World Tea Expo @ Long Beach Convention Center

World Tea Expo, May 6 – 8, 2015 in Southern California, Explores theTop Tea Trends, Emerging Tea Issues in North America and Beyond

B2B Conference and Exposition Presents a Comprehensive Tea Curriculum,Helping Businesses Profit from One of the Most Popular Beverages in the World

Geared towards bolstering businesses of all kinds through its in-depth education program, the 13th annualWorld Tea Expo (@worldteamedia – #WorldTeaExpo or #WTE15) takes place May 6 – 8, 2015 in Long Beach, Calif. at the Long Beach Convention Center. World Tea Expo is the leading tradeshow focused 100 percent on premium teas and related products. To register or for additional information, visit WorldTeaExpo.com.

This year’s agenda covers a wide variety of industry topics and tea retail strategies, including: the state of the tea industry, direct trade with tea producers, sustainability and the global tea system, product quality, false marketing/labeling, growing tea commercially in the United States, marketing of organic teas, increasing sales through the latest trends, the culinary world and tea, and tea and health, among other topics. In addition to the education program, the exposition floor features hundreds of new products and services, many of which cannot be found at any other trade show.

World Tea Expo attendees — top companies and professionals from more than 50 countries — will attend the event to discover “what’s next” in tea. Conference delegates represent: tea and coffee shops, grocery chains, private label brands, gourmet retailers, convenience stores, distributors, online businesses, restaurants and chefs, foodservice, hotels and distributors, as well as manufacturers and beverage developers, and others interested in building their business through tea.

Highlights of the Education Program at World Tea Expo:

Global State of the Industry: A Review of the Top Tea Trends and Markets Around the World -Presenter Jonas Feliciano (@JonasF_EMI), a beverages industry analyst withEuromonitor International, will focus on the largest and fastest growing tea markets around the world. He’ll also provide insights on the top trends that are driving sales, using Euromonitor’s latest beverages data.

Emerging Hot Issues in Current US Tea Market – Speaker Youngmok Kim, senior research scientist at Synergy Flavors, will uncover current issues related to health benefits, scientific research, product quality, false marketing/labeling, health claims and tea myths. Solutions/answers will be provided based on scientific facts, data and literature.

Direct Trade – Building Relationships with Tea Producers – Elyse Petersen (@peaceelyse), founder of Tealet, will discuss how retailers can now develop relationships with tea producers, providing more transparency of sourcing to their customers. During the session, lessons will be learned from the infrastructure developed in the coffee industry. Terms and standards for direct trade will also be defined in this presentation, as well as how retailers can move forward with direct trade practices.

Promoting Sustainability and Climate Mitigation in the Global Tea System – Selena Ahmed, assistant professor of sustainable food systems, Montana State University, is scheduled to present on the impact of climate change on tea quality, and how tea industry agents can mitigate this risk. Ahmed will explore these topics from a sustainability framework and a guided tea tasting. Tangible business practices will also be recommended that can be adopted towards enhanced sustainability of the global tea system.

Growing Tea Commercially in the USA – Nigel Melican (@teacraftecm), CEO of Teacraft LTD, says there’s a trending interest in tea growing in the United States, but there’s sparse information on how to set up a tea growing business. Melican’s session will look at how tea growing in the United States is different than other countries, profitability, where to start, and the limitations.

Tea Moves Back into the Bar & Back to the Kitchen – Suzy Badaracco, president ofCulinary Tides, Inc., will discuss culinary cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks, and how everything from tea, bacon, herbs, fruits and veggies are the “rockstars” at the bar. The session will also look at how tea has been making its way into food, showing up as a seasoning in desserts, entrees and side dishes. The presentation will explore the forces behind the movement of tea into beverages and into the kitchen.

The Big Chill in Premium Tea – Maria Uspenski (@uspenski), CEO of The Tea Spot, says many upscale restaurants and cafes now prepare their iced teas using the cold brew method. Foodservice professionals have touted the ease and flexibility of the process, as well as the finesse of the resulting flavor. In addition, research studies have hyped the chemical benefits to cold brewing certain teas. Uspenski’s session will provide a comprehensive introduction and overview to cold brew tea and how it can play into foodservice offerings.

Increasing Your Sales With the New Matcha Madness Trend – Presenter Rona Tison, senior vice president, corporate relations, ITO EN (North America) INC., says Matcha is the new culinary trend of 2015. In her session, attendees will learn how to maximize sales with the revered ceremonial green tea that’s making its way into the American mainstream market. Attendees will learn the expansive world of this growing tea trend, and how to integrate Matcha into a business through culinary diplomacy.

Production, Demand and Marketing of Organic Teas – Nikhil Ghosh Hajra, director / CEO / technical adviser, Tea Board of India / Organic Tea & Agri-Horticultural Consulting, will review the development of organic tea, cultivation practices, current global trends of production and the global market.

Selling Tea For Health: The Power of Talking About Tea and Health – Babette Donaldson, author of The Everything Healthy Tea Book, notes that many speak freely about the health benefits of tea, yet the FDA limits merchants from using this powerful message. So what can be said? How can one (legally) tap into this conversation and build business on current scientific research and ancient healing wisdom? Donaldson will present an overview and discuss ways to navigate government controls, while participating in meaningful conversations with customers about the many healthful benefits of tea.

About The Beverage Group, a division of F+W, A Content + eCommerce Company:The Beverage Group, a division of F+W, is an integrated media company dedicated to providing business solutions to the global beverage industry. Programs include: World Tea Expo, North American Tea Championship, World Tea Academy and World Tea News.F+W is an enthusiast-focused Content and eCommerce company, serving 20 Million consumers annually via the Company’s print portfolio, ecommerce stores, extensive online education programs, trade and consumer events, popular consumer catalog brands, nationally-broadcast TV programs and more, all in service of passionate niche communities of professionals. (fwcommunity.com)