The Tea and Herbal Association of Canada Wraps Up the Eleventh Annual North American Tea Conference

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Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - October 6, 2022) - The Tea and Herbal Association of Canada and the Tea Association of the USA, Inc., held their annual North American Tea Conference (NATC) last week in Niagara on the Lake, Canada. The conference ran from September 27-29 with 130 attendees representing ten different countries. This was the first in-person event hosted by the associations since 2019 and was an enormous success. This year's conference was organised by The Tea and Herbal Association of Canada (THAC). The agenda addressed some of the issues currently facing the industry including important conversations on the supply chain, sustainability, and an understanding of the various sales channels - traditional, specialty and e-commerce. THAC president Shabnam Weber said, "This event is an important one for the tea industry. It allows an opportunity to meet with colleagues - old and new, but more important, it allows for conversations to be held on issues which we are all facing within our supply chain. The past two years have not allowed for this kind of connection, which is why hosting this year's conference felt like an extra responsibility. It was an excellent reminder for all who attended that we are all part of the same supply chain with our interests deeply intertwined, sharing the same responsibilities; and it is only when we gather, connect, and speak to one another that we truly appreciate that."

The two-and-a-half-day event was kicked off by a robust fireside chat with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois where the groundwork for the days ahead were laid. This discussion covered the changes in consumer behaviour post-COVID, and the very real food security challenges Canadians are facing.

Day two started with three important speakers each addressing the issue of data and its importance. Ian Gibbs, Chair, International Tea Committee, presented production and consumption numbers over the past years as well as suggested ways for the industry to increase consumption in non-traditional markets. Jem McDowall, Vice President, Universal Commodities (Tea) Trading Inc., provided a data-based outline of current global, black tea supply, highlighting some of the pressures tea is battling and vulnerabilities inherent within the supply chain. His presentation included thoughts on future and potential developments. John Snell, Properly Steeped, challenged the audience to look at data from the lens of creating market success. That means evaluating the teas consumers want and producing that to meet the demand.

The morning also saw Robbie Hogervorst, Strategic Account Manager, Rainforest Alliance, provide an important update on the many changes taking place within RA and provided an excellent snapshot of how that applies to the tea industry.

From supply chain and data, the day shifted to sustainability. Liam Brody, Committee on Sustainability Assessment, started things off by providing a conversation on sustainability as a solution. He addressed the reality that recessionary fears, shipping delays, climate shocks, regulatory and reporting changes, and savvy consumers are giving businesses a run for the money and presented the group with a lens that sustainability represents a solution to those challenges.

The conversation continued with Alison Taylor, Executive Director, Ethical Systems and Adjunct Professor, NYU Stern School of Business. Alison addressed the pressures companies face by investors, consumers and employees and discussed what the limits of these should be and how companies can build trust while operating effectively in a turbulent and transparent world.

What this year's conference added to speaker sessions were two breakout discussions allowing attendees to sit together and brainstorm on the issues which were discussed. The aim of these sessions was to provide a voice for everyone as well as a platform for different perspectives to be heard.

Two important competitions are held annually at NATC, the Gold Medal Tea Competition and the Sustainability Awards. The Gold Medal Tea Competition assesses original teas submitted for tasting and evaluation. The number of teas vary from year to year, with this year having brought in more than 100 samples from nine countries. Judges represent all parts of the industry - importers, packers & specialty, and evaluate teas based on leaf dry, leaf wet, appearance, flavour and overall impact.

The Sustainability Awards were initiated by the industry five years ago and highlight the important work being done in tea. Fifteen entries were received this year and were evaluated by an independent adjudicator. Submissions includeed work being done addressing all areas of sustainability: environmental protection, economic viability as well as social equity. The tea industry is proud of the work that is initiated and carried on each year, not for the sake of recognition but simply because it's the right thing to do.

For Gold Medal Winner: https://www.tea.ca/events/past-competition-winners/

For Sustainability Awards finalists and description of initiatives: https://www.tea.ca/events/past-competition-winners/

Day three of the conference shifted to commerce with three speakers addressing how consumers shop from three distinct perspectives. Carman Allison, Vice President Thought Leadership North America, NielsenIQ, looked at how the past two years have landed consumers in a divergent economic reality as inflation becomes the new strain on consumer wallets. Ran Ravitz, ECommerce Pathways, exposed the audience to the behemoth in ecommerce, Amazon. He provided steps on how to strategically succeed within the Amazon arena and explained the different business models available. Kevin Gascoyne, Camellia-Sinensis, wrapped up the sessions with a look behind the curtain of specialty - how it evolved, what it learnt and what it has become in its current iteration.

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NATC Speaker Session
 
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Shabnam Weber, President of the Tea & Herbal Association of Canada
 
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Dr. Sylvain Charlebois NATC Presentation
 
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Gold Medal Tea Competition Judging
 
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Sustainability Award Winners - DAVIDsTEA x Tea Horse
 
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For more information about tea and the Canadian tea industry, please visit www.tea.ca.

About the Tea & Herbal Association of Canada
Founded in 1954, The Tea & Herbal Association of Canada is the leading authority and industry voice on all things tea in Canada and represents members from bush to cup. We provide proactive leadership in the areas of advocacy, generic promotion, education and information in order to ensure the long-term viability of the tea industry. We serve as the number one source of information, research about tea and offer the only Tea Sommelier® Certification program in Canada. We are passionate about tea and dedicated to increasing awareness of quality tea and its health benefits to Canadians. Visit www.tea.ca for more information. Like our page on Facebook or follow us on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Media Contact:
Shabnam Weber
[email protected]

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/139695

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