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North American Tea Championship Reveals The Very Best Iced Teas
Starbucks, Crystal Geyser Water Company, ITO EN (North America) INC. and S&D Coffee and Tea Are Among the First-place Winners
LAS VEGAS, Nev. (July 16, 2012) – The North American Tea Championship named 20 first-place winners in various key categories during its annual Iced Tea Class 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. Some of the winners were featured at the recent World Tea Expo, held June 1 – 3 in Las Vegas, Nev. at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
For the Championship, competitors showcased an assortment of more than 158 premium iced teas. Competitors ranged from small, boutique tea manufacturers to mid-size tea companies and well-known and mass manufacturers. Starbucks, Crystal Geyser Water Company, ITO EN (North America) INC. and S&D Coffee and Tea were among the first-place winners.
"The North American Tea Championship Iced Tea Class is evaluated once a year, and every submission is evaluated blind and through organoleptic analysis of the following characteristics, including flavor, body, color, clarity and balance. An overall numerical value on a 100-point scale is then calculated based on the ratings of each characteristic, and winning teas are determined by rank," said Kim Jage, sales and marketing director, World Tea Media, organizer of the North American Tea Championship and World Tea Expo.
Wilbur Curtis, a leading manufacturer of tea brewers and accessories, was the Championship host and equipment supplier for the competition. Cirqua Customized Water provided 300 gallons of water for the evaluation.
A complete list of first, second and third-place winners, as well as details on the Championship, is available at www.teachampionship.com.
The next North American Tea Championship, for spring 2012 harvest teas, takes place July 31- Aug. 1, 2012.
Iced tea winners include (Company, Tea, and Category):
S&D Coffee and Tea, Teafinity Raspberry, Foodservice BIB Black - Flavored
S&D Coffee and Tea, Teafinity Sweet, Foodservice BIB Black - Sweetened
S&D Coffee and Tea, Teafinity Unsweet, Foodservice BIB Black - Unflavored/Unsweetened
China Mist Brands, True Leaves Sweet Peachy Green, Foodservice BIB Green - Flavored
Rishi Tea, Organic Peach, Foodservice Black - Flavored
S&D Coffee and Tea, Premium Blend, Foodservice Black - Unflavored/Unsweetened
Shangri La Tea Co., Organic Spring Melon, Foodservice Green - Flavored
QTrade Teas & Herbs, Organic & Fair Trade Forbidden Jade, Foodservice Green -Unflavored/Unsweetened
Walters Bay, Vanilla Rooibos Iced Tea, Foodservice Herbal - Flavored
TeaAroma Inc., Tio Iced Tea Peach Flavored, Instant Black - Flavored
Breezy Spring LLC DBA Swirl Tea Instant, Swirl Tea Peach Flavor, Green - Flavored
Yamamotoyama of America, Iced Green Tea on the go Sweetened, Instant Green - Sweetened
Mellow Monk, LLC, Lightly Roasted Iced Green Tea, Instant Green - Unflavored/Unsweetened
MaryAnna's Tea LLC, MaryAnna's - Summer Sweet Tea, Ready-to-Drink Black - Flavored
Starbucks, TAZO Organic Iced Black Black Tea Lightly Sweetened, Ready-to-Drink Black - Sweetened
Crystal Geyser Water Company, Tejava Premium Iced Tea, Ready-to-Drink Black Unflavored/Unsweetened
Xing Beverage LLC, XingTea Blueberry, Ready-to-Drink Green - Flavored
ITO EN (North America) INC., TEAS' TEA Pure Green, Ready-to-Drink Green - Unflavored/Unsweetened
Runa LLC, Runa Traditional Guayusa, Ready-to-Drink Herbal - Any
The Tao of Tea, Osmanthus Oolong, Ready-to-Drink Oolong - Flavored
About the North American Tea Championship
The North American Tea Championship (NATC) is produced by World Tea Media, a division of F+W Media, Inc. NATC is an independent event, judged by professional cuppers, that evaluates premium teas from around the world that are sold in North America. The annual Championship is made up of two classes: Hot Tea and Iced Tea. Each class consists of its own categories and judging panel. The Hot Tea Class is evaluated twice a year: February for fall teas and July for spring teas. The Iced Tea Class is evaluated once a year. Winners of the Tea Championship are announced after each respective evaluation. For more information, visit www.TeaChampionship.com.
About World Tea Media
World Tea Media, a division of F+W Media Inc., is an integrated media company dedicated to providing business solutions to the global tea industry. Events include the annual World Tea Expo, the largest and most prominent event for the industry, and World Tea East, the regional event for the northeast, mid-Atlantic and southeast United States. World Tea Media also produces the North American Tea Championship and World Tea News. The North American Tea Championship is the only professional and independent competition that distinguishes the highest quality and best tasting teas commercially available in the North American marketplace. World Tea News is an online portal that offers in-depth news, features and business insight for the global tea industry. World Tea Media is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev. www.worldteamedia.com
About F+W Media, Inc.
F+W Media is a community-focused, content creator and marketer of products and services for enthusiasts. The Company offers a diversified portfolio of books, ebooks, magazines, events, competitions, ecommerce, education, video and more. The Company serves 20 different markets, including writing, fine art, genealogy, antiques and collectibles, design, outdoors and horticulture. Its growing portfolio includes print and online properties, free and for-fee subscription sites, educational programs, competitions and events. www.fwmedia.com