The North American Tea Championship (NATC) named 10 first-place winners in various categories of its new packaged single-service evaluation, which took place Nov. 14 to 15, 2012. The championship is an 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 winning teas will be featured at the upcoming World Tea Expo, June 7 to 9 in Las Vegas, Nev.
“The tea submissions for NATC’s inaugural packaged single-service evaluation were much higher in quality than we expected,” said North American Tea Championship Judge Mike Spillane, the G. S. Haly Co., in a prepared statement. “The quality of the teas showed a significant level of professionalism. There was a lot of thought put into these premium teas.”
According to Spillane, the key message to consumers is that packaged single-service teas can deliver a first-class cup. “Don’t be hesitant when it comes to trying single-service teas,” Spillane said. “There’s a lot of quality out there. Yet, there are so many tea brands that even I, a professional, sometimes have difficulty selecting the right single-service packaged tea at my market or online. So, my advice? When looking for a single-service tea, choose teas that are packaged in the pyramid tea bags; they present a greater selection and you have a higher chance of getting a specialty tea because it holds whole leaf, unlike the traditional flat-packed tea bags.”
Packaged single-service tea first-place winners include (company, tea and category):
- Newby Teas LTD, Kan-Junga Pyramid Infusers, Black Tea-Single Origin
- Brands of Britain, Yorkshire Gold, Black Tea Blends Unflavored
- Den’s Tea, Organic Fairtrade Mango Black Tea, Black Tea Flavored
- QTrade Teas & Herbs, Organic Mao Jian, Pan-fired Green Tea
- The Green Teaist, LLC, TGT Blend, Steamed Green Tea
- Two Leaves Tea Company, Jasmine Petal, Jasmine Scented Green Tea
- Choice Organic Teas, Genmaicha, Green Tea Blended/Flavored
- Redco Foods, White Tea Asian Plum, White Tea Blended/Flavored
- Newby Teas LTD, Chamomile Pyramid Infusers, Herbal
- Teatulia Organic Single Garden Teas, Lemongrass Herbal Infusion, Herbal Blended/Flavored
