Thursday, May 17, 2012

Conference At-a-Glance

 

Icon Key   Business Development
Sales and Marketing Tea Knowledge
Business Development Executive & Technical  Sales & Marketing Tea & Health Tea Knowledge
Friday, June 1
CORE CONFERENCE SEMINARS (Lectures)
EXECUTIVE & TECHNICAL
FOCUSED TASTINGS
SKILL BUILDING WORKSHOPS
8:00-9:30
Will Tea Ever be as Big as Coffee?
Panel Discussion with Market Leaders In the U.S. there are over 25,000 coffee shops and - best estimates suggest - around 3,500 tea retail locations. Can the tea retail market catch up to coffee in size? Will the coffee retailers absorb much of the projected growth in tea sales? In recent years, a new breed of tea retailer has spawned and many have secured success in multiple locations. Will this rising tide float all boats? You will not want to miss this uniquely insightful panel discuss the future of the tea retail market.
Moderator:
George Jage, President, World Tea Media
Panelists:
Charles Cain, Vice President, Tazo Merchant & Operations, Starbucks
Joseph Cugine, President, Argo Tea
David De Candia, Director of Tea, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
Jack Groot, Founder, JP's Coffee & Espresso Bar		 8:30-11:30


Deconstructing Famous Traditional Grocery Store Blends The tea section at grocery stores remains where mainstream America buys their tea. In this hands-on blending workshop, you will use some of the famous traditional blends as inspiration and foundation in creating your own best-selling loose leaf teas.
Victor Jara Victor Jara has been with Sun Garden Tea since 2008. With a technical background in molecular biology and food safety, Victor was initially brought on to lead Sun Garden's Organic and HACCP programs. However, his natural love for tea and tasting developed quickly early on in his time with Sun Garden. Victor now heads Sun Garden's sourcing and blend design in addition to maintaining oversight with Sun Garden's Quality Assurance programs.
9:45-10:45
Competing with the "Big Guys" In the ever changing industry we are a part of, how does a small business owner with a passion for a product compete with the big guys who are on a race to open as many stores as possible? You may not have the capital to compete with the sheer volume of stores they are opening...but you have something they don't. Learn what that is.
Shabnam Weber Shabnam Weber is the co-owner of The Tea Emporium - a specialty tea company in Toronto with five locations and more on their way. Shabnam is a tea educator and author of the Tea Sommelier program for the Tea Association of Canada currently being taught at Colleges across Canada. She is a board member of the Tea Association of Canada and is Chair of the Education, Retail and Marketing Committees. Shabnam has a Bachelor’s in Political Science from the University of Toronto as well as a Post-Graduate Diploma in Psychology from the UK.
Finding Gold in Green Markets There is great opportunity in the small and intimate. A variety of smaller venues abound in today’s market providing an opportunity to expand brand and reach more customers. Green markets aka. farmer’s markets, community events, ethnic festivals and the like are going on everyday and require a minimum of investment and risk.
Dan Robertson As an importer, wholesaler, blender and purveyor of premium teas and accessories, he is involved with many levels of the tea industry. He is a regular contributor to various tea trade periodicals, web blogs and tea news services. Known for his informal and engaging style, Dan shares his passion for tea, lecturing around the world for businesses, educational and private groups, and tea industry trade shows and events. An authority on tea culture, history, production and trade, Dan conducts professional tea tasting classes and instructs courses in the Chinese tea ceremony. As founder and director of the International Tea Cuppers Club he facilitates access to and experience of premium teas from across the globe. His DVD The Art of Chinese Tea – The Tea Ceremony, is a demonstration and tutorial on the gongfu style of tea making.
Branding, Messaging and Marketing a Tea Business This session will show attendees how to use consistent messaging to build a strong tea business brand, to effectively market their brand, and to grow their brand in a manner aligned with the company’s mission.
Peter Martino Peter is a dynamic, highly driven entrepreneur and attorney who is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and Georgetown Law. He is a former nuclear submarine officer and serial entrepreneur who sold his first company, a financial software developer, to a public company. In 2007, Peter co-founded Capital Teas with his wife Manelle, taking advantage of her 120-year family tradition in the tea trade, and since 2010 has embarked upon a rapid expansion program. In addition to overseeing financial and legal operations of Capital Teas, Peter drives the company’s brand through retail store design, tea selection and marketing, and online strategy. His mutli-faceted career includes practicing law in New York City at the nation's most successful litigation boutique, as a Presidential appointee to a Senior Executive position at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, as a real-estate developer, and as a business consultant. His favorite role is developing companies and brand strategies for market success.
11:00-12:00
Magic Merchandising Discover the best way to merchandise tea and tea related products and learn how to introduce new products that compliment the environment. Effectively use space and create more sales. Learn how to merchandise in category areas using color schemes and like items. Introduce cost effective window marketing for a polished and professional look.
Holly Hunt With over 20 years of retail management experience Holly has enjoyed putting her experience to something she is truly passionate about...TEA Holly has also previously owned Cherub's Cafe, a tea cafe & gift store on El Paseo Drive in Palm Desert California and has over 15 years of experience as a doll designer with designs sold through major markets such as HSN, The Franklin Mint and various specialty retailers throughout the country. It is only fitting that her love for tea has transformed into a passion for providing legendary customer service for experienced and not so experienced tea enthusiasts. Holly is currently in her second year with her specialty retail tea store Fleur de Teas located in a quaint urban area of central Phoenix Arizona.
Federal Trademark Registration: Are You Ready? After many agonizing "do-overs" you have finally settled on a great name and logo. Are you ready to file for trademark protection? Come discover the nuts and bolts of filing for Federal Trademark protection, including the costs involved, and receive guidance on when to turn it over to an expert.
Kristen Schneider With experience opening and running a brick-and-mortar tea room as well as launching an internet tea business, Kristen understands the challenges facing business owners today. Kristen holds a law degree from the University of Texas, School of Law, and taught law classes for 13 years before entering the tea industry. She is a published author, a frequent speaker on both tea and legal issues, and currently works as a small business consultant in Houston, Texas. Kristen believes in putting everything in easy to follow language, with the goal that anyone attending her seminars will leave with immediately relevant ideas to help grow and protect his/her business.
Steampunk and Alt Culture in Your Tea House Alt-culture can be a vehicle for bringing profit to your brand/tea house while attracting new groups of customers. One alt-culture movement, Steampunk, appreciates tea, Victorian aesthetics and social events, large and small. Learn what Steampunk is and how it can bring popularity, customers and media attention to your business.
Steven Downer Steven and Jenny Downer became interested in tea while attending college together. They married after graduation. For nearly 5 years, their business, Sipping Streams Tea Company, has provided quality tea and education to Alaska. In 2011, Steven won the title, "Top Tea Infusionist" at World Tea Expo after competing in the Tea Infusion Challenge. When not cupping, Steven works as a controls programmer while Jenny works full-time at the tea house-teaching, training, blending and managing.		 11:00-12:30


Understanding Puer Tea This fascinating session will explore the history and manufacture of Puer teas from China’s Yunnan province. Attendees will taste 5 different Puerh teas made by different processes from young bushes and from ancient trees and aged for just a few years or for many years. To add a truly Chinese flavor, the session will conclude with a performance of the Puer Tea Ceremony by Di Liu.
Jane Pettigrew In 1983, with two friends, Jane opened and ran Tea-Time, an art deco style teashop in London. Since then, she has written 13 books on various aspects of the beverage, its manufacture, associated table wares, rituals, history and recipes. Over the years, she has also worked as editor of Tea International, as Managing Director of St James's Teas and as consultant and trainer to The UK Tea Council. She has trained staff at some of London's most important five star hotels, has run training programmes for a number of tea companies, and teaches Tea Masterclasses in the UK and abroad for anyone who wants to know more about tea in order to enhance their business or personal life. Jane writes regularly for various magazines and websites, speaks at conferences and events around the world, and appears regularly on television and radio.
Kanzo SakataKanzo Sakata is Professor Emeritus, Laboratory of Molecular Biocatalysts, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University. Professor Sakata dedicated much of his esteemed academic career to researching tea and publishing his findings on tea science. He specializes in the development of floral aroma during the production and processing of oolong and black tea. He has numerous scientific tea publications to his credit and has also received many awards for his research. He continues to work with the Japanese government to assist Japanese tea makers improve the quality of their teas.
Di LiuDi Liu is the daughter of Master Liu & his wife Master Dong Bi Lian. Their Jin Damo puerh cakes are famous in China and beyond. The tiny tea estate where the teas are made is located among the ancient tea trees of Mount Mengsong in Yunnan province, China, and contains trees that are 800 years old. Their puerh teas have been recognized by the Yunnan government as some of the finest teas from the area. Didi is a distinguished young tea scholar who has spent the last ten years researching and creating tea ceremonies and rituals for Pu-Erh tea. To better understand the history of tea brewing, she has travelled across China and abroad to study with some of Asia's most respected tea academics. Di Liu has performed and presented puerh teas at tea festivals in the UK, Japan, Thailand, and Taiwan as well as in China where she has appeared on national television.  

 

SOLD OUT

 1:00-4:00


What is Brisk? Better yet, what is Astringency? During this active hands-on session you will cup teas and accurately match sensations with professional tasting terms. You will build vocabulary and deepen your understanding of professional terminology. Moreover, you will develop your ability to objectively assess and describe the taste profile of a cup of tea, without superimposing personal biases.
Aaron Vick Aaron Vick fell out of professional cooking and into the world of tea when he had his first tea cupping led by a professional trainer at Peet’s Coffee & Tea. Inspired by that experience he spent ten years with Peet’s as a staff educator, sharing the knowledge that inspired him and learning from some of the most experienced people in the industry. That community of tea people led him to The G.S. Haly Co., renowned supplier of specialty teas in the U.S. for over 120 years. In his three years with Haly, Aaron has been immersed in the daily discipline of cupping samples from the great specialty tea origins of the world and bringing them to the North American market.
Suzette Hammond Suzette Hammond is the Training and Education Director for Adagio Teas and previously a trainer with Peet's Coffee and Tea, she is a Board Member and Instructor for the Specialty Tea Institute, serving as Chair of the Education Committee. Suzette is a Judge for the North American Tea Championship, an active participant with the Northwest Tea Festival and World Tea Expo. She won the first Tea Infusion Challenge - held at the World Tea Expo.
Mo Sardella Mo Sardella began his career in the coffee and tea industries in 1998 with Peet’s Coffee and Tea based in Berkeley, CA. Since then, Mo has focused on broadening coffee and tea education and experience for hundreds of new professionals and customers alike. Now at the G.S. Haly Tea Company working alongside Mike Spillane and Aaron Vick, Mo continues to hone his palet and refine his knowledge about the various intricacies of tea every day.

 

SOLD OUT
Saturday, June 2
CORE CONFERENCE SEMINARS (Lectures)
EXECUTIVE & TECHNICAL
FOCUSED TASTINGS
SKILL BUILDING WORKSHOPS
8:00-9:30
From Earl Grey to Da Hong Pao: Improving Your Customer's Palate As culinary knowledge and sophistication rise, how do we take our customers from mainstream teas to better quality teas? How do we map a path to those very teas that have been the subject of focused tastings at the World Tea Expo all these years?
Lydia Kung An avowed foodie who thinks teas get short shrift even as culinary expectations rise in our craft-fixated food culture, Lydia is delighted to play the role of tea advocate. Surely, some of the attention to growing regions and techniques in food, wine, and coffee can be transferred to a more judicious appreciation of fine teas. As an importer, Lydia has occasion to sample teas daily, ranging from low-end, high-volume products to captivating teas that virtually demand sipping again and again. She especially enjoys any occasion to taste with a group, since shared comments help build a tea lexicon and give articulation to nuances. Although no longer working in ethnography, all that this subject encompasses remains a passion, and tea falls easily into this field. Despite its long tradition, tea continually turns up new finds and surprises. Tea can still confound, and Lydia considers this as one of tea's greatest pleasures.
RealiTea: The Real Life Evolution of a Tea Store We just opened our 3rd store. Come share the entire journey. Scouting locations, working with landlords, lawyers, architects, contractors, inspectors, staffing, training, missteps, marketing, Grand Opening, and beyond. We’ll share all financial data; where we saved money, where we lost money (or time), and what we would have done different. You’ve heard of reality TV, this is reality tea store.
Bill Waddington Bill Waddington is the founder of TeaSource, a wholesale and retail specialty tea company. As such he imports and blends some of the finest teas from around the world. TeaSource is a 15 year old company with hundreds of wholesale customers all across North America. Bill’s mission is simple: to find the best teas in the world, and then to make them available and help Americans learn to appreciate them. Bill is also a huge advocate for the specialty tea business. He believes education and outreach efforts are essential to succeed in the specialty tea business. Bill is a frequent quest on the National Public Radio show, The Splendid Table. Bill has served on the Board of Directors of the American Premium Tea Institute, was the Chairman of the 2004 Specialty Tea Institute Symposium, and was the keynote speaker at the China International Tea Expo, Beijing Oct. 2005.
Networking Works: Build Relationships to Build Your Business Networking is a critical tool for building business, yet many business owners and professionals don't represent themselves or their businesses effectively. This workshop covers:* Preparation * Elevator speeches (the good, the bad, the ugly!) * Standing out in the crowd * Working the room * Dealing with anxiety * Following up (Includes practice)
Lisa Braithwaite Lisa Braithwaite works with individuals and groups to build their skills and confidence as speakers. Before launching her coaching, speaking and training business, she worked in the nonprofit sector in Santa Barbara for sixteen years as an advocate, educator and trainer, creating and implementing programs, curricula, and training materials for nonprofit organizations. She received her B.A. in Theater from Pomona College and her M.A. in Education from UC Santa Barbara. Lisa’s philosophy is that public speaking is fun, it's a perfect way to express yourself creatively, and that authenticity and passion are worth more than a thousand techniques. She has been interviewed for The Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, Men’s Health Magazine, the Santa Barbara News-Press, and on Inc.com. Her blog, Speak Schmeak, is one of the top public speaking blogs on the Web. 		8:00-9:30
Understanding the Retail Shopper for Tea Products Drawing on proprietary survey data from Packaged Facts, this presentation features tea shopper insights ranging from purchasing rates by product type, variety and flavor choices for bagged/loose vs. RTD tea, planned vs. impulse purchasing, price/promotion based purchasing, and product choice motivators. The session also draws on sales tracking, new product introduction, and demographic data to provide a cross-channel view of specialty tea trends.
David SprinkleDavid Sprinkle is research director for Packaged Facts (Rockville, MD), a division of MarketResearch.com. He has presented at conferences including Fancy Food Show, the National Confectioners Association, SupplySide West, and Focus on the Future, as well as contributing to trade publications such as Gourmet Retailer, Natural Products Insider, and Progressive Grocer. His study on Premium Consumers and the New Economy: Food and Foodservice was published by Packaged Facts in 2009. Packaged Facts, with a 50-year record of providing authoritative consumer research, offers in-depth market reports, expert analysis, proprietary data, and custom services to help business professionals make the right strategic decisions. Packaged Facts’ areas of expertise include foods and beverages, consumer goods and retailing, and shopper trends.		 8:00-9:30
Taste the Difference - Different Cups for Different Teas Wine connoisseurs know that the shape of the glass totally changes the taste of wine but do tea drinkers consider the effects of the bowl, cup or glass on flavour? In this fascinating session, we'll be tasting 6 different teas in 3 different shapes. Can you taste the difference?
Jane Pettigrew In 1983, with two friends, Jane opened and ran Tea-Time, an art deco style teashop in London. Since then, she has written 13 books on various aspects of the beverage, its manufacture, associated table wares, rituals, history and recipes. Over the years, she has also worked as editor of Tea International, as Managing Director of St James's Teas and as consultant and trainer to The UK Tea Council. She has trained staff at some of London's most important five star hotels, has run training programmes for a number of tea companies, and teaches Tea Masterclasses in the UK and abroad for anyone who wants to know more about tea in order to enhance their business or personal life. Jane writes regularly for various magazines and websites, speaks at conferences and events around the world, and appears regularly on television and radio.
Peter Ting Peter Ting is an award winning ceramic designer and consultant with an extensive knowledge of the history of ceramics, computer techniques and both craft skills and industrial production processes. Ting has worked exclusively within the luxury sector for over 20 years, as Head designer of home-ware for Asprey London, Freelance designer for Royal Crown Derby and as Design Director and MD of Thomas Goode Manufacturing Unit for Thomas Goode. Ting has designed state gifts for HM The Queen, and ‘Lord of the Isles’ chinaware for HRH The Prince of Wales. Ting has exhibited his work globally, and have appeared in WSJ magazine, FT’s How ‘To Spend It’ magazine, NY Time’s ‘Spring Design’ issue and American Express’s ‘Departures’ magazine. His work is in the collection of V&A London, and Museum of Art and Design, New York. He is a Trustee of the Crafts Council, UK.		 8:30-11:30
Deconstructing Famous Traditional Grocery Store Blends The tea section at grocery stores remains where mainstream America buys their tea. In this hands-on blending workshop, you will use some of the famous traditional blends as inspiration and foundation in creating your own best-selling loose leaf teas.
Victor Jara Victor Jara has been with Sun Garden Tea since 2008. With a technical background in molecular biology and food safety, Victor was initially brought on to lead Sun Garden's Organic and HACCP programs. However, his natural love for tea and tasting developed quickly early on in his time with Sun Garden. Victor now heads Sun Garden's sourcing and blend design in addition to maintaining oversight with Sun Garden's Quality Assurance programs.
9:45-10:45
Credit & Debit Card Fees: How I Slashed my Fees by 43% Compared with just a few years ago the number of people paying for transactions with plastic has skyrocketed. And so have the fees that retailers pay to merchant card processors. This class will show you how to assess merchant companies, their plans and how to pay the least possible amount in fees.
Jack Groot Jack Groot is the founder and creator of JP's Coffee & Espresso Bar, Rubyjuice Fruit & Smoothies, Rubyjuice Franchise, Breakpoint Coffee Kiosk, On Track Coffee Consulting and the Midwest Barista School (MBS). Jack's experience in creating, operating, growing and franchising businesses, combined with his passion to help others do the same, has helped hundreds of clients create, open and grow their own business or improve existing operations. Mr. Groot currently spends his time consulting, writing his blog www.coffeegroot.com, and is a monthly columnist for the coffee industry's premier trade publication, the Specialty Coffee Retailer.
Doing Well by Doing Good in the Premium Tea Industry Social responsibility has an important role in the American premium tea industry. Rarely does an emerging market have the opportunity to benefit the community as broadly. Premium leaf tea will bring nutritional benefits to the masses. This prospect creates an obligation to grow and promote the premium tea market responsibly.
Maria Uspenski Maria Uspenski's love for tea was fostered at an early age by her Russian family. Later, as an undergraduate student in Paris, France, she was introduced to many more varieties than the traditional black teas of her childhood. During stints as a ballet dancer and athlete, Uspenski began to discover the health benefits of tea. Fast forward to 2012, and now we find Uspenski as founder & CEO of The Tea Spot, educating the public and engineering new products that make loose leaf tea easy, to enhance a healthy lifestyle. Her message is simple and powerful: tea in its freshest form renders exceptional flavor, unmatched health benefits, and is eco-friendly. Based in Boulder, Colorado, The Tea Spot’s culture of social entrepreneurship incorporates a culture of giving as it grows: Ten percent of every sale is donated in-kind to cancer and community wellness programs. 		 
A New, Exciting Dawn for Japanese Tea! Following a turbulent 2011 harvest year filled with much confusion and misinformation regarding radiation contamination, Japan is poised to resume its growing presence in the tea industry. 2012 Japanese harvests brings a new dawn, and you will need to be prepared! It is an era to be excited, opportunities are brewing!
Chip Creitz While always a tea drinker, Chip took the full plunge into the tea realm in 1999 and never looked back. His focus has since been centered on learning all aspects of tea and the international tea industry, which evolved into his passionate and acute focus on Japanese tea. Chip is an up and coming authority in the realm of Japanese teas, tea wares, and culture. He has conducted countless large tastings of 40 or more participants tasting mostly Japanese teas. Most of these tastings have also had large readerships. He also conducts two large, successful English language tea forums which has been a cornerstone of his eagerness to learn and share with others. Most recently, he is freelance consulting for tea companies while also raising funds for the Japan Relief Effort.		 9:45-10:45
Tea Science Update Due to the time sensitive nature of this seminar's content, a full class description will be provided closer to June.
Rob McCalebRob McCaleb is the founder and president of the Herb Research Foundation in Boulder, Colorado. As former Research Director for Celestial Seasonings, he established and ran the analytical lab, research programs and flavor control systems. An internationally recognized expert on botanicals, he writes and lectures on optimizing health with natural health care products. He also heads Sustainable Natural Products, which helps international companies succeed in the dynamic natural products marketplace, while helping the domestic natural products industry to build more sustainable businesses. For more than 30 years, Rob has provided advisory services for natural product development, labeling, marketing and promotion. McCaleb was one of five scientists on the presidentially-appointed Commission on Dietary Supplement Labels, which studied global regulation of natural health products and made recommendations to Congress and the FDA for implementing the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA).
11:00-12:00
Supply Chain Transparency:
3 Part Panel Discussion Join this in-depth discussion covering sustainability and supply chain ethics. The conversation begins with certifying organizations and a look at self-certification, followed by the cost-benefits to the licensees; their missions, their brands, and their bottom lines. Finally, a panel of producers will discuss if the promise of transparency is making a positive change in the industry.
Moderator:
Dan Bolton, Editor, World Tea News
Panelists:
Maya Albanese, Sustainable Agriculture Coordinator, Rainforest Alliance
Anu Huhtisaari, Programme Manager, Ethical Tea Partnership
Keith Hutjens, Director of Tea Procurement, Tazo
Beth Johnston, Founder & CEO, Teas Etc.
Joshua Kaiser, CEO, Rishi Tea
Nora Pittenger, Business Development CPG, Fair Trade USA
Kavi Seneviratne, Managing Director, Kelani Valley Plantations PLC
Sanje Widyaratne, Walters Bay Bogawantalawa Estates
Customer Advisory Boards: A Good Business Move Your frequent, loyal customers are perhaps one of your most under-utilized assets. Loosely organizing these devotees into a Customer Advisory Board will easily yield immediate, and unforeseen, benefits. This group holds insights and expertise into areas that are definitely ‘outside-the-box’ input for your business that will improve your bottom line.
Carl Easton Carl is an Electrical Engineer with over 30 years of High-Tech experience as a design engineer, Marketing & Sales Director, PC/Network Specialist and Technical Training Instructor. He and his wife have created and operated a Tea Room and Retail Shoppe in Northwestern Montana in a Summer tourist area with only a 4-month window of operation.
Daoist and Buddhist (Zen) Tea Culture In China, Daoists and Buddhists built temples on sacred mountains that were ideal environments for tea cultivation. Today, they still produce tea and promote tea culture, including a new Buddhist ritual, the "Wu-Wo" (not-self) ceremony, which ritually expresses group equality, and encourages participants to to forget differences in wealth and appearance.
Jean DeBernardi Jean DeBernardi is Professor of Anthropology at the University of Alberta. She received her training as a cultural anthropologist at Stanford University, Oxford University, and the University of Chicago and has been teaching in Canada since 1991. Her recent research explored the modernization of Daoism, focusing on religious and cultural pilgrimage to the Daoist temple complex at Wudang Mountain, South-central China. In the course of that research, she became intrigued by contemporary Chinese tea culture, and further investigated Wudang Mountain's "Taoist tea." With support from the Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation, she is now conducting research on "Tea Culture and Commerce in Contemporary China." In 2011 she did ethnographic research in Fujian and Zhejiang provinces, and learned to appreciate Wuyi Mountain's exceptional oolong and black teas.		 11:00-12:00
The Food Safety and Modernatization Act - What Does it Mean for Tea? The Food Safety and Modernization Act (FSMA) was signed into law in January 2011 and aims to shift the focus on food safety from cure to prevention. This session outlines the key provisions in the Act that all Companies on the tea supply chain need to be aware of. If you think the implications of the Act are not relevant to your business then you are probably wrong.
Richard EnticottRichard Enticott joined the tea industry as a trainee tea taster with Tetley UK in 1990 which involved tasting over 1000 teas every day for 5 years. As part of his training he has lived and worked in many tea producing countries including Malawi and Kenya in Africa as well as Sri Lanka and India in Asia. He has visited tea plantations in over 16 countries on every continent during his time as a tea buyer, blender, and trader. In his role as President & CEO of Martin Bauer Inc. he is responsible for sales of the companies’ products throughout North America including decaffeinated teas, herbal teas, tea and herbal extracts (for the food and beverage industries) in addition to botanical powders and standardized extracts for the dietary supplement and pharmaceutical industries. 		11:00-12:30
How to Put Together a Comparative Tea and Wine Tasting Wine and tea professionals share many similar techniques when tasting their beverage of choice. By examining the similarities between these two beverages, a team of Master Sommeliers and Certified Tea Specialists has designed a wine and tea tasting that uses commonly available products. Several pairings will illustrate the concepts presented.
Kyle Stewart Certified Tea Specialist (CTS), Advisory Board Member for Specialty Tea Institute (STI) and instructor for STI's Tea Certification Program, has developed tea business relationships with renowned chefs, sommeliers, heads of state and Fortune 500 Companies. He appears regularly as a tea expert for local and national TV and was the beverage expert for a 26-episode cable program titled "What's Brewing?" Co-owner of The Cultured Cup for 16 years, Stewart regularly presents lectures at the Dallas Museum of Art, Crow Collection of Asian Art, Southern Methodist University and Art Institute Culinary School. Kyle's tea presentations explore world cultures and how aspects of these tea rituals can be a part of our modern day lives. His talks appeal to a broad audience: elementary schools, corporations, restaurants and civic organizations. Kyle has Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in music from Iowa State University and Northwestern University respectively.
James Tidwell James Tidwell is Beverage Manager and Master Sommelier at Four Seasons Resort and Club in Irving, Texas. He also holds the title of Certified Wine Educator from the Society of Wine Educators. In 2005, Tidwell co-founded the Texas Sommelier (Texsom) Association. He oversees an annual conference to challenge local wine stewards to enhance their talents through certification. This conference has become a model in the wine industry. After receiving a degree in International Trade and Finance from LSU, he earned a degree from the Culinary Institute of America. After dividing his time between the kitchen and wine shops, he decided wine held the most appeal and pursued and earned the prestigious title of Master Sommelier in early 2009.

 1:00-4:00
Developing a QA Plan from Beginning to End This hands-on class will help any business develop a quality assurance plan from the development stage through purchasing of raw ingredients through production of finished goods through passing all third party audits. A comprehensive QA plan is vital to successfully maintaining consistency for cup to cup.
Scott Svihula Scott Svihula is recognized globally as an expert in the Tea Industry with 16 years of progressive experience in the field. Since 2006, Scott has been a key contributor to China Mist Brands® and is currently serving as the Teasmith. In this position he is heavily involved with Research & Development of high-end tea and related products. Scott also oversees quality assurance, new product roll outs, purchasing and training. In 2009, Scott joined forces with Dr. Virginia Utermohlen, from the Taste Science Laboratory of Cornell University, to conduct ground breaking research to understand the science behind tea's olfactory response and why people choose the teas they do. A natural innovator, Scott drives Tea Industry trends as a respected leader in professional associations, as a published author of numerous articles and as an past Advisory Board Member of Specialty Tea Institute (STI) and World Tea Expo (WTE). He helped write, implement, and teach the STI Tea Certification Program and currently serves on the Educational Committee of WTE.
Sunday, June 3
CORE CONFERENCE SEMINARS (Lectures)
EXECUTIVE & TECHNICAL
FOCUSED TASTINGS
SKILL BUILDING WORKSHOPS
8:00-9:30
Strategies for Marketing to Millennials
Panel Discussion with Market Leaders Dynamic discussion between leading young industry innovators that are successfully introducing tea to the 18 to 30 year old millenials.
Moderator:
Tyler Gage, President, Runa LLC
Panelists:
Chris Cason, Tea Sommelier, Tavalon Tea
Emeric Harney, General Manager, Harney & Sons Soho
Dan Klein, CEO, Tiesta Tea
Sarah Segal, Buyer, DavidsTea
Save Money and Your Sanity by Hiring, Training and Retaining the Right People Learn easy, effective and useful tips on how to recruit the RIGHT people for your business. Take away interview skills to hire the right person for the job. Learn to effectively train new team members with a proven program that works. Realize what it takes to retain your best people. This interactive workshop teaches the confidence and skills necessary to hire, train and retain quality people.
Ellen Leaf-Moore Ellen Leaf Moore began her interpersonal and relationship building skills while earning her degree in Opera Performance, eventually deciding to change her professional path leading her into the world of business. In 1994 she joined the family bridal business helping to hire the right individuals to aid in growing the company. Her interests in recruitment flourished after joining a formal wear organization District Manager responsible for successfully hiring over 50 sales associates and managers. Ellen' s expertise did not go unnoticed she herself was recruited to become a General Manager for Williams-Sonoma. When she and Tim were married she re-located to St. Louis and joined the Pottery Barn Division of Williams-Sonoma. Ellen gained invaluable knowledge and powerful experience in recruiting, hiring, training and growing a successful, profitable, goal oriented team. Ellen and Tim decided to venture out on their own opening Fezziwig's Marketplace in October of 2007. Fezziwig's, located in historic Lebanon, IL, offers a variety of gourmet delights including premium loose leaf tea, gourmet food selections, wine, entertaining, and home décor. Ellen has developed a strong team and despite the current economic trend Fezziwig's is thriving and experiencing continued growth.
Design Elements for a Tea Shop Many solid business plans have fallen short when implemented because they failed to create an identity for the project. Elements of a successful shop for today’s consumer include format and floor plan, developing a customer appropriate “menu”, mapping the order process, and more. This session includes suggestions of distinguishing features to make your modern tea shop pleasantly memorable.
Margaret Heery As Vice President of Strategic Marketing for the Bunn-O-Matic Corporation, Margaret Heery is responsible for providing marketing trends and insight information concerning foodservice beverages, segments, and channels. Heery has held various sales and marketing positions at General Mills, Pearlco of Boston, and Kraft Foods. She has served on the National Association of College and University Food Services (NACUFS) Industry Advisory Council, is a member of the NPD CREST Industry Advisory Council and on the Board for Richland Community College. Within and outside of the foodservice industry, Margaret Heery has often been a presenter and has participated in numerous panel discussions, including at the Specialty Coffee Association of America, National Coffee Association, MenuDirections, National Association of Convenience Stores, NACUFS and the National Restaurant Association. 		8:00-9:30
TDS in RTD: How Much is Enough? Ready-to-Drink tea is booming and the fastest growing market segment with hundreds of new products being introduced each year. Existing RTD teas range from tea-flavored sugar water to brewed tea with minimal additives. Should there be internal or external regulation or labeling on “Real Tea”? What should be measured and how should this be communicated or enforced? This unique mix of panelists will review the opportunities, pitfalls, and challenges of such a program and the possible effects of doing nothing.
Moderator:
Rob McCaleb, Founder and President, Herb Research Foundation		 8:00-9:30
Tea Lattes With tea being the hottest thing in the coffee industry, coffee shops are introducing new specialty tea beverages to bridge the gap for the dark cup loyalist. Learn the tricks of the trade for making tea-based lattes to lure the coffee customer into your store and win them over.
Mim Enck Having a strong culinary background, Mim Enck discovered that tea blending was the perfect "next step". Tea blending is really learning to taste and as in the culinary world, tea blending is learning what works together to create a whole and the courage to follow the creative within. Ms. Enck was Vice-President of the American Premium Tea Institute and presently a member of the Specialty Tea Institute Advisory Board. She is also a member of the World Tea Expo Advisory Board and active member of the Mid-Atlantic Tea Business Association. Ms. Enck believes that this amazing beverage is a "connection to many people and their cultures" and is a healing element in today's world.		 8:30-11:30
Make Money with Events This energizing, interactive class is filled with hands on exercises, live demonstrations, and displays you can touch and understand. Leave this session ready to schedule your next event sure to generate new clients, customer loyalty, and plenty of revenue! Spend three hours learning to plan, market, and execute a successful event acquiring the skills and language to sell tea, present material and demonstrate quality and value, establishing you as an expert.
Beth Johnston Beth Johnston's unquenchable thirst for tea began with a delicious cup of Mango Ceylon while on her honeymoon in 1998. Shortly thereafter, she discovered her passion for tea and founded Teas Etc., a leading supplier of award winning, direct trade teas. Her extensive travels have afforded her the opportunity to evaluate tea with some of the world's masters. In a defining moment, Teas Etc. became the ONLY female-owned company to win in the 2008 World Tea Championship hot tea category. They continued their success in 2009, 2010 and 2011, capturing multiple awards. The company's success is driven by Beth's creative, high-energy business style and an unwavering commitment to customers and quality. With office/showrooms in China, South Florida and Atlanta's AmericasMart, Teas Etc has grown from a one woman, garage-based operation to a USDA Certified Organic Processor that supplies retailers and wholesalers with premium quality bulk, prepackaged and private label tea products around the globe.
9:45-10:45
Tea, Nutrition and Health: Myths and Truths for the Layman This session will provide an overview of tea components and their health benefits, review peer-reviewed studies related to tea and health and refute and correct commonly held myths about the relationship between these tea components and health.
Kyle Stewart Certified Tea Specialist (CTS), Advisory Board Member for Specialty Tea Institute (STI) and instructor for STI's Tea Certification Program, has developed tea business relationships with renowned chefs, sommeliers, heads of state and Fortune 500 Companies. He appears regularly as a tea expert for local and national TV and was the beverage expert for a 26-episode cable program titled "What's Brewing?" Co-owner of The Cultured Cup for 16 years, Stewart regularly presents lectures at the Dallas Museum of Art, Crow Collection of Asian Art, Southern Methodist University and Art Institute Culinary School. Kyle's tea presentations explore world cultures and how aspects of these tea rituals can be a part of our modern day lives. His talks appeal to a broad audience: elementary schools, corporations, restaurants and civic organizations. Kyle has Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in music from Iowa State University and Northwestern University respectively.
Neva Cochran Neva Cochran is a registered and licensed dietitian and works as a nutrition consultant in Dallas, TX. She has been a nutrition writer and researcher for "Woman's World" and "Maximum Fitness" magazines and also works as a consultant to food industry clients; such as the Egg Nutrition Center, Corn Refiners Association and Solae Soy. Neva currently serves on the American Dietetic Association (ADA) Nominating Committee and previously was president of the Texas and Dallas Dietetic Associations, Chair of the American Dietetic Association Foundation, a member of the ADA House of Delegates and an ADA media spokesperson. Neva regularly appears as a nutrition expert on "Good Morning Texas," a widely watched Dallas Ft. Worth TV program. Neva earned a Masters of Science in nutrition from Texas Woman's University and a Bachelor of Science in nutrition and dietetics from the University of Oklahoma. She completed her dietetic internship at Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas.
How to Develop your Mission, Vision and Strengths for Success Every business owner should have a mission statement along with a clear vision statement of where they want their business to succeed. This will help you to learn when to say no. Discover your strengths and stop trying to correct your weaknesses-hire out for those!
Lisa Boalt Richardson Lisa Boalt Richardson is the President of Lisa Knows Tea and is the award-winning author of Tea with a Twist and The World in your Teacup. Her anticipated third tea book will published in spring 2013. She is a much sought out tea expert traveling the country presenting at conferences and special events. Lisa is one of the first 15 in the world to become a Certified Tea Specialist from the Specialty Tea Institute along with Level 4 certification. She is a STI instructor and serves on the STI Advisory Board as well. Lisa has traveled to Asia working hands-on with tea masters. She has been interviewed on numerous radio programs and has contributed to magazines including Cooking with Paula Deen and TeaTime. Lisa has been featured in The New York Times, Real Simple Magazine, Women’s Health Magazine, Diabetes Forecast, The National Geographic Blog, and Discovery.com. www.LisaKnowsTea.com.
Savoring - and Saving - China's Artisan Teas I will introduce the concept of local, artisan teas, as opposed to widely cultivated generic varieties. I will explain how isolated communities develop teas with unique characteristics, giving numerous examples of heirloom teas I have encountered. I will explain the need to preserve artisan teas before they are lost.
Jean Alberti Raised in a family restaurant near Strasbourg, France, Jean Alberti absorbed a love of exquisite foods and drinks. Jean trained in culinary arts earning a nomination for best cooking apprentice in France. He eventually made his way to the West Indies where he opened a restaurant at Jumby Bay Resort that Harper's Magazine rated one of the Top 10 in the world. Jean subsequently opened two award-winning restaurants in San Francisco EVVIA and Kokkari. In 2006, he traveled East and soon became immersed in the search for artisan teas in the far reaches of China. Jean founded Wild & Bare Co. in 2009, a company dedicated to preservation of heirloom teas and the traditions that cultivated them. The enterprise is a consuming one as Jean strives to find local tea producers with unique, time-enriched tea formulas and to bring their wonderful teas to market across the world.		 9:45-10:45
A Round the Globe Look at RTD Teas: Hot or Not Who's Winning? We will look at RTD brands and companies promoting them from the 4 corners of the world... how RTD's have grown in importance and relevance to consumers today, and what we may expect is coming in the next several years in functionality, new tea variety and synergistics development in flavor and function.
James Tonkin James Tonkin, President, Healthy Brand Builders For more than 37 years, James Tonkin has served the private-sector as a brand and marketing development professional. He directs the building and design of national infrastructures for food and beverage industry clients. Tonkin has successfully created and implemented business and financial strategies for domestic and international players focusing from production to branding, marketing through sales implementation and distribution, to include exit strategy. Tonkin has focused branding initiatives in soft drink, bottled water, functional foods and beverages, and non- carbonated “new age” beverage verticals. His extensive hands on expertise stretches across many sectors including domestic cheeses to natural potato chips; bottled waters for people and pets; and nutraceutical-functional-cosmeceutical enhanced beverages. Jim serves as a popular keynote speaker covering new beverage trends, successful branding insight and with his blunt and sometimes irreverent humor, pushes the envelope! He has many repeat performances and is truly a respected and admired entrepreneur in his own right!
11:00-12:00
An Introduction to Yixing Clay Teapots In this introduction to Yixing clay teapots will learn about the history and classifications of Yixing teapots. Learn to appreciate the artistic value of Yixing teapots. Learn how Yixing clay is unique, its classification and production processes. The session will conclude with an authentic Chinese Tea Ceremony performed using Yixing teaware.
Fei Wu Fei Wu was born into a family of teapot artists in Yixing in 1988. Tea, teapots and Chinese traditional tea culture have been important parts of her life since she was a little girl. Fei learned Furniture Design during four years’ undergraduate studies, and now is applying for the Master Degree of Anthropology in the University of Alberta. Fei organized “Everybody Drinks Tea” Festival at University of Alberta in 2010, researched the development of Bohea tea in Wuyi Mountain in 2011, and participated in the Dragon Boat Festival and gave a lecture about teapot in Victoria in 2011.
A Step Toward Caffeine and Antioxidant Clarity In 2011 the CAMELLIA SINENSIS team collaborated with TransBIOTech, in an extensive $25,000+ laboratory series to study the levels of antioxidants and caffeine in a large diversity of premium teas. Testing was based on regular cup content in the context of daily consumption. Kevin talks us through the very surprising results.
Kevin Gascoyne British tea taster Kevin Gascoyne first bought tea in Asia in 1989 and has spent every Spring there for the last 18 years. Starting as a tea writer for publications in the U.K., U.S.A. and Japan he is still writing and is co-author of the best-selling, international prize-winning book THÉ: histoire, terroirs, saveurs™ to be released this November in English. Living in Montréal, he is one of 4 taster/owners of Camellia Sinensis, whose catalogue and annual Spring Tasting gained great renown over recent years, 2011's event was attended by over 700 people. As well as regular radio, TV and public appearances he runs 2 tea schools, a wide selection of workshops, seminars, has taught tea botany at the Uni. of Guelph and the Uni.North Bengal, India, business consulting in Canada and the U.S.A.. One of his favourites is training prospective wine sommeliers. He also works with the Canadian Tea Ass.
How to Brew Tea Without a Chart Pouring hot water over tea leaves unleashes a world of variables more complex than any chart can express - a matrix of tea leaf, time and temperature. After looking at the principles of extraction and solution, we'll examine how the physical characteristics of the tea leaf itself hold the secret.
Donna FellmanManaging tea houses in Seattle and Boulder, Donna Fellman discovered the key to selling tea, cultivating confident staff and developing dedicated customers was educating herself about tea, and sharing what she learned. Through focused tea tastings, travel to countries of origin and learning from so many others in the tea industry, she gained the experience and insight in the world of tea that she continues to share with others. As Director of the Tea Education Alliance, she has written, spoken and taught classes about many aspects of tea. Formerly the Chairman of the Education Committee of the Specialty Tea Institute, she helped develop the STI Certification Program for tea professionals, and is currently serving on the education board for both STI and WTE. She co-authored the book, Tea Here Now.		 11:00-12:00
Applying Principles of Taste Biology to the Appreciation of Teas and Food Pairings In this lecture/workshop, you will develop a fresh new understanding of how the taste system works; experience the practical application of this system for enjoying the tastes of tea; and find a renewed appreciation for the versatility of tea as a partner both with and in foods.
Virginia Utermohlen-Lovelace Virginia Utermohlen has had a life-long fascination with individual differences in sensory perception, specifically taste perception. This fascination stayed in the back of her mind as she pursued a BA in physics and an MD (she was awarded the Honor Prize for Psychiatry for her graduating class). After training in pediatrics and a postdoctoral fellowship at Rockefeller University, she became part of the faculty of the Division of Nutritional Sciences at Cornell University, one of the premier institutions in the world for research on nutrition and eating behavior. At the end of 2010, she (partially) retired to continue her research into taste perception. Through her new company, Taste Science LLC, she has developed a simple system, based in fundamental biology, for understanding the tastes of tea and tea-food pairings, and for understanding why people differ in their tea choices.
Renee Senne Renee is a graduate of La Varenne cooking school in Paris with diplomas in culinary studies and pastry. After returning stateside in 1990, Renee taught at Peter Kump’s New York Cooking School (now the Institute of Culinary Education), and owned and was the executive chef of two award winning restaurants and an exquisite pastry shop in Ithaca, New York. In 2008 Renee began working with the East coast grocery chain Wegmans, teaching culinary skills to up and coming store chefs and customers, training cooks for homes of special needs children and adults, and working with Cornell University’s Food and Brand lab to study how and why students make food choices. Most recently Renee has been developing recipes for tea pairing to spotlight Dr Virginia Utermohlen’s work in taste perception. 		11:00-12:30
Bubble Tea: What is it and is it for You? Learn about the Taiwanese dessert drink called Bubble Tea. We will talk about its origin, how it is made, what it actually has to do with tea, and how to add it to your product offering.
Nick Nguyen Nick is the CEO of Steepery Tea Bar, a family business that introduced the tea bar concept to Minnesota in 2002 with their first location in Minneapolis named The Tea Garden. In addition to serving specialty teas, Steepery specializes in the Taiwanese dessert drink, Bubble Tea, also known as Boba Tea. Nick came to the family business after getting degrees in Economics and Applied Math at UC Berkeley, and since then has helped the company grow to four Tea Garden locations and opened their first Steepery branded store. He plans to open more Steepery locations in Minnesota, while looking for opportunities out of the state.

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