| Demand for high quality loose leaf tea is | | | | soggy paper tea bags and no trendy herbals from |
| experiencing strong growth and for those | | | | high quality loose tea suppliers; only real tea from |
| interested in high quality loose tea, more | | | | the Camellia Sinensis bush. And, of course, only |
| information will aid in decision making. Critical | | | | the finest.Purchasing, Quality Control and |
| elements in the process include:Source of the | | | | Customer ServiceAccess to high quality loose leaf |
| TeaManufacturing ProcessesPurchasing, Quality | | | | tea is the final element. Most loose leaf teas are |
| Control and Customer ServiceSource of the | | | | not available in retail outlets. Nevertheless, quality |
| TeaAll tea comes from the plant Camellia Sinensis | | | | tea is easily available through e-commerce outlets |
| but there is where the similarity between high | | | | on the internet.Increasingly e-commerce over the |
| quality loose leaf tea and other, lesser quality | | | | internet has proven to be an efficient and easy |
| ends. From the time the tea leaves are plucked | | | | way to purchase quality products and those |
| until the time the consumer tastes the brew, a | | | | e-commerce sites that are customer friendly also |
| number of critical events affect the tea | | | | offer convenient and low cost home delivery. |
| experience.High quality loose leaf teas are carefully | | | | Loose leaf tea is ideally suited to e-commerce |
| selected as only the finest of these rare orthodox | | | | because it is light and easy to transport.When |
| teas, which are processed slowly and | | | | evaluating e-commerce sites, the consumer should |
| hand-crafted with extreme care.Tea, like wine, is | | | | consider those sites that are interactive, easy to |
| harvested and processed into the final product on | | | | use and offer rich features such as auto shipping, |
| the grounds of the garden or estate. The taste | | | | multiple destination shipments, gift shipments and |
| and quality of any tea varietal depends upon the | | | | delivery flexibility.The loose leaf tea experience is |
| specific growing conditions. Factors such as | | | | all about quality and quality does not end with |
| altitude, climate, soil, weather, and plucking season | | | | manufacturing. Those suppliers that are truly |
| all affect the final product.To produce just one | | | | dedicated to quality will maintain quality control |
| pound of quality loose leaf tea, it takes | | | | over each shipment received from the producing |
| approximately 3,000 hand plucked leaves. Only the | | | | tea garden.Since almost all quality loose leaf tea |
| most tender leaves and young buds are selected. | | | | comes from other countries such as China, India, |
| After the leaves are picked, the precise art of | | | | Sri Lanka, Taiwan and others, choose a supplier |
| tea making begins.Manufacturing ProcessesTea is | | | | who cups or tastes each shipment before |
| manufactured by two different processes.Most | | | | acceptance. This measure of quality control will |
| ordinary tea is machine processed by the C.T.C. | | | | guarantee consistent quality but most loose leaf |
| method (crush, tear, curl). The resulting small, | | | | tea suppliers skip this important step. Check with |
| broken pieces are used in tea bags or iced tea | | | | a potential supplier to determine their cupping |
| concentrates. Less than 2% of the world's tea is | | | | commitment.In addition to quality control, |
| of superior quality, hand-processed in the classic, | | | | customer service is a critical element in the loose |
| time-honored method known as orthodox | | | | tea relationship. Since the purchase of high quality |
| manufacture.High quality suppliers are dedicated to | | | | loose tea tends to be a long term relationship, |
| offering outstanding, whole-leaf teas of the | | | | consideration of the needs of the customer and |
| greatest quality and finesse. Whole-leaf varietals | | | | customer satisfaction is paramount.The best |
| retain the subtle nuances of flavor so prized by | | | | suppliers have a culture of customer service, |
| discriminating palates throughout the centuries. | | | | open lines of communication to customer service |
| The highest quality loose teas are hand-plucked | | | | personnel and solicit feedback from customers as |
| and meticulously crafted to enhance leaf | | | | a way to maintain consistent quality.Jon M. Stout |
| character, aroma, color, clarity, body, complexity, | | | | is Chairman of the Board of Golden Moon Tea a |
| and above all, flavor. Connoisseurs will find no | | | | division of Element H2O. |