It was in 2006 that I was first introduced to good Chinese tea, and this year marks the fourth year I have been in the industry. Tea and tea culture have enriched my life in so many ways, and the new year holds as much excitement for me as it did at the beginning, even though the business has been truly challenging.
It is a true pleasure to go to work every day. Tea never gets boring, the work is always challenging, and although the market for exclusive tea outside of China is small, it grows every year.
I have made my little business on Åboulevarden in Aarhus as complicated as possible. First and foremost, I chose to sell tea to a nation of pure coffee drinkers. Then I decided never to sell tea in a bag. I also chose to sell tea that was quite a bit more expensive than what people were used to paying. I decided that I would reveal all my sources and information, which other tea companies consider to be trade secrets. I decided not to blend tea, a practice that mixes good tea with not-so-good tea to maximize profit.
I also decided that I would never add flavoring to our tea, and I would provide the most honest information I could dig up from Asia, even though it is a very time-consuming and never-ending process. I do not buy tea from anyone who does not produce it themselves, and the only way I can be sure is by visiting the gardens myself. I would like to be able to offer all the teas that have been characterized as “Tribut or Famous tea,” and I strive to get the best example of each, both for authenticity and quality. In short, I have decided to do business differently from all other tea companies that have been successful, as far as I know.
None of this would be possible without Simply Tea’s customers, producers, dedicated employees, friends, and family who have supported me, and for the support I have received from the tea community, both in China, Japan, Nepal, India, the USA, and the UK, indeed from almost all over the world. I look forward to another year in business, and once again, I will be going on a harvest trip to China in April.