January 18th, 2012
Late last year I made the second of two round the world trips looking at the tea gardens and checking up things generally. Sounds like fun doesn’t it? Actually being on the estates, breathing that wonderful fresh air, touching the tea and talking about the forthcoming crops and quality we can expect really is fun. The travel …UGH!!..the jet lag…really UGH.!! In more refined times it took 3 weeks to get out “East” on a ’steamer’ that chugged its way across the ocean. Now you lock yourself into a long metal tube. Fasten a seat belt and 17 hours later you are among the tea bushes with an old friend that you have known for more than 40 years….I would not change a moment of my life, the good, the bad and the ugly is all a part of my life. But on reflection, if there was one element I could ADD to, it would be spending more time among the tea bushes and on the tea estates. I just love that part of the business. So even after a 17 hour flight I still look pretty happy…………..
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March 23rd, 2010
Tasting is my specialty by training and experience, but cupping is part of the industry by trial, error & tradition |
The classic tasting set up. It never ceases to amaze me that no matter where I go to in the world, whenever I enter a tea tasting room I am faced with the exact same set of bowls, cups, and lids. This is not a standard that came into being because the UN or the ISO (International Standards Organization) arranged it. It came into being over hundreds of years of teas being tasted and tasters travelling back and forth across the world with their cups and bowls so that eventually all tasters ended up using the same equipment. It’s actually a pretty amazing story…
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May 26th, 2009
Clearly somebody is ready to greet somebody back into the office!!
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May 20th, 2009
Now back in Denver I stop by a local 7-11 and meet these two charmers! I promised these two ladies would appear in my blog and here you are ladies…my promise is kept! Just over my right shoulder you can see the fountain dispenser for Coopers Iced Brew Tea. I was told it sold REALLY well….always good to hear that news. Now what we pray for is a long hot summer!!
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May 18th, 2009
Here I am working with Cecelia the Vice President of Sales for Cooper Tea Company. Behind is our new booth which attracted a lot of attention. As I reported it was a good show for us. We had new products on display and they generated a lot of interest and the sales team has a lot of follow up to do….that’s what makes this NRA show such a good one to attend…the heavy hitters get to see what you are offering and what is the latest and greatest tea….
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May 16th, 2009
Chicago, Chicago it’s my kind of town. That is at least when the National Restaurant Show is on. We are attending the show (as we do every year) There were less people this year. We estimated about 20% less overall, but the 80% who did come were very active and it was a good show for us. It is a mammoth event but in talking to the taxi drivers (ALWAYS a good source of real time information) the “show” environment was very different this year and you could even get a reservation at good restaurants. Now that was impossible last year! So the economy is hurting all aspects of business.
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May 1st, 2009
Well third time lucky I guess…What I mean by that is I have been invited back to be a semi-finalist in the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the year. I don’t know if I will make the finals but my reward for getting to the semi’s was to meet a Anndrea, a Marketing and Communications Director, the resulting conversation was fascinating. Turns out she is married to a huge guy (Anndrea is very petite) who played football. They met at an Art Class and she was terrified of him because he was so big. Then she saw the gentle side of him as he sketched and painted and turned out to be a very good artist. When Anndrea found out that he could cook as well…..well he was toast! For those of a curious mind, inclined to see schemes everywhere this picture was taken by Sandy, my wife, who was also at the event…….
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April 30th, 2009
I was invited to give a talk on the challenges of International business by the Denver World Trade Center. Three of us spoke about the beverage industry. A whisky guy, a beer guy and me. I was surprised at how similar our experiences and advice to the audience was. We basically agree that you had to establish good personal relationships, really know and understand your markets and accept the different cultures that you were dealing in. We also mentioned that cultures were so different around the world that you needed a friend or close associate to help you through the cultural minefield…knowing not to bow in Japan is an important thing!
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March 17th, 2009
I really do work in between all this travel! Here I am posed at a show draped all over our new tropical tea that is selling like wildfire. Shows are tough and demanding as you have to be charged up talking to all the people who show the slightest interest in your product. If they take the time to stop you have to take the time to talk and explain what your product is and why it is so good. I think being up on the display behind me seems to help with my credibility. Even though shows are tough they are also extremely valuable, you learn firsthand the public’s reaction to you product. That is worth the price of pearls!!!
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March 1st, 2009
And then onto the main event of the evening…the book signing…we sold out! Of course I had a number of friends there to lend their moral support….friends are good to have at book signings!
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