ESTA Announces Oscar Woolley as Interim President

The European Speciality Tea Association is pleased to announce the appointment of Oscar Woolley as Interim President, following a vote by the Board, while our current President, Bernadine Tay, takes a sabbatical.

With 22 years of experience in the tea industry and six years serving on the ESTA Board, Oscar brings a wealth of knowledge, industry relationships and a genuine passion for speciality tea.

During his interim presidency, Oscar will help strengthen ESTA's connections across the industry, champion tea education and awareness, and encourage more people to discover and engage with the speciality tea community.

Over the past year or so, following requests from members and others, ESTA has been working on a new initiative which is a protocol for endorsing and certifying products. At present we do not endorse or allow our logo to be attached to products, only stationery, emails, websites and shop fronts etc.

However this new protocol has been completed and the first product has been certified. The exhaustive process has included some of the following processes; firstly accept the product for testing; then agree terms, conditions, and fee; agree testing criteria; construct the testing form; appoint the judging panel; test the product; revert to the company if failures or queries occur; re-test if necessary; pass or fail; issue the certificate and Certified Product logo.

We already have other companies requesting that we test and certify their products and are hopeful that this will grow to be a successful tool which will help encourage innovation and improve the quality of products and equipment serving the tea industry.

If you are interested in having your product tested, endorsed and certified by ESTA then contact us at hello@specialityteaeurope.com

First ESTA Certified Product - the BRITA Cube

We are pleased to announce that the first ESTA Certified Product is the BRITA Cube, a consumer facing machine which filters and dispenses water at four different temperatures in four different quantities. Here is what BRITA have to say:

'"The European Speciality Tea Association recommends using filtered water for making tea and taking into account the different brewing temperatures and times required for the different types of tea.

Ultimately, it is a matter of taste - just try your tea at different temperatures and find your personal favourite.

ESTA is proud and pleased to be able to support and collaborate with one of our most active members in this exciting initiative.

YOUTH ACADEMY

Our members Simonelli run a Youth Academy which is a free program supporting talented and aspiring coffee professionals (aged 18-30) to fulfil their goals in the coffee industry. Youth Academy is a unique opportunity for education, teamwork, friendship, and progression. Members learn from some of the best trainers in the industry and on some of the best equipment, while receiving a broader perspective on the coffee industry and it's potential for your career.

Simonelli support the students by offering a full set of Speciality Coffee Association (SCA) Foundation Courses, Green Coffee, Roasting, Sensory Skills, Brewing and Barista Skills, and they are also educated to Barista Skills Professional over the course of the year. Simonelli pay for SCA membership, diploma training and Certification, and also cover other topics and support for development in the hospitality industry.

Ukraine Update

‘The Ukraine funding project organised by Solaris Botanicals and supported by ESTA was concentrated in the first months after the war started though there has been some ongoing support since then in terms of helping to finance the transport of other aid shipments with the last remaining funds. So while we're still in regular contact with our supplier in Ukraine we've not been actively further involved at the moment’ says Yngve Wieland of Solaris.

‘We raised just over €55.000 in total at the time and were able to source and finance important medicines and suppliers and get them into the warzone - if you look at the updates on the gofundit page there it gives an overview. I've also forwarded an email just now from the last shipment at the end of May last year.

It was a very intense period from End Feb / March - May 2022 where we put a lot of time and energy into the project but had to take a step back then at some point as it was becoming overwhelming and obviously we had family and job to take care of ourselves.’   

Six of our ESTA members, Nishchal Banskota, Will Battle, Sharyn Johnstone, Wouter Verelst, Dan Bolton and JoAnni Johnson to speak at world Coffee Expo.

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FEATURED SPEAKERS

AVPA has announced the winners of the 2021 competition and we are pleased to say that two of our members have received silver medals. Jersey Fine Tea for their early season black in the monovarietal competition and Andrey Kolbasinov from Nitka Tea in Moscow for his Russian Caravan in the herbal and scented tea competition. Congratulations to you both.

AVPA Announces Teas of the World Contest Winners
By Dan Bolton

AVPA’s 4th Annual Teas of the World contest awarded 133 medals this week recognizing teas from 33 countries.

The online ceremony in Paris awards “gastronomic recognition” in two categories of tea with separate juries evaluating camellia sinensis (monovarietal) and “Herbal teas, blends and scented teas.”

Prizes included 10 “Gourmet Or” gold medals and 25 silver and 25 bronze with an additional 73 teas receiving an AVPA certificate of distinction. Three golds were awarded in the herbals and blends category and seven gold medals in the camellia sinensis categories.

Taiwan’s Xue Jian Oolong Tea in Miao Li won two golds (two silvers and four diplomas). The first gold medal was for “Alpine Spring” with another for “Le Thé de Madame Hakka.”

Wang Family Tea in Beishan, Taiwan earned gold for its “Wuyi Charcoal Roasted Oolong” and the Tea Key Company in Nantou, Taiwan earned gold for its “Dong Pian Si Ji Chun.”

Two teas from Darjeeling, India also earned gold medals. “Arya Diamond” distributed by EVS Professionals and Les Jardin de Gaia earned gold for its “Himalayan Secret SFTGFOP1 (Special Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe, Grade 1).” A South Korean green tea grown on Jeju Island by Wild Orchard also earned gold.

In the Herbals and blends, categories “Pure Chamomile” by L’Autre Thé grown in Croatia was awarded a gold medal and Les Jardins Gaia won gold for its “Rose de Damas” tea from Iran.

N. Psyllakis & Co., a family-owned farm in Greece won gold for its “Cretan Mountain Tea” grown in Tofillo, Crete.

Winners in the Monovarietal Contest (PDF)
Winners in the Herbal Teas, Blended and Scented Contest (PDF)

BOARD RESOLUTION 6th October 2021

Commencing in March 2022 an annual board election will take place, when half of the current serving directors will resign and if desired propose themselves for re-election along with any other nominated members. Their term will be for two years. In March 2023 the directors who did not resign in 2022 will then resign and if desired propose themselves for re-election, which again will be for a term of two years. Any co-opted director will resign and if desired propose themselves for reelection at least one year after their election. This method of election will ensure continuity on the board.

MATCHA WHISKING CHAMPIONSHIP 2021

The first ever ESTA UK Matcha Whisking Championship was held at Caffe Culture on 3rd September. After a series of educational and practical workshops eight competitors took part in this inaugural competition, and in a close finish the top 3 were;

3rd Mel Supravha AVT Tea Services 285 points

2nd Angie Chan Deerland Tea. 289 points 

1st Gosia Lendzioszek      Matthew Algie     296 points

Gosia is pictured here with the judges who were Alexis and Natacha Kaae from Simply Tea in Denmark, Oscar Woolley from Suki Tea in Northern Ireland and Marc-Pierre Dietrich fom TeaSmiths in England. Gosia won an ESTA tea flavour wheel poster, ESTA membership for one year, a matcha whisking set and some matcha tea. She said ‘ The competition was very exciting and fun and I am delighted I could take a part in that and honoured to be the 1st Matcha Whisking Champion. I am a sensory enthusiast, so I love to try new things and flavours. When I come across Matcha few years ago it was love from the 1st sip. It is my pre workout drink mixed with oat milk, baking (ice cream and home made truffles also) ingredient, but mostly I enjoy Matcha on its own. It delivers wonderful, deep flavours. The ceremony of Matcha preparation making it more elegant and sophisticated drink.  My biggest pride is people that were not fond of this flavour changing their mind after tasting Matcha that was well prepared, with high quality product used. They are always surprised how good the drink tastes and are stunned with layers of flavours that can be found in the drink.

The competition was sponsored by Mount Everest Tea from Germany and Marukyu Koyamaen from Japan.

TEAS OF THE WORLD

Dear Friends and Participants to the Teas of the World International Contest AVPA-Paris 2021

Already more than 150 products registered to the 4th International «Teas of the World» AVPA - Paris 2021 Contest whose jury is due to meet very soon.

Nevertheless, the holiday period prevented a number of participants from preparing samples that sometimes arrived late due to transportation difficulties (Covid) or due to the late harvest season in some countries. Many well-known participants asked us to extend the deadline to allow more samples to arrive.  

AVPA was able to delay the jury date, so we can extend the receipt of samples until September 15, 2021.

Register now – click here

Feel free to send your registration form as from now and send the samples to be in Paris before September 15, 2021

Mark Your Calendar! World Tea Conference & Expo 2021, the most influential gathering for the tea industry, takes place June 28-30 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, in Las Vegas, Nevada. With new features and new opportunities to get back to business, World Tea Conference & Expo features a 3-day conference program and 2-day expo hall floor for retailers, tea shop owners, distributors, F&B directors, spa managers, specialty grocers, and business professionals to be inspired, network, learn from experts, and discover new trends. Learn more about the 2021 schedule, health & safety measures, registration offers and more at https://www.worldteaexpo.com/

Join us in leaving behind the past year of hardship and negativity by celebrating Tea. Let's drink to the tasteful well-being and social cohesion this wonderful product creates all around the world. Do you know already what tea will you be drinking on International Tea Day?
Leave us a comment and photo of your tea on one of our social media platforms and the best one will win a speciality tea hamper from Australian Tea Masters.

We look forward to enjoying the entries.

15th January 2021

European Speciality Tea association is committed to working with fellow organisations around the world to promote speciality tea, its community and to improve the quality of tea.

We have recently opened up discussions with two such organisations, the Global Japanese Tea Association and the International Speciality Tea Association. Stand by for updates as to how  we may be collaborating in the future.

11th December 2020

European Speciality Tea Association launches in Russia

We are pleased to announce that the European Speciality Tea Association is now active in Russia. We have our first two members, Dmitry Sobolev of Oh My Tea in St. Petersburg and Andrey Kolbasinov from Nitka Tea in Moscow and a Russian version of our website, www.specialityteaeurope.ru. was launched last week.

I personally met so many enthusiastic tea lovers when I visited Coffee Tea Cacao Russian Expo in March and was totally impressed with the passion, knowledge and commitment for speciality tea that I witnessed. There is already a growing speciality tea community growing in Russia and I sincerely believe that European Speciality Tea Association can help build this further.

 With Andrey and Dimitry’s help we are planning a membership drive in Russia and the other Russian speaking countries with website, brochure and other communication in the Russian language, as well as a number of events, circumstances permitting, during 2021, starting with a webinar in Russian at the end of January.

This is an exciting development for ESTA, we now have members in twenty four countries and our message is being heard more and more.

David Veal

9th October 2020

World Tea Virtual Summit -

Many people from the tea industry who have been visiting the World tea Expo since 2003 will have been disappointed to hear that, like most events world-wide, it had been cancelled this year, its place in the tea calendar being of such importance. Most of those people will also be pleased to know that it has been replaced (Hopefully for this year only!) by the World Tea Virtual Summit, running from 12th to 14th October. It has a full and varied programme, and registration is still open at https://www.worldteaexpo.com/virtualsummit.

European Speciality Tea Association supported this event and encouraged members and non-members to participate. View our supporting video at:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/irxlpvg72yh2a9w/Virtual%20tea%20summit%202020%20ESTA.MOV?dl=0