Blogs
A new style of iced teas
June is National Iced Tea month in the United States, and I am surprised I forgot considering what “big business” iced tea is in the US — between 75% and 80% of all tea consumed is iced tea.
Online tea searches rise in the UK during the lockdown
Move over Tetley, Yorkshire Tea is the UK’s most popular tea! Well, at least in terms of online searches. With stay-at-home directives taking effect in March in many cities around the world, visits to brick ‘n mortar stores, naturally, decreased while online purchases increased. One of the most popular items searched online in the United Kingdom during the lockdown, was tea.
New or temporary strategies for foodservice operators?
New York City, where I live, entered Phase 1 of its reopening on 8 June — one of the last cities in the United States (and possibly globally) to do so. Our Phase 1 includes construction, manufacturing, wholesale, and curbside pick-up for retail, but not foodservice. Within foodservice, it is still take-out (pick up or delivery) only but more operators are beginning to reopen weekly.
Covid-19 and its effect on consumer behaviour
It is June, and by now, many cities and countries around the world have “reopened” or have begun to lift restrictions. As life “after Covid-19” slowly resumes, many are wondering how people’s attitudes towards eating in restaurants, sitting in coffeehouses/cafés, and shopping have changed, and are these changes temporary or permanent. Not all changes though, are bad for business.
Can coffee be resilient against Covid-19?
Coffee has been resilient through many economic recessions and natural disasters, but the Covid-19 pandemic is an utterly unchartered territory. Can coffee be resilient?
Coffee shops adapt to the new normal
As many countries, including the United Kingdom and the United States, have begun to lift stay-at-home/shelter-in-place orders, we are seeing more coffee shops, cafés and restaurants also starting to re-open or expand their operations — if they were active during the lockdown period
21 May — An international day to celebrate tea
Celebrated for the first time this year, International Tea Day offers the opportunity to recognise the importance of the tea industry, from seed to cup, to raise public awareness of the importance of the tea industry and its workers, and to improve the tea value chain.
Achieving profit through passion
I met producer Diofanor Ruiz last November when visiting Colombia with Olam Coffee to learn about its AtSource program. What is evident upon first meeting Diofanor, 51, is his passion for coffee farming.
Revising global consumer trends for 2020 amid Covid-19
According to Euromonitor International, Covid-19 will impact all top ten of its global consumer trends this year, and recently held a webinar to discuss how Covid-19 is affecting these trends.
Cautious re-opening of Darjeeling Tea Estates after lockdown
The government’s decision to conditionally relax tea production in Darjeeling has brought a great relief for the producers. Although there are no Covid-19 cases reported among all 87 tea estates in Darjeeling so far, the West Bengal Government has instructed stringent rules.
Blending, roasting & processing, Business, Origins, Regulatory
Is Dalgona coffee just a quarantine craze?
With stay-at-home directives still in place in many cities around the world, new trends are starting to emerge as stir-crazy people are finding inventive ways to pass the time and amuse themselves. One of these trends is making Dalgona coffee.
Having a (virtual) tea party…
The tea industry has routinely offered online training, but associations, schools and businesses have taken their virtual efforts to new levels amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Convenience stores switch focus during pandemic
Covid-19 has impacted all facets of life for people and companies in more than 200 countries. People and businesses have had to quickly switch gears, evolve and acclimate to entirely new ways of living and operating.
Reflections of a Gen Xer
I came across an article about how Gen X – the often overlooked generation sandwiched between baby boomers and millennials – is rising to the occasion amid the Covid-19 crisis. The article discusses how Gen Xers (those born between 1965 and 1980) are being praised for their ability to “roll with the punches” and “handle tough moments in life” like these.