar type opportunities.
While the World Tea Expo has been conducted for probably near 7 years now, it's much more than a "seen that" "done that" experience. The format of education and exhibits and cultural demonstrations and workshops offers a nice balance between the pure fact finding about tea and the practical world of how we can all share our love for this healthy, simple beverage.
The event is scheduled for June 11-13 at the Las Vegas Convention Center with a New Business Boot Camp (where I am an instructor) offered immediately before and the Specialty Tea Institute certification courses offered immediately after. It will certainly be a long show if you run the whole span, but I've know people to have done it!
To get the most from the World Tea Expo, here are my list of top recommendations (not in any particular order):
1. Network, network, network. Bring your business cards and get to know as many people in the industry as possible. Whether you are just starting out or have been in the business for awhile, you quickly realize there aren't too many formats that allow us to meet face to face. Certainly, once you've opened your tea room it becomes even harder to break away for several days in a row. I recommend you take the time now to make at several hundred business cards and try to make it a point to hand them all out! Of course, a business relationship is more than exchanging business cards, but at the very least, you don't want to run out of cards at the show.
2. Sign up for courses that best suit your needs. The seminars in the morning run concurrently, so you will need to find the classes that best match your interests. If this is a repeat visit for you at the WTE, don't feel as if you have to revisit a class that you've taken before just to see if there's anything new. Chances are you'd be better served attending a class that's completely a new experience. For me, I think many new ideas are sparked by the unexpected. Putting yourself if a new, unexplored situation is the best way to feed the creative fire.
3. Manage your exhibit time. The exhibit floor is generally buzzing every minute of the show. Last year as an exhibitor, we were constantly swamped with so many show attendees that we hardly had time to take a break, let alone see the other events scheduled throughout the afternoon. This year we're a little smarter and will have additional staff at the show. If you're attending, you should have ample time to visit all the exhibit booths without a problem. You shouldn't feel rushed at all, especially if you're going to be there all three days.
On the other hand, if you're only going to be at the show for a single day, I would certainly encourage you to visit the exhibits for the entire time it's open. Manage your time wisely and know that if you're planning on attending a guided tasting or afternoon cultural demonstration, this is time you will not be on the exhibit floor.
4. Taste a few teas, but know it's the relationship that counts. Many of the exhibitors will offer a few teas to sample. While this can give you an idea of a new tea that they are introducing, don't take it as an indication of whether you will work with that vendor or not. For each vendor offering tea, there are probably about 100 or more teas that aren't being offered for sampling. Furthermore, will you really be able to make a decision about tea quality when you're sampling out of a small paper or plastic cup, standing in a loud conference hall while holding a bag of conference materials over your shoulder? No, it's much better to select a few vendors to work with and get a catalog or website to examine when you get home.
4a. Establish a relationship with your vendors. We have owned our own retail storefront for over 6 years now. We used to see the World Tea Expo in terms of a buyer. Now we see the World Tea Expo in terms of both a buyer and seller. Since overall there are fewer sellers than buyers, let me share a secret with you. Vendors can often be your source for much more than providing product. Since they work with so many independent retailers, they can also be a source of guidance on which teas might work best in your environment. If they have direct retail experience, they will also know much more about the hurdles you will need to overcome in a retail environment - anything from business plan, to staff management, to product margins. While you don't want to use the time at the show to pound vendors for information, it's an ideal time to quickly describe your business and what makes it unique. The vendor will appreciate and remember your individual story and be able to note that for future interactions after you get home.
As a wholesaler, we often receive inquiries from start-up business owners, but if a start-up entrepreneur has taken the time to introduce themselves at the show, to share their vision and a little of their personality, it goes a long way in terms of understanding timeframe, range of teas, typical client demographics, seasonality and much more.
5. Consider attending the pre show New Business Boot Camp and the STI Certification Classes. I lump these together, but they are really quite different animals. The bootcamp is designed more for the fundamentals of setting up your own storefront. The STI Certifcation Classes are dedicated to educating you in the appreciation of a specific set of teas. Both are quite valuable. If you have never attended an STI class, you will probably wish you had a chance to attend even before the exhibition had started. Both pre and post courses are very practically oriented, loaded with lots of tips and hints you will be able to immediately bring back with you once you get home and your head stops spinning. By all means, consider the STI Certification class if there is not a class offered in your region some other time throughout the year. The time and cost you'll save by not having to travel to another location will be well worth it. FYI, the Boot Camp is only offered once a year.
6. Consider scheduling meetings at the conference. Let's say there is an open slot in the morning that's not taken up by a class or perhaps you will want time to sit down some time throughout the busy exhibition schedule. Why not set up a time to meet with someone you'd like to have some face-to-face time with? Perhaps it's someone you've just met at the show, or even a vendor who you'd like to discuss some specialized blending or packaging project with. Chances are they'd be more than happy to meet with you, especially when they're going to be giving you their complete attention and not looking to help a new client who's been waiting patiently at the booth for 5 minutes.
7. Practice your 15 second elevator speech. You know the story. What would you say to a rich investor if you bumped into them in an elevator? Practice this script so it will aid you in transmitting your vision and act as a base for discovering who you will be able to partner with after the show. "I'm starting a tea shop." while possibly accurate and succinct isn't going to get the same reaction as "We're launching a new, retail and online resource for the world's freshest organic teas, SensitiviTea. SensitiviTea be sold across the country and will include home recipes for adding seasonal fresh fruit and flowers to freshly brewed tea." What you're doing is getting others excited by your idea, leading them to want to help you be successful. What about divulging too much? Believe me, if your idea is that easy to copy, you probably won't last long in a competitive environment where some parties will have much deeper investment resources than you. Who knows, maybe your idea is unique enough to attract investors at the show - wouldn't that be great?!
8. Be prepared to blog/facebook/twitter about your experience. Nothing can be more viral than the net. Your enthusiasm, your new venture, your overall impressions at the World Tea Expo, when shared with others who participate in your success, can only help fuel your expertise and dedication to the field. Let's face it, no one really cares if you're the type of person who bounces from one interest to another without really accomplishing anything. For many of us, tea is a life long journey. Whether we stay in the field professionally or not, we will always be loyal to the leaf and the many facets of its appeal.
9. Consider all contacts valuable. Maybe this comment has more to do with how you manage your contact information when you get home, but take note of the fact that the industry is always bigger than you are. Today you may have specific needs to launch your business. Next year you may stumble upon a big corporate client who wants to use your brand to make tea bags in every national health food store across the country. How could you do that? Would you have the connections to pull this off? Or did you just shop for new tea blends, tea cups, and novel infusers for 6 hours?
10. Give back. My last recommendation is to take a few moments to contemplate how you can give back to the tea community. Whether it's a donation of tea, or hosting a few tea seminars, or even becoming a featured speaker at next year's World Tea Expo, it's a great feeling to help those who were in your position a year or two from now. That's why I'm speaking at the Expo. That's why we're exhibiting. That's why I'm so interested in helping you. This industry has always been so supportive - everyone wants you to do well.
11. I leave #11, 12, 13 and on to you. Share you ideas on our blog or consider cooperatively linking with us at Kopius Teas (kopiusteas.blogspot.com).
Ron
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
