FUTURE WEBINARS
Next webinar Wednesday, 20th May 2026, 7pm BST
Build a Tea Brand People Actually Care About
Storytelling, authenticity, and growth strategies with Don Mei, Founder of Mei Leaf
There are thousands of tea brands. Very few actually matter. Most struggle to stand out—not because the tea isn’t good, but because the brand lacks clarity, authenticity, and connection. So the real question is:
Why should anyone care about your tea brand?
In this session, the European Speciality Tea Association brings you a candid conversation with one of the most recognisable voices in modern tea.
This is not a surface-level branding talk.
This is a grounded discussion on what it actually takes to build a tea brand that is trusted, distinctive, and commercially viable.
Don Mei
What You’ll Gain
A clear framework for building an authentic tea brand rooted in purpose
Insight into how to curate teas that reinforce authority and credibility
Understanding how to communicate a compelling value proposition
Practical strategies for using content and social media to build a loyal audience
Awareness of common pitfalls that weaken tea brands—and how to avoid them
What We’ll Cover
How to define a clear purpose built from your passion
How to shape a business model that balances sustainability and profit
How to find your voice in a crowded and competitive market
How storytelling, sourcing, and brand identity must align
How to build and protect your brand in the long term
How to use content as a growth engine—not just marketing
Speaker
Don Mei – Founder, Mei Leaf; YouTuber and leading voice in modern tea education, known for combining deep tea knowledge with compelling storytelling and digital reach
Moderator
Bernadine Tay – President, European Speciality Tea Association
Who Should Attend
Tea entrepreneurs and brand founders
Tea retailers and hospitality professionals
Tea marketers, consultants, and educators
Anyone looking to build a distinctive and credible tea brand
Why This Matters Now
The tea industry is becoming increasingly competitive, with more brands entering the market than ever before.
At the same time, audiences are more informed—and more selective.
Brands that succeed will be those that go beyond product and build meaning, trust, and connection.
This session is designed to show you how.
Call to Action
If you want to build a tea brand that people don’t just buy—but believe in—this session will challenge how you think and operate.
Join us and learn what it takes to stand out in today’s tea market.
Event Details
Eventbrite Registration Link: https://esta-build-a-tea-brand.eventbrite.co.uk
Live Date: 20th May 2026, 7pm GMT
Location: Zoom link will be shared upon registration
Format: Live Online Webinar + Q&A
Duration: 90 minutes
Ticket Information
🎟️ Free for ESTA Members: ESTA members receive complimentary access code as part of their membership benefits – please contact jay@specialityteaeurope.com if you have not received it
🎟️ £35 for Non-Members: please contact jay@specialityteaeurope.com if you would like to find out how to become a member
PAST WEBINARS
From Soil to Shelf: Who Pays for Regenerative Tea — and Who Profits?
A live Earth Day panel/webinar on the future of tea, pricing, and responsibility across the supply chain
This Earth Day, the European Speciality Tea Association brought together leading voices from across the tea value chain for a candid, commercially grounded panel discussion exploring the realities of regenerative tea farming.
A real conversation about:
The true cost of transitioning to regenerative practices
Whether the market is willing to support price premiums
The risks and opportunities for producers, buyers, and brands
How we move from intention to implementation
Panel Speakers:
Annabel Kalmar – Tea Rebellion (Project Lead, RegenTea Initiative)
Moderator: Bernadine Tay, President of ESTA
Why This Matters Now
Regenerative agriculture is rapidly gaining attention across food and beverage — but tea risks falling behind unless the industry aligns on how this transition can work in reality.
This session was designed to bridge that gap.
What You’ll Gain
A clear understanding of what regenerative tea farming actually means in practice
Insight into the economic realities behind adoption
Perspectives from both production and commercial sides of the industry
A first look at the RegenTea project and its role in shaping this transition
Learn more or join the Regenerative Tea Action Project
Fund the pilot and transform the sector
Beyond Asia, Brazil’s Legacy as the First Tea Origin in the West
Enter Brazil's tea culture from its historical beginnings in the 1800s to the producers who keep it alive today.
This webinar, hosted by Alicia Gentili and presented by Renata Acácia, Brazilian tea specialist and member of ESTA, will take you into the heart of Brazil's tea culture from its historical beginnings in the 1800s to the producers who keep it alive today.
Renata shares stories of resilience from the three tea-growing families in São Paulo: Amaya, Shimada, and Yamamaru, insights into Brazil as the first Western country to cultivate Camellia sinensis, and how the Rota do Chá tea tour has connected over 500 people in person and countless more online to Brazil’s tea heritage.
Renata and Tomio
Regenerative Tea Farming Action Project
How Regenerative Farming Can Elevate Your Tea Business
Are you ready to future-proof your farm and thrive in the competitive global tea market? 🌍 In this inspiring and action-packed webinar, Annabel Kalmar, gives an overview of The Regenerative Tea Action Project — why the project is being done, why it's exciting, why farmers should join and what they might get out of it, and what it aims to achieve. Discover how sustainable practices can revolutionise your tea business, boost your competitiveness, and open doors to new opportunities worldwide. Learn how you can join a community of like-minded farmers committed to driving change and building a more sustainable future for the tea industry.
The Regenerative Tea Action Project aims to help accelerate the adoption of and the commercial benefits from regenerative organic tea farming practices in the tea sector by working with smallholders, cooperatives and family run farms.
How to Grow Award Winning Tea
This webinar is presented by our three producer members who recently won awards at The Leafies in London, Jo Harper of Dartmoor Estate Tea in England, Pasan Shalutha from Panilkanda in Sri Lanka and Nishchal Banskota from Nepal Tea Collective. Learn the secret ingredients you need to make award-winning teas.
Nishchal Banskota accepting his Award
The Artisan Tea Movement in Sri Lanka
The goal of the Ceylon Artisanal Tea Association (CATA) is to promote the production and sale of hand-crafted teas made in Sri Lanka. By doing so, we hope to increase the variety of amazing Ceylon teas available to tea-lovers around the world, and to increase the incomes of small farmers and workers who grow Sri Lanka's famous teas.
Learn from their members what teas they are producing, and what type of work and impact they are doing.
CATA green tea rolling. Credit Will Clarkson
Creating Social Impact Through Tea: Exploring the Foundation of Cooperative Efforts in the Himalayas
Vable cheers Kumaon Farmers
Learn about the latest groundbreaking project from Young Mountain Tea, in which they develop a cooperative style tea factory in northern India to revive the local economy and regenerate farming practices. This is a casual discussion hosted by tea making consultant, Alicia Gentili, in which she interviews Young Mountain Tea founder, Raj Vable, and renowned consultant on the project, Nigel Melican, about the history of the Kumaon region, the goals and logistics of this undertaking, and what we can expect to see in the future.
ESTA INFORMATIVE WEBINARS
The future journey of ESTA
Webinar held on 20th March, 2024
A panel of ESTA directors talked about and answered questions on the future journey of ESTA and some of the components and initiatives which will be part of our new three year strategic plan. We discussed and took questions on: Research and Development, Education, Events, Collaboration, Tea Quality, Communications, Competitions, Innovation.
ESTA Open Forum
Webinar held in January 2022.
David Veal, Bernadine Tay, Alexis Kaae and Oscar Woolley discusses progress made in 2021, outlined the plans for 2022 and took comments, questions, suggestions and ideas from the participants.
Our New Tea Certification Programme Revealed
Webinar held in January 2021.
Panelists Nigel Melican, Alexis Kaae, Bernadine Tay and David Veal explained the Tea Certification Programme, introduced the first module, talked about the future of education and answered the many questions put forward by the attendees.
European Speciality Tea Association
Who we are and What we do
Our Mission, Vision, Values and Promoting Speciality Tea
Webinar held in July 2020.
Panelists from our Board of Directors presented why we changed our name to the European Speciality Tea Association; more about our mission and values; how we will be doing more to promote speciality tea in the future; and how you can get involved.
PAST WEBINARS
Past webinars are able to be viewed only by ESTA members as a benefit of their membership.
If you would like to join ESTA please go HERE
2024
Creating Social Impact Through Tea: Exploring the Foundation of Cooperative Efforts in the Himalayas - Raj Vable, Alicia Gentili and Nigel Melican
International Tea Day from Kenya - Boaz Katah and Sharyn Johnston
Tea’s USP: The Health and Wellness Advantage - Edi Obiakpani-Reid
2023
Tea Authenticity - Professor Chris Elliott, Dr. Di Wu and Dr. Terry McGrat
Growing Tea in England. A truly unexpected journey - Jo Harper
A new generation of speciality tea growers from Myanmar - Joyce Maina, Lin, Mynt Mynt, San Min Tun
The Importance of Water Quality in Tea - Christos Gkosdis
People who make tea: Women from Satemwa in Malawi who make tea - Alice and Mary, and Alexander Kay
Nepal's re-evolution in tea: How young tea makers are transforming the Nepali tea industry - Nishchal Banskota
2022
Exploring Turkish Tea Production and Consumption - Dr. Saziye Ilgaz
Finding a Unique Selling Point in Tea - Jon Cooper
Maximising Opportunities with Tea in your Beverage Business - Marco
The Portuguese Love Affair with Camellias and Tea - Nina Gruntkowski
African Speciality Teas : Addressing Quality Assessment & Route to Market - Joyce Maina
Spreading the Production of Specialty Tea in Kenya - Boaz Katah
The Glory of Darjeeling - Rajah Bannerjee
Tea’s Chaotic, Fragmented Markets are a Matter of Taste - Dan Bolton
The many Flavours and Functions of the Honeybush Plant and the Challenges of its Sustainable Cultivation - Daniel Fourie
Japanese Export Trends in the European Market - Anna Poian
Back to the Future: Past and the Future of Speciality Tea - Tim d’Offay
2021
Flavour Perception and Experience. A Multisensory Approach - Dr Ali Amidi and Dr Qian Janice Wang
European Tea Growers Association and the challenges and opportunities of growing tea in Europe - Monica Griesbaum
Rooibos: History, Present and Future…. as the next Speciality Tea? - Anton Louw
Climate & Social Sustainability Initiatives at Jalinga Tea Estate, Assam - Ketan Patel
Tea Cultivation and Production in Europe - Maksym Malyhin
The Challenges of Importing Speciality Tea from China - Anne-Katrin Witt and Maximilian Frick
Value Chain: Pricing Challenges - Will Battle
Direct Trading: Past, Present and Future - Nishchal Banskota
2020
A Consumers Journey to Speciality Tea - Lucy Chappell
A Tea Producers Journey to Speciality - Alexander Kay
Linking Speciality Producers to Consumers - Joyce Maina
The History of the World Tea Expo and Upcoming World Tea Virtual Summit - Faithann Bailes and Tim Mclucas
The Rise of the RTD (Ready to Drink) - Rona Tison
Tea Vulnerabilities, Retail Realities and the Way Forward - Dan Bolton
Using Social Media for your Tea Business - Rebecca Bate
Working Directly with Growers - Elyse Petersen