North American Tea Championship Demonstrates How Good Packaged Single-Service Teas Can Be

LAS VEGAS, Nov. 25, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The North American Tea Championship (NATC) named 11 first-place winners in key categories of its Packaged Single-Service evaluation. The Championship is the only independent competition, judged by professional cuppers, to distinguish the highest quality and best tasting teas that are commercially available in the North American marketplace. The Packaged Single-Service evaluation took place Nov. 6 – 7, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nev., and some of the winning teas will be featured at the upcoming World Tea Expo at the Long Beach Convention Center, May 6 – 8, 2015. See WorldTeaExpo.com and TeaChampionship.com.  

"The North American Tea Championship evaluations are the only competitions in North America that fairly rank tea products available in the market for the benefit of both the trade as well as consumers," said Tony Tellin, an NATC evaluator and the director of operations at Steven Smith Teamaker (smithtea.com), Portland, Ore. "This year's judging proved to be more enjoyable than ever; packers have really stepped up their game and are offering some fantastic experiences to tea consumers, who are spending a little more and tasting how good tea can be."

Lydia Kung, an NATC evaluator, tea buyer and expert with Eastrise Trading Corp./VeriLeaf LLC (eastriseteas.com) in Monrovia, Calif., said, "Brewing loose-leaf teas is a familiar and practiced routine for those in the tea industry. However, for many consumers, convenience in making a cup of tea is still foremost, and the recent NATC Packaged Single-Service evaluation shows how much the quality of teas in bags has improved."

Packaged Single-Service Tea first-place winners include (Company, Tea and Category):

• Glenburn Tea Direct (glenburnteadirect.com), Assam Pyramid Leaf Tea Bags, Black Tea – Single Origin           
• Newby Teas (U.K.) Ltd. (newbyteas.com), English Breakfast Silken Pyramids, Black Tea Blends – Unflavored     
• Nina's International (ninasteastore.com), The de Marie-Antoinette 10 Sachets, Black Tea Flavored
• Teapigs (teapigs.co.uk), Popcorn Tea, Green Tea Blended/Flavored
• Newby Teas (U.K.) Ltd. (newbyteas.com), Peppermint Silken Pyramids, Herbal
• QTrade Teas & Herbs (qtradeteas.com), Yellow Submarine, Herbal Blended/Flavored
• Teapigs (teapigs.co.uk), Jasmine Pearls, Jasmine Scented Green Tea
• Silk Road Teas (silkroadteas.com), Tieguanyin, Oolong Tea
• Hiya LLC (hiyatea.com), Green Tea, Steamed Green Tea
• Waterfall Tea Company (waterfallteas.com), Organic White Peony, White Tea
• Waterfall Tea Company (waterfallteas.com), White Champagne Raspberry, White Tea Blended/Flavored           

A complete list of first, second and third-place winners, as well as details on the Championship, is available at TeaChampionship.com.

To enquire about competing in upcoming North American Tea Championship evaluations, including the Hot Tea Class, Iced Tea Class and Packaged Single-Service Tea Class, e-mail [email protected] or call 702-253-1893.

The next North American Tea Championship, for the fall Hot Tea Class, takes place in February 2015.

About NATC's Packed Single-Service Class

The North American Tea Championship's Packaged Single-Service Tea evaluation is designed to determine the best tea bags, instant hot teas and other single-service teas that are commercially available in North America. The Class is evaluated once a year in November.

For the recent competition, submissions were evaluated blind and through organoleptic analysis of characteristics, including flavor, body, color, clarity and balance (leaf appearance was not a factor). An overall numerical value on a 100‐point scale was calculated based on the ratings of each characteristic, and winning teas were determined by rank.

All teas that competed were brewed using one single-serve pack (teabag, sachet, portion pack, etc.) and steeped in an eight ounce serving cup. For the evaluation, the water temperature and steep time for each category was according to a specific Brew Plan chart.

About The Beverage Group, a division of F+W, A Content + eCommerce Company

The Beverage Group, a division of F+W, A Content + eCommerce Company, is an integrated media company dedicated to providing business solutions to the global beverage industry, including: World Tea Expo, the North American Tea Championship, World Tea Academy and World Tea News.

F+W is an enthusiast-focused Content and eCommerce company, serving 20 Million consumers annually via the Company's print portfolio, ecommerce stores, extensive online education programs, trade and consumer events, popular consumer catalog brands, nationally-broadcast TV programs and more, all in service of passionate niche communities of professionals. (fwcommunity.com)

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/north-american-tea-championship-demonstrates-how-good-packaged-single-service-teas-can-be-300001110.html

SOURCE F+W, A Content + eCommerce Company

Related Links

http://www.fwcommunity.com