Executive & Technical Series

Saturday, June 2

Understanding the Retail Shopper for Tea Products

8:00 - 9:30 a.m. 

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.
Speaker: David Sprinkle, Research Director, Packaged Facts

Tea Science Update

9:45 - 10:45 a.m. 

Due to the time sensitive nature of this seminar's content, a full class description will be provided closer to June. 
Speaker: Rob McCaleb, Founder and President, Herb Research Foundation 

The Food Safety and Modernatization Act - What Does it Mean for Tea?

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. 

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.
Speaker: Richard Enticott, President and CEO, Martin Bauer Group

Sunday, June 3

TDS in RTD: How Much is Enough?

8:00 - 9:30 a.m. 

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

Panelists:

Frank Jaksch, CEO, ChromaDex
Michael McGuffin, President, American Herbal Products Association
Joe Simrany, President, Tea Association of the USA, Inc
Ray Welch, President, ThirsTea Corporation

Around the Globe Look at RTD Teas: Hot or Not Who's Winning?

9:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. 

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.
Speaker: James Tonkin, President, Healthy Brand Builders

Applying Principles of Taste Biology to the Appreciation of Teas and Food Pairings

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

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.

Speaker: Dr. Virginia Utermohlen-Lovelace, Associate Professor, Cornell University, Renee Senne, Chef de Cuisine, Culinary School Director