World Tea Expo Throws Open Door to Tea Championship

LAS VEGAS, April 27 /PRNewswire/ -- In its third year, the continent's first and most watched event for evaluating teas is now open to a more inclusive pool of contestants and takes place three times a year. The North American Tea Championship (formerly the World Tea Championship) invites any company with tea inventory in North America to enter one of its three annual contests, scheduled to evaluate spring and fall harvests of hot tea, as well as iced tea.

"We really wanted to evaluate teas in their optimal state. Conducting the Tea Championship three times a year will allow us to do that," said Kim Jage, executive vice president of World Tea Media, and founder of the Tea Championship. "We'll judge iced teas in time for National Iced Tea Month (June), and we'll taste spring teas in July and autumn teas in February, when they're at their best."

The Iced Tea Competition is currently underway, with entries being accepted through May 11. The evaluation will be conducted May 18 at the Wilbur Curtis Corporate Headquarters in Montebello, Calif. Winners will be announced June 1 and an awards celebration will be held at the 2010 World Tea Expo® June 11-13 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Dates for the Spring Tea and Autumn Tea Competitions will be announced soon.

In another change, the North American Tea Championship has broadened its eligibility for entry. For reasons of efficiency, past Tea Championships were open only to companies that exhibited in World Tea Expo, which produces the Championship. Also, retailers were not eligible. These rules excluded many interested potential entrants, who will now be able to throw their hat in the ring.

Jage said, "It was always our intention for the Tea Championship to be open to anyone in the industry who has a supply of tea in North America. The first two years, the event was growing and evolving. Now we have the experience we need and the processes in place to fulfill our original intention."

To find out more about the North American Tea Championship, visit www.WorldTeaExpo.com or call (702) 253-1893.

World Tea Expo is the premier business-to-business event dedicated to specialty tea; it's the three days each year when industry members determine trends, optimize product lines, increase knowledge and network with peers. Tradeshow Week magazine has recognized it as one of the Fastest 50® growing events in North America in 2006, 2008 and 2009.  World Tea Expo is produced by SFG Group, LLC, which also produces World Tea News, North American Tea Championship, World Tea Ratings, World Tea Buyers Guide and World Tea Webinars. For more information, visit (www.worldteaexpo.com). 

SOURCE 2010 World Tea Expo