# How to tavern the Tea Tavern This book details the current requirements and processes for obtaining tea tavern supplies should be based on the the purpose/mission (vision?) statement/ultimate goal of the Tea Tavern: The Tea Tavern brings people towards a happier, healthier life. We currently do this best through community creation and education that is facilitated by tea. # Obtaining Tea Supplies Each chapter details information about Tea Tavern vendors and how they work towards tavern goals. # The Phoenix Collection #### Which goals align? Since the Tea Tavern's goal is to help people achieve a better, healthier life, what are the priorities that the organization's goal align with? \- \[x\] Does it taste good to people who enjoy high quality tea? \- Teas that age well are the specialty \- Fresher teas are hit or miss, but one can tell they are most are a higher quality. \- \[x\] Is the tea likely to be healthy? \- Likely, though little information is generally given to prove this. #### How goals are aligned David Lee Hoffman is the owner of [The Phoenix Collection](http://thephoenixcollection.com/), where we wholesale teas such the [1995 "Green Pu'erh"](https://tea-tavern.com/1995-green-pu-erh/) and [Aini Bamboo Shu](https://tea-tavern.com/aini-bamboo-shu-puerh/) (2014). He was one of, if not *the*, first Americans to go to and source tea from China. In the documentary [All in this Tea](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_in_This_Tea), people can see the attention to quality through his telling of how tea smelled, how tea tasted, and what was used to grow the tea (ex. organic fertilization). He even cared about the lives of the farmers and their ability to sell tea without requiring a factory as the middle-man. Something that may have helped the growth of two other vendors: [West China Tea](https://westchinatea.com/) and [Grass People Tree](https://www.grasspeopletree.com/). # The Phoenix Collection (Contact Info) ### Contact Info - Addresses - The Phoenix Collection Post Office Box 287 Lagunitas, California 94938 USA - Phone numbers - TEL: 415 488.9017 FAX: 415 488 9015 - emails - Name: Jeannie - ### Obtaining Prices Their default prices are believed to be the same as wholesale prices. May be worth clarifying with them, one day. For current prices, go to [http://thephoenixcollection.com/order/tealist.pdf](http://thephoenixcollection.com/order/tealist.pdf) to see the current tea list. May want to check the month and year on the top of the PDF for currency. ### Placing an Order For wholesale orders, send the above email the product ID number and quantity of what we request. # West China Tea #### Which goals align? Since the Tea Tavern's goal is to help people achieve a better, healthier life, what are the priorities that the organization's goal align with? \- \[x\] Does it taste good to people who enjoy high quality tea? \- \[x\] Is the tea likely to be healthy? #### How goals are aligned? [West China Tea](https://westchinatea.com/)'s owner is the the [TeaHouseGhost](http://www.youtube.com/@TeaHouseGhost) (So-Han Fan). Having gone to China themselves, [West China Tea](https://westchinatea.com/) sources teas directly from farmers who care about organic, healthful farming of tea. They provide some of the most in-depth and informational educational content as a course and for free. They built a vibrant community of tea drinkers at their establishment in Austin, Texas, converting people who may have previously avoided tea into people who seek out quality tea. They supply the Tea Tavern with teas such as [Moonlight White tea bings](https://tea-tavern.com/moonlight-white-bing/), [Ancient Black Rain tea coins](https://tea-tavern.com/7g-ancient-tree-black-rain-tea-coin/), and [Black Phoenix](https://tea-tavern.com/black-phoenix/). # West China Tea (Contact Info) ### Current Contact Info: - addresses - *Learn new address, they were just moved from the freeway* - Phones - **512-887-8324** - emails - Wholesales - Name: Echo - - - General - - The company also has a Mighty Networks group. ### Obtaining Prices West China currently has a PDF that lists loose leaf tea prices, and use it to show prices per gram. Not all products are going to be loose leaf, despite them being in there, however. Some will only be available as bings, and after deciding the desired quantities, we will be told what products are bings. An example is purple white tea. They show as loose leaf, but only come in bings. Lastly, if we order 7 bings (1 tong), they will be lower than each ordered individually, but will likely need to be put on back-order from china. Ordering in this manner is, however, cheaper than ordering wholesale bings individually. By how much? Needs to be documented. Hopefully, we can one day work with them to separate their bing-only products. ### Making the Order Send the contact above an email, and work with them to get the order figured out. Once figured out, they will set up a custom purchase link on westchinatea.com to complete the order. Please use the "supplies@tea-tavern" email for this. Make sure you know what will come immediately, and what is on backorder (should be marked in the list of ordered products. Back ordered products take an estimated 4-6 weeks to arrive, as they need to get made, shipped to West China, then sent to us. ### Special Orders On occasion, West China gets special orders of new teas or specially made teas from their suppliers in China. The process for joining in this needs to be learned an documented. # Grass People Tree (GPT) #### Which goals align? Since the Tea Tavern's goal is to help people achieve a better, healthier life, what are the priorities that the organization's goal align with? \- \[x\] Does it taste good to people who enjoy high quality tea? \- \[x\] Is the tea likely to be healthy? #### How goals are aligned? The [Tea Tavern](https://tea-tavern.com/)'s keeper occasionally speaks with Rui, the owner of [Grass People Tree](https://www.grasspeopletree.com/) and found a genuine passion in her for tea as an art, as a medicine, and it's traditions. Based on her educational content and blog postings, the Tea Tavern finds that the ecosystem they grow tea from, the people they work with to craft their products, and the process in which they use to make their teas are perhaps honored more than the tea that they sell, itself. The teas that they sell are *all* from wild and ancient trees. The leaves are processed in a much more careful and special manner, as to prevent qualities that would make them bitter. As a result, people can be sure that the plants they use are healthy, that all the health benefiting substances in tea are at their strongest, and that there won't be any additional substances that can result in harming a person's health. This results in a tea that is unlike any other that the Tea Tavern finds in that the brews almost never becomes bitter... Even when accidentally leaving [Master's Green](https://tea-tavern.com/masters-green/) brewing in boiling water for a minute or two. (^^;)7 This proves that GPT tea is also difficult to brew in a way that would makes the tea's brew unpleasant to most people. Further, Rui takes care of her employees by helping the "sisters" who pick and pack tea. This is done though obtain funding to help the sisters progress their personal goals, such as learn English. Rui communicates directly with many of the wholesale vendors, visits many of their tea houses as she travels, and is one of the most welcoming and helpful people in the world's tea community. As a result, GPT is the partner supplying us with the teas found in the [Wild Tea Sampler](https://tea-tavern.com/wild-tea-sampler/). (^-^) # Grass People Tree (Contact info) [See here for additional information on GPT as a maker](https://bookstack.tea-tavern.com/books/tea-sources-makers/page/grass-people-tree-gpt) ### Contact Info - Addresses - China - Phone numbers - Unknown - emails - Name: Rui ('Ray') - rui@grasspeopletree.com ### Obtaining Prices This vendor defaults to a 40% discount on wholesale. ### Placing an Order [https://www.grasspeopletree.com/](https://www.grasspeopletree.com/) Go to the main website, add the order to the tea-tavern account's cart, send a picture of the cart to Rui in an email with the request. # Tea Curious #### Which goals align? Since the Tea Tavern's goal is to help people achieve a better, healthier life, what are the priorities that the organization's goal align with? \- \[x\] Does it taste good to people who enjoy high quality tea? \- \[x\] Is the tea likely to be healthy? #### How goals are aligned [Tea Curious](https://www.teacurious.com/) sources teas from primarily Taiwan and Napal, however they also have teas from other places like China. The organization was founded by Steven and Rie who went to various parts of the world to learn how to find and make quality tea. They have a passion for high quality tea, community, and a scientific degree of attention to brewing. [Tea Curious](https://www.teacurious.com/) teas have the most details recorded about their teas compared to all of the Tea Tavern's other vendors, including what degree of organic that the farm grew the tea in (wild, low intervention, organic certified, working on certification, etc..). The attention to detail also stretches into their water, as they are the organization that the [Tea Tavern wholesales tea water minerals from](https://tea-tavern.com/product/master-brewers-components/), and thus are the ones who made the [recipe](https://www.teacurious.com/water-recipe) that the tavern uses for tea water.. Thanks to the teachings of these water wizards, the Tea Tavern was able to move from "ok" tea to "the finest of teas". # Tea Curious (Contact Info) ### Contact Info - Addresses - Unknown - Phone numbers - Unknown - emails - Name: Rie - - Do not be surprised if they take a few days to a week to return contact. - Other - One can also use this form to contact them https://www.teacurious.com/contact-us ### Obtaining Prices Send them a question by whatever means you prefer, asking for the wholesale prices. Their prices do not change often, so we likely do not need to change it often. NEXT TIME WE GET ONE, ADD IT HERE AS AN ATTACHMENT. ### Placing an Order For wholesale orders, send the above email the name and quantity of what we request. ### Drop Shipping We drop ship products from Tea Curious, as well. The current agreement is that we earn 15% on every sale on our website. 1. We take the (paid) orders made to the tea tavern, 2. Provide Tea Curious with the customer data and orders, 3. We pay Tea Curious a discounted price on the bulk of our customer's orders. Reason for doing this: in places where water quality is not high, tea curious supplies has been the best resource for providing water that can actually make tea good. For some locations, there is little reason to need better water, such as the places listed below: - Seattle, Washington - New York - (Add more as learned about) # Mei Leaf Tea #### Which goals align? Since the Tea Tavern's goal is to help people achieve a better, healthier life, what are the priorities that the organization's goal align with? \- \[x\] Does it taste good to people who enjoy high quality tea? \- \[ \] Is the tea likely to be healthy? #### How goals are aligned if... ##### The Tea Tastes Good [Mei Leaf Tea](https://meileaf.com/), as a brand, has made itself stand out as the vendor of "pinnacle" tea, as it pertains to flavor. Numerous daily gongfu, Chinese tea drinkers strongly recommended that the Tea Tavern work with them as a wholesale vendor, and the reasoning makes sense. One only needs to browse the [Mei Leaf tea](https://meileaf.com/) YouTube videos to see how they are passionate and effective at teaching people about tea and finding only the finest tasting versions of those teas (to the owner's taste, of course). They have scouts go out to Chinese tea farms, funnel thousands of teas down to a select few hundred that they ship samples of to the Mei Leaf, which then go through taste testing with the owner to decide on a select few teas that they decide are the "pinnacle" of the particular type of tea. Mei Leaf Tea is actually a prime example of why the Tea Tavern likes to work with wholesalers. Yes, the price is higher for working with them, but our vendors go through significant efforts that are more immediately capable of supporting the goals of the Tea Tavern. This being said, the owner has mentioned these teas are cultivated from, are likely to have non-marketed traits, like being organic. Many of the teas they source are likely to be sold with or without any kind of evidence of things like organic farming and there is good reason to believe it. This being the case, however, means that when wholesaling from Mei Leaf, the focus is in the quality of the flavor above all else. # Meileaf Tea (Contact Info) ### Contact Info - Addresses - Phone numbers - emails ### Obtaining Prices ### Placing an Order ### Qualifications (How they fit our goals) # Mosscap Tea #### Which goals align? Since the Tea Tavern's goal is to help people achieve a better, healthier life, what are the priorities that the organization's goal align with? \- \[x\] Does it taste good to people who enjoy high quality tea? \- \[x\] Is the tea likely to be healthy? #### How goals are aligned [Mosscap](https://www.mosscaptea.com/) Tea is run by herbalists passionate about farming to the most naturally beneficial extent possible. They have helped the Tea Tavern in researching the organic certification, its pitfalls, and how to farm to a level of "organic" that the certification does not assure. Due to their depth of knowledge and skill in making tasteful herbal mixtures, the Tea Tavern works with them to wholesale blends of herbs that are mostly grown from small farms local to Texas. Teas from "Mosscap" is in the name of all the products that the Tea Tavern wholesales from them, such as [The Mosscap Hearth](https://tea-tavern.com/the-mosscap-hearth/) and [Rain of a Mosscap](https://tea-tavern.com/rain-of-a-mosscap/). # Moss Cap Tea (Contact Info) ### Contact Info - Addresses - They are in Austin, Texas - Phone numbers - (Telegram) +1 409 692 5283 - emails - Hello@mosscaptea.com - Website - MossCapTea.com ### Obtaining Prices View[ the site](https://www.mosscaptea.com/shop) for the original prices, and default to 50% off for wholesale/drop shipping. For a more specific price, ask them directly. ### Placing an Order Ask for the wholesale pricing document, determine the preferred quantities, order through email. # Sacred Blossom Farm #### Which goals align? Since the Tea Tavern's goal is to help people achieve a better, healthier life, what are the priorities that the organization's goal align with? \- \[x\] Does it taste good to people who enjoy high quality tea? \- \[x\] Is the tea likely to be healthy? #### How goals are aligned [Sacred Blossom Farm](https://www.sacredblossomfarm.com/) is a Wisconsin herb farm that advertises restorative and low-intervention (or "low-input") farming practices to grow herbs, as well as a degree of foraging for some wild grown herbs. Their focus is on selling the finest tasting herbs with the healthiest plants they can produce, to provide the healthiest and most medicinally effective herbal blends that they can. An example of the herbal blend that the Tea Tavern wholesales from them is Sacred Blossom Immunity. # Sacred Blossom Farms (Contact Info) ### Contact Info - Addresses - Phone numbers - emails ### Obtaining Prices ### Placing an Order ### Qualifications (How they fit our goals) # Premier's Foods & Beverages (Contact Info) [See this page for further details about them as a maker.](https://bookstack.tea-tavern.com/books/tea-sources-makers/page/premiers-foods-beverages) ### Contact Info - Addresses: - Head office: Gole Market (Still existent?) - 16/7 Doctor's Lane, Gole Market, New Delhi-110001 (India) - Branch Office: Birla Mandir (originally visited office) - Ram Singh Hall, Hindu Maha Sabha Bhawan Mandir Marg, Birla Mandir Bus Stop, New Delhi-110001 (India) - Phone numbers (Whatsapp required) - 9810976272 - emails - pfbindia1@gmail.com ### Obtaining Prices Text or email them asking about a particular product. Last we asked, they do not keep a list of options on hand. So if we want something different, we have to check what they have. Prices are reportedly inconsistent, so we will need to ask the current price every time they sell to us. ### Placing an Order Send a text or email requesting the particular product. Their minimum is likely to be in the 5kg range before any discount is provided for wholesale. In general, orders are expected to be paid through wise or a wire transfer. ### Qualifications (How they fit our goals) Organic certifications: - HACCP, - GMP, - IFS (International Food Standard) - Certified packers of Organic teas for India (India Organic), - European Union (EU 2092/91), - USA (USDA), - Japan (JAS) The tavern keeper was also given the impression that they do more than this, too, but "what" needs to be documented. Please note: The Tavern Keeper was given the impression that there might be inaccuracies on the original flier. The written information should be correct, the address, and email should be correct, but other items should be verified. For their "cleaning" process, see the attached images. They are descriptions of the steps in their process. # U.P. Arts & Crafts Development Centre (Possible Teawares) (Contact Info) Manufacturer & Exporters of Handmade Marble Inlaid Articles & Handicrafts ### Contact Info - Addresses - Opp.Jaypee Palace Hotel, Fatehabad Road, Agra-282001 (India) - Phone numbers - +91 70600 66836 (Whatsapp) - emails - upartsncrafts@gmail.com ### Obtaining Prices Email or text them with what you'd like to order, and they will provide the price. ### Placing an Order Use email or text ### Qualifications (How they fit our goals) Not plant matter. Thus, just going based on price and custom creatability. Better qualifications need to be determined. # General Business Supplies # Expectations of General Supplies ## For all products Work with the financial team to determine how much of what products can be ordered. ### For products without specific requirements We can log in to their website using the corresponding credentials to make the order. ### Vendor Prioritization The Tea Tavern's order of priority for determining which product to purchase for the given purpose: 1. Eco-friendliness 1. Can it be composted **OR** recycled (both)? 2. If not, can it be composted? 3. If not, can it be recyclable and made of recycled materials? 4. If not, can it be recycled? 5. Is it clear what is least damaging to the people we serve (including the environment they live in?) 6. If the above is too unclear to make a determination, take the best, and move on to the next priority item. 2. Price/Effectiveness (Needs to be balanced) 1. Does it get the product to our customers effectively? 1. If it gets rained on, will the product be okay? 2. If it gets crushed, is the product okay? 3. If it gets hot, will it melt? 2. Is it the cheapest we can find that fulfills our needs? 3. To reduce shipping costs, can we get the same or similar things from the same vendor at the same time as other products? 3. Design 1. Can it be customized? 2. Does it look nice? 3. Is the quality of the product higher than the others? (Do not spend too much time on this) 4. If all the above are ordered, and it comes down to more than one option, then take the relevant information and ask leadership to decide further priorities. # List of Current Viable Suppliers - [https://www.kraftpackagingstore.com/](https://www.kraftpackagingstore.com/) - [https://elevatepackaging.com/](https://elevatepackaging.com/) - [https://purelabels.com/](https://purelabels.com/) - [https://www.ecoenclose.com/](https://www.ecoenclose.com/) Possible future options may have - Some places are developing seaweed-based plastic replacement products. They are supposed to be "Restorative" rather than just "recyclable", "compostable", or "carbon-neutral". # Tea Packaging ## The Tea Container Currently, we use Kraft bags with an aluminum laminate inside (small sized), and the compostable pouch from Elevate Packaging (medium sizes). When the small bags are all used and done, they will become the same as Elevate Packagings. There are many suppliers for what **appears** to be the exact same bag. Is there a difference? (needs to be researched) Based on [Elevate Packaging's catalogue](https://elevatepackaging.com/products/bags/coffee-bags/), they are compostable. Are they also Recyclable (ideal)? Based on the [Kraft Packaging Store's catalogue](https://www.kraftpackagingstore.com/kraft-stand-up-pouches-zipper-bags), they are aluminum foil (laminate?) within kraft paper. ## Labels for Tea Containers - [PureLabels 2" Compastable Square Labels, Blank (also recyclable)](https://www.purelabels.com/2-square-labels-blank-25-sheets-500-labels/) - Uses the document template attachment in the wiki # Shipping Supplies ## Shipping tape We currently order compostable shipping tape from the following places: - [Elevate Packaging](https://elevatepackaging.com/compostable-packing-tape) - [Pure Labels](https://www.purelabels.com/packing-tape) - [Arka](https://arka.com) Reasoning for the above vendors: - [Elevate Packaging's Standards](https://elevatepackaging.com/composting-standards/) - [Pure Labels' Standards](https://purelabels.com/composting-standards/) ## Shipping Labels Elevate packaging and pure labels' products are the same on this one. Each are entirely compostable. If something else is being ordered from one of these vendors, try to get these labels into the same order to save on shipping costs. - [Elevate Packaging Labels](https://elevatepackaging.com/blank-labels-on-rolls/blank-labels/direct-thermal/) - [Pure label's Labels](https://www.purelabels.com/shipping-labels) ## Shipping Boxes Cardboard boxes are compostable, making most of the work pretty simple. The concern is mostly the ink (toxticity?), and if the cardboard has a covering. If price allows (mostly killed by shipping costs), order from Arka.com. They help make sure the Ink is okay and can give a good description of what the price will be for a variety of boxes in bulk, and are the most likely to ship in an ecologically friendly way. Current options: - [Arka](https://www.arka.com/): Blanks are cheapest, but shipping inflates price significantly. Can provide best appearance with custom print boxes - UPS: Significantly able to reduce price, due to bulk. Cheaper to pick these up than ship from Arka - USPS? - Home Depot? - Office Depot? ## Stamp Ink Algae-based ink from EcoEnclosed. [https://www.ecoenclose.com/algae-stamp-ink/](https://www.ecoenclose.com/algae-stamp-ink/) Reason: non-toxticity for composting. For more information: [https://www.ecoenclose.com/blog/how-algae-ink-is-changing-the-industry/](https://www.ecoenclose.com/blog/how-algae-ink-is-changing-the-industry/) # Remaining Areas of Consideration #### ## Printer ink for printing tea bag labels They are currently using general printer's ink. We don't know anything about it, besides that it is used in old HP printers. Should someone find a solution, please email . There currently exist considerations for prioritizing recyclability over compostability, due to requirements of certain compostable products. The desire is home compostability, but some products require composting facilities to compost within 8 (or more?) months. ## Packaging Paper for Tea Grass People Tree use a particular paper to wrap their tea, then stuff into bags, for the purposes of protection of tea and maintaining breathability. This is something to look into, in the future, as it may be a worthy replacement or addition to box packaging # Expectations of Tea Supplies The Tea Tavern's ultimate goal is to help people achieve a better, healthier life. To do that, we need to begin by accepting and working with a potential customer's current state and environment. So what is the most effective way to achieve this? # Reasoning and Prioritization Matrix: Does it taste good to people who enjoy high quality tea? The Tea Tavern understands that cultural and habitual changes take place over long expanses of time. As such, we recognize that sustainable practices are vital in ensuring this business is able to operate for a lengthy period. **To grow a community of tea drinkers, we must ensure our farmers are able to grow healthy teas for generations.** As a result, we prefer to work with vendors that make an honest effort to adopt sustainable practices. We acknowledge the economic necessity of certain ultimately unavoidable practices that may not be ideal. Still, the Tea Tavern will attempt to support tea farmers who farm with an eye toward creating a sustainable environment for our community, the planet, and even their own plantations, understanding that these practices are the key to continued long-term growth. Currently, when selecting tea inventory, the Tea Tavern makes decisions within the following context: - For Americans, tea (*Camellia Sinensis*) is often perceived as a bitter, astringent, boiled leaf juice. Many believe tea has *less* caffeine than most other products that contain caffeine and/or other health benefits. - The Tea Tavern operates in areas where other beverages that are currently more popular are also harmful to one's health. These include: - Sugary beverages, such as sodas, synthetic fruit or vegetable juices that purport false health benefits, and boutique beverages, such as vitamin-enhanced water, are in reality little better than soda. - Alcoholic beverages - High-caffeine beverages such as energy drinks, bottled iced coffees, and others also usually contain unhealthy amounts of sugar or other detrimental substances. - The Tea Tavern operates in areas where products, though not beneficial to the consumer, have a deep, embedded cultural familiarity and brand loyalty. The Tea Tavern aims to improve people's lives and encourage them to consume healthier beverages like Tea Tavern teas, so people must voluntarily change their habits. As [numerous research studies](https://sites.google.com/view/sources-change/ "Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell Sources – How to Change") have found, there [a number of ways](https://www.bhub.org/project/bundle-guilty-pleasures-with-exercise/ "Case Study: Bundle Guilty Pleasures with Exercise") to help people [create new, healthier habits](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/316344832_Creature_of_Habit_A_self-report_measure_of_habitual_routines_and_automatic_tendencies_in_everyday_life#pfc "Creature of Habit: A self-report measure of habitual routines andautomatic tendencies in everyday lifeKaren D. Erschea,b,⁎, Tsen-Vei Lima, Laetitia H.E. Warda,TrevorW.Robbinsa,b,JanStoch") using proven methods pulled from behavioral science. **The current environment, coupled with the knowledge that to improve people's health and general well-being, drinking quality tea would have to become habitual, the Tea Tavern founders decided their starting point was high-quality teas.** High-quality teas share many of the same aspects as alcoholic beverages and even soda: they come in a wide variety of flavors, have an established culture around them, and can be seen as an indulgence. This offers some degree of familiarity that opens the door to habit creation. This is true on a more granular level as well. Just as wines improve with age (and often increase in price as a result), or are demarcated by the year of their source crop or vineyard, teas also gain pedigree from these factors. Just as a red wine bottle of Pasa Robles 2020 may be coveted, so too is a Taiwanese oolong tea from 2017. Coffee lovers can be discerning about their roasts, possibly preferring a light roast over a dark roast, for example. Similarly, there are different methods used in tea processing that may also be preferred by discerning consumers, such as white teas or sheng pu-erh teas. Taste, of course, is the ultimate factor when most people are choosing what beverage to drink. Here, too, tea offers just as wide an array as other less healthy options. Just as some people prefer a sweet wine over a dry wine, or a lager rather than a stout, tea drinkers often prefer different amounts of various aspects, such as grassier teas, more flowery teas, or fruitier teas. These aspects of tea culture help tea seem a bit familiar even to the uninitiated. **Offering only the highest quality tea not only elevates the experience when someone enjoys it but also helps mitigate the potential negative impact of *dis*liking a tea.** For example, if someone tries a grassier tea but doesn't enjoy it, they can still be pointed to a fruitier tea with a completely different taste profile that they *will* enjoy. Thus a poor initial exposure to tea does not become a ruinous experience but instead becomes a starting point for discovery of personal preference. With low-quality teas, an uninitiated tea drinker may have a distasteful experience with all varieties and stop exploring the tea world altogether. They may even grudgingly decide that while they can see the appeal for *other* people, tea simply does not appeal to them. Higher quality teas offer a greater opportunity to generate interest in tea; instead of "all tea" not tasting good, a new tea drinker will have the opportunity to try, say, a dark fruit tea such as plum and realize there is more exploration to be done. It is worth noting that the Tea Tavern can become so successful it eventually becomes a ubiquitous beverage product within a given area. However, the Tea Tavern needs to accept that change occurs over time and be willing to invest that time to continue the mission. If it is discovered that other products on the market are, in fact, better in health benefits and quality than the Tea Tavern's products, then the Tea Tavern must adapt and embrace change to continue its mission. And, if Tea Tavern products do not better people's lives or somehow are causing more harm than improving health, then this business should not exist. **TLDR:** The Tea Tavern's highest priority when determining if to sell tea is if the tea tastes good. # Reasoning and Prioritization Matrix: Is the tea likely to be healthier? Assessing the relative healthiness of a tea is made within the following context: - **Different farming methods can impact the healthfulness of a tea.** Key farming considerations include: - Use of pesticides to prevent insect infestation of the tea plants - Use of fertilizers to improve the growth speed or volume of the plants in various areas - Indiscriminate pruning to increase the volume of harvestable tea leaves - The elevation of the tea farm - **Tea is not always good for people** - Improperly stored tea can contain toxic or harmful growths - A person's tolerance for tea byproducts or chemicals is highly individual - Tea can make some people ill for a variety of reasons - **Many widely-held beliefs about tea's health benefits need more research to be verified** - (Needs link to evidence) Some benefits of drinking tea, such as using it as a digestive aid, *are* proven and are true - Tea can have as much, if not more, caffeine than coffee; this makes it a potentially *un*healthy option for some people In light of the above and the vast array of various tea varieties that exist, how does the Tea Tavern determine whether tea is the best, healthiest possible choice for both the tavern's patrons and the community as a whole? ### The Farming Process As the tea plant (Camellia Sinensis) ages, some people describe the flavor of the prepared leaves to have a different, more complex flavor, than the younger plants do. The Tea Tavern hasn't been able to find the the oldest tea plant nor an estimated life span but did find that some, still living plants, have an age estimate of [over 1000 years old](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468265923000811). As a result, if we aim to ensure that tea trees live healthy lives for as long as possible, it is essential to avoid practices that harm their ability to thrive. An example of this may be draining nutrients from the soil, a practice employed by (QUEST: find research) wheat or [cacao farms.](https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-african-law/article/abs/forest-protection-and-the-rights-of-cocoa-farmers-in-western-ghana/BCB0D8025D0FE208D23C9E1600B19CFD) ##### Pesticides Using pesticides means there is a [proven risk](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0963996918310172 "Transfer of pesticide residue during tea brewing: Understanding the effects of pesticide's physico-chemical parameters on its transfer behavior") that those pesticides may be transferred to the tea and, ultimately, ingested by the tea drinker. It is a deeply studied and well-recorded fact that the ingestion of excess pesticides [harms human health](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9231402/ "Exposure Routes and Health Risks Associated with Pesticide Application: Human Health Effects Related to Pesticide Exposure"). Additionally, the chemical composition of what we eat can have a strong impact on how it tastes. This is why the use of pesticides in tea farming is believed to cause tea drinkers to become ill from drinking the tea. The tea plant absorbs the pesticides, which can not be removed from the leaves after harvesting and remain in the tea leaves. Brewing subsequently releases the pesticides into the beverage when the tea is brewed. Not only do the pesticides impact the taste of the tea, but they also increase the risk of harm to our tavern patrons. **To remove this risk and also maintain the highest possible standards for taste, the Tea Tavern does not purchase teas that are grown on farms that use pesticides.** ##### Fertilizers The [excess use of fertilizers](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23311932.2023.2184013#abstract "Effect of fertilizer application on tea plant productivity and phytochemicals in prepared black tea") in tea production has long been an issue researchers and tea farmers have struggled to address. Many studies have been conducted to find [safer ways to fertilize tea crops](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1161030122002210 "Improving tea (Camellia sinensis) quality, economic income, and environmental benefits by optimizing agronomic nitrogen efficiency: A synergistic strategy"). While many organic fertilizing methods appear to be [decreasing the harm to the environment](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9824488/) and potential risk of chemical ingestion by tea drinkers, the risks of excess fertilization in tea from around the world remain. Additionally, excess fertilization alters the chemical makeup of the tea plant itself, adding chemicals that would not be present in an organic plant. This is not inherently problematic, but it is nearly impossible to assess the specific fertilizer being used or its full impact on the tea plant itself. For example, if a plant is provided additional nutrients to foster increased or faster growth, and it does grow more, this will likely change the amount of "healthy" chemicals a plant would normally produce or use. And, the more of the plant there is -- i.e., plant biomass -- the more resources are needed to maintain the plant, meaning the amount of healthy chemicals a plant can organically produce is literally spread thinner. This can result in a tea that is not only "different," but less potent. ##### Aggressive Pruning In line with the concept of decreased potency from the plants, another harvesting practice used to accumulate more leaves is [pruning tea plants](https://boldindustrial.co.ke/blogs/buying-guides/tea-pruning-practices-importance-and-methods?srsltid=AfmBOoo28hkA3b4ZQVxDVekg0RTE5cbWx5TktFXJbvJwnvLQ1dA9nEK- "Tea Pruning: Practices, Importance, and Methods") in such a way the volume of tea leaves produced increases. An example of this is called "tipping". Tipping is the removal of the terminal bud and the top few leaves of a shoot. This method encourages the growth of lateral branches, increasing the bush's leaf production capacity. There are, however, several methods of pruning tea plants, each with various benefits and drawbacks. For tea pruning to be beneficial to the plant, the correct method should be employed. As a result, the farmed teas that have low amounts of harvesting practices used, we will add "low intervention" into the name or description. Even when a correct pruning method is selected, however, in large-scale operations where volume is prioritized over general plant health, it is safe to assume that the resulting tea will be less potent. Instead of energy being expended on the complex chemical processes that give tea leaves their flavor, the tea plant is required to almost constantly produce new growth and expend its chemical resources over a larger volume of leaves. **Given the large impact of each of these farming variables on the resulting tea product, the Tea Tavern always attempts to learn as much as possible about the farming methods used by source tea plantations.** Alternately, as exemplified by our wild-grown plant offerings and low intervention offerings, we may source some teas that have not been exposed to pesticides, fertilization, or aggressive pruning at all. ##### Heavy Metals To Be Researched. If you want to help tavern keepers research this aspect, email quests (a) tea-tavern.com ### Widely Held Beliefs About Tea Health Benefits ##### Tea and Caffeine Similarly, there is always caffeine in tea (camelia sinensis) unless it is chemically removed. So, any chemical health benefits tea offers will always be offset by an increase in caffeine consumption. In this way, tea becomes similar to medicine in that one should always ask whether the "benefits" of drinking tea are significant enough to accept any possible negative impacts. Ultimately, this is up to the individual to decide, but the Tea Tavern is focused on improving people's health and well being. **If the trade-off between increased caffeine consumption and health benefits associated with that particular tea is not *clearly better* for a person, it should not be portrayed as a "healthier choice."** With this said, some people may have truly experienced the benefits of the tea in question firsthand and have deemed it worth any potential negative impacts. In that case, we can make recommendations based on that foundation of knowledge. For individuals who have a serious concern about or reason to avoid caffeine, it's important to note that a healthier tea *may* have more caffeine than other comparable, less healthy teas. They should not be offered the caffeinated tea option in this case, even if it is, in some ways, healthier. It's quite possible that, for these individuals, true tea (camellia sinensis) is *not* a better beverage. This is why the Tea Tavern also offers beverages made from other plants such as camellia crassicolumna, a cousin to the tea species that has not been found to contain caffeine, or Roobios, leaves from a red bush in Africa that have many healthy benefits but are also naturally caffeine free. ##### Green Tea and Longevity Some [research](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31392470/ "Green tea consumption and mortality in Japanese men and women: a pooled analysis of eight population-based cohort studies in Japan"), much touted [in the media](https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-green-tea#9.-May-help-you-lose-weight "10 Evidence-Based Benefits of Green Tea"), indicates that green tea may increase a person's longevity due to its ability to reduce the risk of often terminal conditions. It is worth noting, however, that in many of these studies, an unreasonably large amount of green tea has to be consumed daily to receive the potential health benefits. **For this reason, the Tea Tavern does not encourage consuming green tea to obtain its oft-cited health benefits.** **TLDR: The Tea Tavern prioritizes products that are comparatively more healthy than other options that may be more widely available or that simply possess fewer health benefits.** # Expectations of Marketing Practices # Marketing Agencies # Product Images Best Practices **BEST PRACTICES FOR PRODUCT IMAGES** **1. Quality** -Why: High resolution photos (look professional and more official/trust worthy) -Best Practice: 1500px by 1500px -images must be sharp with no pixelation when zoomed in **2. Consistent Backgrounds** -Why: building a cohesive visual identity is key -Best Practice: Follow brand aesthetic, i.e. use neutral tones like beige, cream or wood textures that align with rustic tavern theme, avoid overly busy or colorful backgrounds **3. Angles + Views** -Why: customers need to visualize the product from multiple angles to feel confidence in the product itself -Best Practice: - front view: specific packaging or product, i.e. packaging or tea leaves for Tea Tavern - close up shot: highlight textures (tea leaves or tea color) - lifestyle shot: showcase product in appropriate setting, i.e. tea in a natural setting - contextual shot: tea with brewing tools **4. Showcase the Product in Use** -Why: helps customers visualize how they will experience the product -Best Practice: specific product in motion and with props that align with storytelling and compliment the product that is being marketed -i.e. tea being brewed, steeped or poured, highlight the water color in clear glass teacups or gong fu tea wares, props: dried flowers, fruits or honey (product to highlight/compliment the flavor of the specific tea) **5. Include Scale Indicators** -Why: It is important for customers to be able to comprehend the products size and quantity -Best Practice: place a standard object to provide a sense of scale (i.e. hand holding teacup or teaspoon with tea leaves) **6. Lighting** -Why: use natural lighting (i.e. for Tea Tavern it provides authenticity and warmth of brand) -Best Practices: shoot near windows during golden hour for soft light **7. Align with Brand Aesthetic** -Why: cohesive visuals strengthen brand recognition -Best Practice: -use props sparingly to the keep the focus on the product, i.e. for Tea Tavern - incorporate rustic elements like wood, linen, or vintage tea wares to reinforce tavern inspired theme **8. Optimize for Web** -Why: fast loading images improve user experience and reduce bounce rates -Best Practice: compress images for web without losing quality (use tools like tinyPNG), save in JPEG for full images and PNG for graphics with transparency **9. Contextual Details** -Why: highlight key info visually -Best Practice: include overlay text, i.e. “sweet and floral” for osmanthus oolong, also make sure to use font that matches specific branding **10. Mobile Friendliness** -Why: majority of customers shop on mobile devices -Best Practice: ensure images look clear and well cropped on small screens **11. Use Lifestyle Imagery Strategically** -Why: connects emotionally with the customers -Best Practice: show product being enjoyed in real life settings, include people where possible to humanize the experience **12. Show Ingredients / Product Elements** -Why: builds trust and highlights natural, sustainable values -Best Practice: include clear, well lit shot of raw ingredients (loose tea leaves, fresh osmanthus flowers, etc.) **13. Feature Seasonal or Thematic Variations** -Why: creates urgency for customers -Best Practice: highlight products with seasonal relevance, ie. Highlight teas with seasonal relevance, like Mosscap Hearth for winter or Osmanthus Oolong for autumn, also Include props like seasonal fruits or flowers to match the vibe **Example Content** 1. **Hero Image** - first image customers see when they land on your website (sets tone for brand, showcases highlighted product and entices customers to explore further) - Example for Tea Tavern: - Highlight Black Phoenix Tea, use gongfu tea set up (Taiwan, glass pitcher and aroma cups), place tea leaves, freshly brewed tea and steam rising from cup - Background: wooden textures, soft linens and natural tones - Props: complementary to specific tea or setting (I.e. cacao nibs, honey jar, sliced mango for black phoenix) - Tagline example: Sip Into Serenity: Discover the Art of Gong Fu Tea - Add a clear CTA: “Shop Black Phoenix Now” 2. **Product Pages** - detailed visuals and content for individual teas 1. High Res Shots: show teas packaging or close up of dried tea leaves 2. Multiple angles: - front view - main packaging design and branding - top view - highlight loose teas for texture - brewing view - tea liquor’s color and clarity 3. Lifestyle Images: - scenario 1 - gong fu tea brewing - scenario 2 - tea being served in cozy setting - scenario 3 - tea being enjoyed by someone to humanize the experience 4. Ingredient Transparency: show a flat lay of tea leaves and any key ingredients (cacao nibs for black phoenix, osmathus flowers for osmanthus oolong) 5. Example Layout: - Image 1 - hero style pack shot of the product - Image 2 - close up of tea leaves - Image 3 - lifestyle shot of tea being brewed - Image 4 - zoomed in liquor shot to highlight teas unique color **3. About Page** - Specific Examples for Tea Tavern Brand - - Showcase images of your team or founder in action, such as brewing tea or visiting a tea farm. - Add historical or rustic tavern-inspired visuals to align with your brand’s story. - Include visuals that tie the Gong Fu brewing method and your teas to traditional practices, such as scenic shots of tea gardens or traditional tea tools. - Show photos of eco-friendly packaging # New Page # Methodologies ## Health Benefits If health benefits are referenced in marketing, then the Tea Tavern must be able to provide an easily accessible place to obtain the referenced research proving that the health benefits are *real* and *obtainable* with the consumption of the specified tea or type of tea in quantities that are at normal/average levels. We can mention what people say and believe about tea, but if there is no evidence that we can reference proving a particular benefit, then the marketing piece must specify this in some way, such as by writing "Patrons tell us..." or "People believe that...". # Overarching Marketing Playbook 1\. **BRAND IDENTITY** - Brand Story - Mission/Vision: Clarify what your brand stands for and the long term goals - Sustainability: if applicable highlight how your brand incorporates eco-friendliness or supports social causes - Brand Aesthetic: Cohesive visual identity - Logo + brand colors (choose 3-5 colors, incorporate into backdrops, props and branding elements), font (must be consistent throughout all marketing materials) - Ensure consistent voice/tone and color palette across all channels - Packaging 2\. **TARGET CUSTOMER + COMPETITOR ANALYSIS** - Targeting/Segmentation - Demographics (age, gender, income, education and occupation) - Psychographics (lifestyle, values, attitude and behaviors) - Geographic (regional or national) - Behavioral (purchasing habits, brand loyalty and product usage - Buyer Personas - Identify your ideal customers & create buyer personas with their preferences, challenges and motivations (**create 2-3 personas**) - Cultural Trends Analyze how cultural shifts (e.g., health consciousness, minimalism) influence customer behaviors in your category - Understand Your Market / Competitors - Analyze competitors for strengths, weaknesses, pricing and marketing strategies - identify market gaps, pain points and key motivators for purchasing 3\. **MARKETING CHANNELS + CONTENT STRATEGY/ONLINE PRESENCE** - Digital Marketing - Website: must have beautiful and consistent imagery, detailed product descriptions, "about me" page to share story/ethos, mobile friendly!!! - Social Media: create accounts on IG, FB and Pinterest: post a mix of educational, entertaining and promotional content - **TikTok and Emerging Platforms:** Explore newer platforms with high engagement for your niche, especially for short-form video and trends - **Video Content Beyond Instagram:** Consider platforms like YouTube for longer-form content, such as tutorials, behind-the-scenes looks, or brand stories. - Email Marketing: use to create email database, build segments and send newsletters (campaigns for promotions, launches or loyalty rewards) - Content Marketing - Instagram: - **IG Reels:** (short form video that is educational or entertaining), Recommend 15-30 seconds - **IG Stories:** short, engaging pieces of content that disappear after 24 hours, can connect with your audience in real time and to stay top of mind as stories appear at the top of the instagram app - **IG In Feed:** permanent post and contribute to profile's overall aesthetic - **BEST PRACTICES:** Use tools to plan posts in advance/preview your feed, alternate between product shots, lifestyle photos, and Reels to maintain variety, use consistent editing styles (same filter or editing preset), use a mix of close ups, flat lays and lifestyle shots - **Content Mix for Feed** - Product Images (30%-40% of Posts) : Use clean, minimal backgrounds or settings that reflect your brand’s vibe - Lifestyle Shots (40%-50% of Posts) : show how product fits into people's daily lives - Educational/Entertaining Reels (20%-30% of Posts) : how to videos, benefits of product, fun trends - Seasonal or thematic content (10%-15% of Posts) : holidays, seasons or special occasions - Use tutorials and user generated content to build trust and show authentication - Photography: high quality images to be used for website, social media and ads - Social Content: lifestyle photos, product images, behind the scenes - Blog/SEO: write blog posts using key words to improve search ranking and attract organic traffic - Paid Advertising - FB ads, IG ads, google ads 5\. **LAUNCHING A MARKETING CAMPAIGN** - **Define Campaign Goals** - SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) - Measuring brand awareness, engagement, conversions, ROI - Tools to Use: google analytics (for web traffic and conversions), IG insights (for social engagement) and email platforms (to track open rates and click throughs) - **Select Marketing Channels:** social, email, paid ads, influencer marketing, content marketing - **Set a Budget and Timeline** (budget allocation to paid ads, influencer collabs, content creation, tools, etc.) - Pre Launch: - Teasers: "coming soon", early access and sneak peeks, teasers on social - Product Launch: Go live with a coordinated push across all chosen channels, i.e. e-blast, social posts, sms - Launch Activities: - launch event, limited time promotions (giveaways), implement paid advertising - Post Launch: Outline how to sustain momentum after the launch (i.e., follow-up campaigns, new collaborations, or additional content) - Types of Campaigns: Seasonal campaigns, loyalty programs, referral programs, co-branding, product launch, sales or discount 6\. **INFLUENCER MARKETING AND PARTNERSHIPS** - Partner with micro influencers - (1K-50K) that relate to your specific niche (to create product reviews, unboxing, how they integrate the product into their daily lives) - often have highly engaged audiences, which lead to better conversions - Provide free product to said influencers in exchange for content - **KPIs for Influencer Campaigns:** Specify metrics like engagement rates, clicks, sales, or follower growth to evaluate success - **Content Repurposing:** Plan to reuse influencer-generated content for ads, email campaigns, or social media to maximize its value. - Affiliate programs - you pay influencers only when they drive sales (low risk investment) - ideal for small business with limited marketing budgets - unique affiliate codes or links make it easy to track sales - **Reputable Affiliate Platforms: Rakuten, Awin, ShareASale** - Brand Partnerships - Collaborate with brands in complementary niches for cross promotion that have overlapping target audiences - Tips: influencer and brand partnerships provide a scalable way to market your product without the high costs of traditional advertising 7\. **CUSTOMER/COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT + RETENTION** - Social Media Engagement: consistently respond to comments, DM's and mentions - Discounts: first time buyers, bundle opportunities - Loyalty Program: Reward repeat customers with points to use toward free product - User Generated Content: Encourage customers to share photos of your product and to tag you on IG so that you can repost their content - Polls and Q and A's? : Use IG stories to engage with followers - Interactive Events: Host virtual educational sessions or live chats about benefits of product - Customer Onboarding: Develop a welcome series for new customers to help them learn about your brand and products. - Post-Purchase Engagement: Create campaigns to re-engage customers with cross-sells, usage tips, or customer appreciation initiatives. 8\. **EVENT MARKETING** - Host product launches, pop ups - Collaborative Events: Partner with complementary brands to co-host events, increasing reach and shared marketing responsibilities. - Virtual Pop-Ups or Experiences**:** Offer online-exclusive events for customers who can’t attend in person. - **What Do I need to Bring to A Physical Event?** - Branding Materials - business cards - banner or table top sign (use acrylic stand) with logo and business name - price lists, product info, educational signage - Product - product range, product add ons or enhancements, samples, exclusive items (if applicable) - relevant decor, tablecloth, product display stands - payment (point of sale system), bags to carry product - Misc. Marketing - special offers, sign up sheet (to collect email addresses), social media qr code - **Social Strategy** - Pre Event: post story reminders or countdown for event (include time, location, activities) - tag partners if applicable - Content Ideas at Event: share bts clips, product showcasing, interactive demos, customer interactions, testimonials, ambiance shots (location, signage, decor) - Post Event: reel or carousel on feed featuring highlights from event (end with a CTA), share UGC from customers 9\. **STRATEGIC GROWTH** - Expand into new distribution channels (retail, subscription boxes) - Co branding/large scale partnerships - Leverage PR to gain media coverage and industry recognition **10. MEASURE YOUR RESULTS** - Website Traffic: How many people visit your site and where they come from - Social Media Engagement: Likes, comments, shares, and clicks - Sales and Conversion Rates: How well your marketing efforts are turning leads into customers - Customer Feedback: Reviews and surveys to gauge satisfaction # Instagram Growth Strategy - **Define Target Audience** - Demographics (age, gender, location) - Interests and Values - Pain Points - **Brand Identity** - Brand Story (share why you started the business and what makes your product unique) - Visual Aesthetic (develop a cohesive feed with specific brand colors, fonts and imagery) - Consistent Brand Voice and Messaging - **Content Strategy** - **Visuals:** Product photos (use natural lighting and clear backgrounds) vs. lifestyle shots (showing your product in real life settings) - **Posting Plan** (educational content, entertainment, inspiration, product highlights, lifestyle content, behind the scenes (how product is made or sourced), engaging posts (quizzes, polls) - **Frequency: 5-7 posts per week with a mix of 3 static and 2 reels, post stories daily** - **Best Posting Time - Morning (7-9am), Afternoon (12-2pm), Evening (6-8pm)** - Use hashtags relevant to niche - **Influencer Marketing** - Micro influencers: partner with influencers in specific niche (their engaged audiences are likely to trust them) - offer free product in exchange for content - Affiliate Programs: provide influencers with unique discount codes or commission opportunities for sales they generate - **Engage Your Community** - Comments and DM's (respond promptly) - UGC (stands for user generated content, encourage customers to post and tag your product so you can report) - Run Contests (to increase engagement and visibility) - Comment on Popular Posts - Follow Similar Accounts - **Strategic Partnerships** - collab with complementary businesses for cross-promotions or joint events, host joint virtual giveaways - **Drive Traffic** - SEO optimization (use keywords in IG bio) - Collaborations (host IG lives with experts) - Paid Ads (run targeted ads showcasing product to audiences based on interest) - **Paid Growth Strategies** - great way to increase reach and attract new followers - Run Targeted Ads (Ad Types) - Photos Ads: high quality static images - Video Ads: short, engaging clips - Carousel Ads: multiple images or videos highlighting product benefits or bundles - Story Ads: immersive ads appearing between user stories - Key Strategies: retargeting ads, lookalike audiences, geo-targeting - **Budget Tips: start with a small daily budget ($5-$15/day) to test audience response** - Metrics: click-through rates (CTR), cost per click (CPC) and return on ad spend (ROAS) - Boost High Performing Organic Posts (high likes, comments or share) - click "boost post" and set targeting criteria based on: interests, demographics, behaviors - **Leverage IG Shopping Feature** (Focus on this when you are more established with imagery/content) - allows users to browse and purchase products directly through the app - convert profile to a business account, create product catalog, enable product tagging (tag products in stories, posts and reels) - Tap to shop option on feed, product stickers to be used on stories to make actionable and influencers can share shoppable posts that tag products - Benefits: reduces clicks, simplifying the buying process, encourages impulse purchases, increases product discoverability - **Tracking Performance** - Key Metrics - Engagement metrics: likes, comments, shares, saves - Reach: the number of unique users who see your content and Impressions: total views of your content (can include repeat views) - Website Traffic and Conversions: use the "link clicks" metric to see how many people are visiting your site - Integrate UTM tracking codes for better data on versions - Follower Growth: track how audience size evolves, look for spikes after campaigns or collabs - Story Metrics: tap forward rate (users skipping ahead), drop off rate (users exiting stories), engagement (polls, questions and swipe ups) - **BEST PRACTICES** - low engagement? experiment with different content formats - Low Reach? use hash tags, collab with influencers or boost posts - High Drop off on Stories? shorten the length or add interactive elements **KEY FEATURES OF INSTAGRAM** 1. **Posts (In-Feed):** permanent content that appears on your profile - Best for showcasing brand identity and products, announce launches 2. **Stories:** temporary content that disappears after 24 hours - best for behind the scenes or interactive content 3. **Reels:** short, engaging videos idea for storytelling, tutorials or trends - reels help increase visibility as IG promotes these to wider audiences - similar color palette and tone as photos, use overlays or consistent fonts, ensure the reel's cover aligns with your overall feed 4. **Highlights:** Saved stories organized into categories on your profile - Great for FAQ's, about us section, product tutorials, customer testimonials, highlighting events, partnerships or press features **BEST PRACTICES** - **Optimize Bio** - who you are, what you offer and strong CTA (call to action) - Use keywords specific to niche - link to website - **Use Strategic Hashtags** (use a mix of high volume and low volume to reach a broader audience) - Create content that specific niche will be looking for - **Community Engagement** - like and comment on posts from similar accounts to get noticed by their audiences - follow and engage with bloggers or enthusiasts for specific niche - join and engage with FB groups or Reddit community - Attend events related to specific product (tag event and engage with attendees) - Host giveaways (require participants to follow account, like the post and tag friends) - **Plan Posts in Advance**; check out **Later**, **Planoly**, or **Hootsuite** (to preview feed layout before posting) # Important Marketing Acronyms + Terms **General Marketing Acronyms + Terms** - Customer Journey: the process a customer goes through from learn about your product to making a purchase - stages: awareness -> consideration -> purchase -> retention - Buyer Persona: a detailed description of your ideal customer - B2B: Business to Business - marketing between 2 companies - B2C: Business to Consumer - Marketing directly to customers - KPI: Key Performance Indicator - metrics used to measure the success of a campaign (i.e. website visits, sales, engagement, follower growth) **Digital Marketing Acronyms + Terms** - Content Marketing: creating valuable content (blogs, videos) to attract and engage audience - SEO: Search Engine Optimization - strategy to improve a websites visibility in search engines - SEM: Search Engine Marketing - paid strategies to increase search visibility (i.e. google ads) - CTR: Click Through Rate - % of people who click on your link after seeing it - Formula: clicks / impressions x 100 - CPC: Cost Per Click - the cost you pay for each click in a paid ad campaign - PPC: Pay Per Click - advertising model when you pay only when someone clicks on your ad - CPA: Cost Per Acquisition - cost of acquiring a new customer through an ad or campaign - ROI: Return on Investment - measures profitability - Formula: net profit/cost of investment X 100 - ROAS: Return on Ad Spend - how much revenue you earn for every dollar spent on ads **Social Media Acronyms + Terms** - Engagement Rate: the % of people who interact with your social content - Impressions: the number of times your content it displayed to users, regardless of if they interact with it - UGC: User Generated Content - content created by customers or followers - SMM: Social Media Marketing - using platforms like IG, TikTok and FB to promote brand - DM: Direct Message - private communication between users on social platforms - CTA: Call to Action - encourages users to take a specific action (i.e. shop now) **Email Marketing Acronyms + Terms** - Open Rate: % of recipients who open your email - Drip Campaign: a series of automated emails sent based on user behavior or time - (i.e. sending a welcome email series to new subscribers) - Segmentation: dividing your email list into smaller groups based on interests or behaviors - Bounce Rate: the % of emails that could not be delivered - CRM: Customer Relationship Management - tools to manage customer interactions (i.e. Salesforce, HubSpot) - CTR: Click Through Rate - % of recipients who click on a link in your email - CTO: Click to Open Rate - % of recipients who open the email and click on link - ESP: Email Service Provider - platforms for email marketing (i.e. Mailchimp, Klaviyo) - CMS: Content Management System - platforms to create and manage digital content (i.e. Wordpress, Shopify) **Analytics Acronyms + Terms** - Bounce Rate: the % of visitors who leave your site after viewing only 1 page - Funnel: the steps a customer takes from learning about your product to purchasing it - GA: Google Analytics - a free tool to track web traffic, user behavior and conversions - LTV: Lifetime Value - the total revenue you can expect from a customer over their relationship with your brand - CAC: Customer Acquisition Cost - the cost to acquire 1 customer - formula: total marketing costs/number of new customers - AOV: Average Order Value - average amount spent per order - formula: total revenue/number of orders **E-Commerce Acronyms + Terms** - Conversion Rate: the % of users who complete a desired action, such as purchasing - Cart Abandonment Rate: % of users who add product to their cart, but don't complete the purchase - Upselling: encouraging customers to buy a higher priced product or add ons - Cross Selling: promoting related products to customers - SKU: Stock Keeping Unit - unique identifier for inventory management - POS: Point of Sale - system for processing in store or online transactions - CLV: Customer Lifetime Value - emphasizes long term customer profitability **A/B Test** - Method of comparing 2 versions of marketing assets to see which one performs better - How it Works - create two variants: version A (original) and version B (modified version with 1 key change) - split the audience: divide audience into 2 groups randomly and evenly - run the test simultaneously: ensure the test runs at the same time to avoid external factors (i.e. time of day) - Measure performance: track a specific KPI - Examples of Elements to Test - E-Blast: subject line, sender name, CTA text or placement, email layout - Website: headline, button colors or placement, product images, page layout - Ads: visuals, ad copy, target audience segmentation, ad placement (stories vs feed) - Social: caption style (short vs detailed), image types (lifestyle vs product focused), hashtag usage # Pinterest Strategy ##### **1. Set Up a Business Account** - - gives you access to analytics, ads - special tools like **Rich Pins** (automatically pull extra details from your website (like price, availability, and descriptions) and display them on your Pinterest pins, keeping the information updated in real time) and a **Shop tab (**a storefront on your Pinterest profile where users can browse and shop your product catalog directly, with links leading to your website for easy purchases) - **Optimize Your Profile:** Use your logo as your profile picture, write a compelling bio with relevant keywords, and include a link to your website ##### **2. Develop a Pin Strategy** - - Pin consistently: **Aim to pin regularly (10–20 pins per day)**, mixing your original content with repins of related, high-quality pins - You can use a scheduling tool such as Tailwind - Use high quality images: visuals with consistent branding, incorporating your logo, product shots, and brand colors - Vertical pins: **Use vertical images (2:3 aspect ratio)** for better visibility. **Pinterest recommends 1000 x 1500 pixels** - Rich pins: Enable Rich Pins to automatically sync information like pricing, availability, and product descriptions from your website ##### **3. Create Engaging Boards** - - Organize Boards Strategically: Group pins into themed boards (e.g., "Product Ideas," "DIY with \[Product Name\]," "Gift Ideas," "Seasonal Favorites"). - **Incorporate Keywords in Board Titles and Descriptions:** This improves search visibility - Include User-Generated Content (UGC): Create a board to showcase how customers use your products ##### 4. **Focus On Content that Drives Engagement/Sales** - - **Lifestyle Pins:** how your product fits into everyday life or how it solves a problem for customers - **How-To and Tutorials:** Share practical uses for your products through step-by-step guides - **Seasonal and Trending Content:** Create pins that tie into holidays, seasons, or trending topics to stay relevant - **Infographics:** Summarize key product benefits or ideas in a visually appealing infographic - **Bundle Suggestions:** Showcase complementary products in styled photos to encourage upselling ##### **5. Leverage SEO** - - Use Keywords Strategically: Include relevant keywords in your pin titles, descriptions, and board names to make your content discoverable - Hashtags: Use a few relevant hashtags to enhance discoverability, but don’t overuse them - Alt Text for Pins: Add descriptive alt text to images to improve SEO and accessibility. ##### **6. Link Back to Your Website** - - Clickable Pins: Ensure every pin links to a relevant product page or blog post on your website - Landing Pages: Create Pinterest-friendly landing pages optimized for conversions with clear calls-to-action (i.e., “Buy Now,” “Learn More”) ##### **7. Utilize Pinterest Analytics** - - Track Performance: Use Pinterest Analytics to monitor which pins and boards drive the most engagement and traffic - Refine Strategy: Focus on creating more of the content that performs well and experiment with new approaches based on insights ##### **8. Use Pinterest Ads for Amplification** - Promoted Pins: Boost your most popular pins to reach a larger audience - Targeting: Use Pinterest’s ad targeting to reach specific demographics, interests, and behaviors - Shopping Ads: Showcase your products directly to users with high purchase intent ##### **9. Engage with Your Audience** - Collaborative Boards: Create boards where users can pin their own ideas or photos featuring your products - Comment and Save: Engage with other users by commenting on and saving their pins to build relationships - Respond to Followers: Reply to any comments or questions on your pins to foster community ##### **10. General Marketing Strategies** - Integration: promote pins on social, include links to boards in email campaigns and add pinterest widgets to your site - Influencer Collabs: pin partnerships (influencers showcasing your product), sponsored content (have influencers create tutorials or reviews) - UGC (User Generated Content): create a branded hash tag and encourage customers to use it, pin reviews and testimonials # Website Copy ## **PRODUCT COPY** Format 1. Product Name 2. Short Bio 3. Origin & Craftmanship 4. Flavor Profile 5. Benefits 6. Brewing Instructions Example: **Osmanthus Oolong – A Wildcrafted Floral Masterpiece** A rare, seasonal oolong from Guizhou, China, Osmanthus Oolong is crafted using traditional methods, free from additives or artificial processing. Harvested from **400–600-year-old Bird King Big Leaf tea trees** at **1,200–1,400m**, this tea is naturally infused with wild Osmanthus flowers, creating a deeply aromatic and smooth infusion. **Origin & Craftsmanship** - **Single-origin & small batch** from Pan Yin Mountain, Guizhou - **Naturally infused** with fresh Osmanthus flowers over 2–4 days - **Handcrafted & sustainable**, with no fertilizers, flavor additives, or artificial heat **Flavor Profile** - **Sweet & Floral** – Rich osmanthus aroma with lingering honeyed notes - **Smooth & Silky** – A refreshing, full-bodied mouthfeel - **Long-Lasting** – Retains bold flavors for up to 10 steeps **Benefits for the Drinker** - Balanced caffeine for relaxation and focus - Rich in antioxidants, supporting overall wellness - A grounding tea, ideal for slowing down and resetting **Specialized Brewing Instructions** - **Water Temperature:** 195–205°F (90–96°C) - **Steep Time:** 15–30 sec per infusion - **Tea-to-Water Ratio:** 4g per 100ml (Gong Fu style) - **Best Brewed In:** Gaiwan or small teapot for multiple steeps **Call to Action** (Button Below Text) - *Experience Osmanthus Oolong → Add to Cart* ## **HOMEPAGE COPY** **Headline:** - *Step Into The Tea Tavern – Where Every Cup Develops with Your Story* **Intro:** discuss the brand’s mission and passion for high-quality, sustainable loose-leaf teas - The Tea Tavern works with customers' current situations and environments to help promote a happier, healthier life through providing the tools and education necessary to consume healthier products, supporting community, and the environments from which they stem. **What Makes Us Unique/Key Brand Values:** Highlight the **sustainability** aspect and **Gongfu tea brewing tradition** using a Gaiwan ✔ Sustainably sourced loose-leaf teas & tisanes from around the world ✔ Rooted in **Gongfu brewing traditions** ✔ Fantasy **tavern-inspired** aesthetic ✔ Mindfully packaged in compostable materials **Call to Action:** - *Examples: Explore Our Teas* | *Start Your Tea Journey* | *Shop Now* ## **SHOP PAGE** **Headline:** *Find Your Perfect Brew* *Product Listings & Category Descriptions* ## **BLOG/EDUCATIONAL CONTENT PAGE** **Headline:** - Example: *Stories, Rituals & Recipes from The Tea Tavern* **Types of Content:** tea origins and history, brewing techniques, tea and wellness, pairing and recipes **Blog Topics:** - The Origins of Gong Fu Brewing - How to Choose the Right Tea for You - The Benefits of Loose-Leaf Tea Over Tea Bags - Tea & Food Pairings for Every Occasion - Gong Fu vs. Western Brewing - Caffeine in Tea - How The Tea Tavern Supports Ethical Sourcing & Small Tea Farms **Call to Action (At the End of Each Post):** - *Explore Our Teas* | *Sign Up for Our Newsletter* ## **CONTACT PAGE COPY** **Headline:** -Invite visitors to reach out for inquiries, wholesale partnerships, or collaborations. -Include a simple contact form and social media links. *-“Have a question or just want to chat about tea? We’d love to hear from you!"* ## **BUNDLE COPY** 1\. Product Name: Tea Trio Bundle – White, Oolong, and Green 2\. Short Bio: Discover the artistry of tea with our Tea Trio Bundle, featuring three exquisite teas: Masters White, Osmanthus Oolong, and Masters Green. Sourced from renowned tea gardens in China, each tea offers a unique flavor profile and a taste of traditional craftsmanship. --- 3\. Origin and Craftsmanship - Masters White: - Osmanthus Oolong: - Masters Green: --- 4\. Flavor Profile - Masters White: - Osmanthus Oolong: - Masters Green: --- 5\. Benefits - Masters White: - Osmanthus Oolong: - Masters Green: --- 6\. Brewing Instructions Masters White: Osmanthus Oolong: Masters Green: ## **NON TEA PRODUCT** **Format** Overview: Key Features: - Material: - Design: - Durability: - Functionality: How to Use: Why You’ll Love It: Sustainability: **Example** Tea Pet / Strainer Shelled Turtle **Overview:** Introducing the Tea Pet / Strainer Shelled Turtle—a charming, functional solution from the deep roots of *The Tea Tavern*'s philosophy. Inspired by nature and crafted with care, this unique strainer is a game-changer for your tea ritual. **Key Features:** - **Material:** Handcrafted from Yixing Zisha Clay, known for its rich history and exceptional ability to maintain the integrity of tea flavor - **Design:** This beautifully molded strainer mirrors the natural elegance of a turtle’s shell, resting comfortably on the rim of most tea cups - **Durability:** Unlike plastic strainers that can leach chemicals or break down under heat, our Turtle Strainer ensures your tea stays pure with the sturdiness of ceramic - **Functionality:** Ideal for Gong Fu Cha and loose leaf teas, the Turtle Strainer effortlessly filters leaves, providing a cleaner, more enjoyable tea experience **How to Use:** Place the Turtle Strainer atop your favorite tea cup, and pour your tea through its intricately designed shell. Watch as the leaves stay neatly contained, leaving you with a perfectly strained cup every time **Why You’ll Love It:** The Turtle Strainer offers more than just practicality—it brings a touch of whimsy and wonder to your tea rituals. Whether you're steeping a delicate oolong or a bold black, this unique tool will keep your tea pure while maintaining the natural, earthy vibe of your *Tea Tavern* experience **Sustainability:** Crafted from high-quality Yixing Zisha Clay, this strainer is not only a durable addition to your tea set but also a sustainable one, offering a plastic-free alternative to conventional strainers ## **MYSTERY TEA** **Mystery Tea – A Sip of Adventure** Step into the unknown with our **Mystery Tea**—a unique, budget-friendly ensemble that's perfect for tea explorers looking to add a little surprise to their cup. We can't tell you exactly what you'll get, but that's part of the fun! This tea is a mix of leftovers from our collection that are waiting to be rediscovered and enjoyed. **Why You’ll Love It:** - **Expect the Unexpected** – Each batch is a mystery, so you never know what delightful (or quirky) flavors might surprise you. - **Affordable & Fun** – A great option for those looking to try something new without breaking the bank. - **Perfect for Tea Adventurers** – If you're not afraid of a little unpredictability, this tea will keep your taste buds guessing. **What You’re Getting:** - A mix of various tea types, some from our best-loved leaves and some we’re still getting to know. - No promises, no guarantees—just a great deal on a cup of mystery. **Disclaimer:** - Quality? Let’s call it an adventure. - Flavor? Could be bold, it could be subtle—let's see what surprises await! # Home Page Layout ## **Home Page Layout** #### **1. Notification Bar** -rotate 3 messages as a carousel style notification bar (normally some type of promotion), use eye catching color -i.e. Free shipping, gift with purchase, sign up for email list and receive \_\_\_\_\_\_% off (directed to a landing page for email sign up), sign up for sms to learn about new drops (direct to a landing page for sms sign up) Example: [![Screenshot 2025-03-09 at 12.30.04 PM.png](https://bookstack.tea-tavern.com/uploads/images/gallery/2025-03/scaled-1680-/Ep5kawoqQG6sVXzE-screenshot-2025-03-09-at-12-30-04-pm.png)](https://bookstack.tea-tavern.com/uploads/images/gallery/2025-03/Ep5kawoqQG6sVXzE-screenshot-2025-03-09-at-12-30-04-pm.png) #### **2. Header** center: tea tavern logo, left side: navigation (shop teas + more) + (About Us) + (Brewing Guide) + (Events), right side: search icon, account icon, cart icon Example 1: [![Screenshot 2025-03-09 at 12.30.10 PM.png](https://bookstack.tea-tavern.com/uploads/images/gallery/2025-03/scaled-1680-/JnPQxOkYLqvcRW0B-screenshot-2025-03-09-at-12-30-10-pm.png)](https://bookstack.tea-tavern.com/uploads/images/gallery/2025-03/JnPQxOkYLqvcRW0B-screenshot-2025-03-09-at-12-30-10-pm.png) Example 2: [![Screenshot 2025-03-09 at 1.07.06 PM.png](https://bookstack.tea-tavern.com/uploads/images/gallery/2025-03/scaled-1680-/vVlnQkZU941dT1Zj-screenshot-2025-03-09-at-1-07-06-pm.png)](https://bookstack.tea-tavern.com/uploads/images/gallery/2025-03/vVlnQkZU941dT1Zj-screenshot-2025-03-09-at-1-07-06-pm.png) #### **3. Hero Section** - banner of current featured item or promotion, tagline and CTA button (shop now) Example: current example on tea tavern site works - [![Screenshot 2025-03-09 at 12.30.30 PM.png](https://bookstack.tea-tavern.com/uploads/images/gallery/2025-03/scaled-1680-/wfTZJdZj6Cs8IeUD-screenshot-2025-03-09-at-12-30-30-pm.png)](https://bookstack.tea-tavern.com/uploads/images/gallery/2025-03/wfTZJdZj6Cs8IeUD-screenshot-2025-03-09-at-12-30-30-pm.png) #### **4. Best-Sellers and Featured Blends** -grid of 4 top selling teas with name + short description, price and a quick add to cart CTA Example 1: [![Screenshot 2025-03-09 at 12.31.20 PM.png](https://bookstack.tea-tavern.com/uploads/images/gallery/2025-03/scaled-1680-/ap6zUMr0tTOL1g7S-screenshot-2025-03-09-at-12-31-20-pm.png)](https://bookstack.tea-tavern.com/uploads/images/gallery/2025-03/ap6zUMr0tTOL1g7S-screenshot-2025-03-09-at-12-31-20-pm.png) Example 2: [![Screenshot 2025-03-09 at 12.30.58 PM.png](https://bookstack.tea-tavern.com/uploads/images/gallery/2025-03/scaled-1680-/8LNb52AplTsz4d8D-screenshot-2025-03-09-at-12-30-58-pm.png)](https://bookstack.tea-tavern.com/uploads/images/gallery/2025-03/8LNb52AplTsz4d8D-screenshot-2025-03-09-at-12-30-58-pm.png) #### **5. 2nd Feature or Promotion** **example: current example on tea tavern site works (also like how it is a carousel)** [![Screenshot 2025-03-09 at 1.41.44 PM.png](https://bookstack.tea-tavern.com/uploads/images/gallery/2025-03/scaled-1680-/I4WehckVBCjLxKE5-screenshot-2025-03-09-at-1-41-44-pm.png)](https://bookstack.tea-tavern.com/uploads/images/gallery/2025-03/I4WehckVBCjLxKE5-screenshot-2025-03-09-at-1-41-44-pm.png) #### 6. **Value Prop Section** Example 1: - (left side copy, right side image or vice versa) - Sustainably sourced loose-leaf teas from China Rooted in **Gong Fu brewing traditions** **No Artificial Additives** Mindfully packaged in biodegradable materials [![Screenshot 2025-03-09 at 12.29.47 PM.png](https://bookstack.tea-tavern.com/uploads/images/gallery/2025-03/scaled-1680-/1WHogP40dzbZ4Z8Y-screenshot-2025-03-09-at-12-29-47-pm.png)](https://bookstack.tea-tavern.com/uploads/images/gallery/2025-03/1WHogP40dzbZ4Z8Y-screenshot-2025-03-09-at-12-29-47-pm.png) [![Screenshot 2025-03-09 at 12.41.38 PM.png](https://bookstack.tea-tavern.com/uploads/images/gallery/2025-03/scaled-1680-/S6uMdh24WMBEt054-screenshot-2025-03-09-at-12-41-38-pm.png)](https://bookstack.tea-tavern.com/uploads/images/gallery/2025-03/S6uMdh24WMBEt054-screenshot-2025-03-09-at-12-41-38-pm.png) Example 2: Custom Icons for Value Props [![Screenshot 2025-03-09 at 12.41.57 PM.png](https://bookstack.tea-tavern.com/uploads/images/gallery/2025-03/scaled-1680-/n13zahLHt0sRDCiM-screenshot-2025-03-09-at-12-41-57-pm.png)](https://bookstack.tea-tavern.com/uploads/images/gallery/2025-03/n13zahLHt0sRDCiM-screenshot-2025-03-09-at-12-41-57-pm.png) [![Screenshot 2025-03-09 at 12.43.33 PM.png](https://bookstack.tea-tavern.com/uploads/images/gallery/2025-03/scaled-1680-/tgi938bj79YZmEX4-screenshot-2025-03-09-at-12-43-33-pm.png)](https://bookstack.tea-tavern.com/uploads/images/gallery/2025-03/tgi938bj79YZmEX4-screenshot-2025-03-09-at-12-43-33-pm.png) #### **7. Customer Testimonals** -scrolling reviews/carousel Example 1: [![Screenshot 2025-03-09 at 12.40.56 PM.png](https://bookstack.tea-tavern.com/uploads/images/gallery/2025-03/scaled-1680-/rc5VlQLRxwAxIrtx-screenshot-2025-03-09-at-12-40-56-pm.png)](https://bookstack.tea-tavern.com/uploads/images/gallery/2025-03/rc5VlQLRxwAxIrtx-screenshot-2025-03-09-at-12-40-56-pm.png) Example 2: [![Screenshot 2025-03-09 at 12.51.42 PM.png](https://bookstack.tea-tavern.com/uploads/images/gallery/2025-03/scaled-1680-/KfR1FTbWhQP9K7HY-screenshot-2025-03-09-at-12-51-42-pm.png)](https://bookstack.tea-tavern.com/uploads/images/gallery/2025-03/KfR1FTbWhQP9K7HY-screenshot-2025-03-09-at-12-51-42-pm.png) #### **8. Social Grid (optional to add to site once IG is more established)** - **“Share Your Tea Ritual”** - 💬 *Follow us @TeaTavernOfficial & tag us for a chance to be featured!* - • 🔗 \[Live Instagram Feed\] with shoppable posts Example 1: [![Screenshot 2025-03-09 at 12.33.26 PM.png](https://bookstack.tea-tavern.com/uploads/images/gallery/2025-03/scaled-1680-/mcHx81ab0FvkFyz7-screenshot-2025-03-09-at-12-33-26-pm.png)](https://bookstack.tea-tavern.com/uploads/images/gallery/2025-03/mcHx81ab0FvkFyz7-screenshot-2025-03-09-at-12-33-26-pm.png) ##### **9. About Us** -brief about us with a cta button to "Our Story" or "Learn More" that will go to the about us landing page Example 1: [![Screenshot 2025-03-09 at 12.52.08 PM.png](https://bookstack.tea-tavern.com/uploads/images/gallery/2025-03/scaled-1680-/D4UagnpKHl0PtTK3-screenshot-2025-03-09-at-12-52-08-pm.png)](https://bookstack.tea-tavern.com/uploads/images/gallery/2025-03/D4UagnpKHl0PtTK3-screenshot-2025-03-09-at-12-52-08-pm.png) #### **10. Footer & Email Sign Up** **-footer nav on left side, social icons in center or under email sign up and newsletter sign up on the right** **Shop** → All Teas | Accessories **Customer Care** → FAQs | Shipping & Returns | Contact Us **About** → About us l Core values l partners 1. Email Sign Up **“Join Our Tavern Loyalty Program”** • *Get 10% off your first order + access to exclusive blends & brewing tips* *Example 1:* [![Screenshot 2025-03-09 at 12.57.47 PM.png](https://bookstack.tea-tavern.com/uploads/images/gallery/2025-03/scaled-1680-/m6rq6Mal84OIidYg-screenshot-2025-03-09-at-12-57-47-pm.png)](https://bookstack.tea-tavern.com/uploads/images/gallery/2025-03/m6rq6Mal84OIidYg-screenshot-2025-03-09-at-12-57-47-pm.png) Example 2: [![Screenshot 2025-03-09 at 12.56.21 PM.png](https://bookstack.tea-tavern.com/uploads/images/gallery/2025-03/scaled-1680-/nFbkZmbNdBYHRHpg-screenshot-2025-03-09-at-12-56-21-pm.png)](https://bookstack.tea-tavern.com/uploads/images/gallery/2025-03/nFbkZmbNdBYHRHpg-screenshot-2025-03-09-at-12-56-21-pm.png) Example 3: [![Screenshot 2025-03-09 at 1.30.08 PM.png](https://bookstack.tea-tavern.com/uploads/images/gallery/2025-03/scaled-1680-/sObBbapwa2jTap4m-screenshot-2025-03-09-at-1-30-08-pm.png)](https://bookstack.tea-tavern.com/uploads/images/gallery/2025-03/sObBbapwa2jTap4m-screenshot-2025-03-09-at-1-30-08-pm.png) # Website Design Diagram Record of desired website design:
Subscription pop-up on desktop:
Subscription Pop-up on Mobile:
# About Page ## **Short Version** **Headline:** - *Example: A Timeless Tradition; A Modern Experience **Brand Story:** Share why Tea Tavern started—what inspired it, what sets it apart, such as commitment to quality, sustainability, and authentic brewing techniques. - The Tea Tavern was born from a passion for the positive influences and effects of tea culture. Inspired by the warmth of old-world taverns and the ritualistic beauty of Gong Fu brewing, we source the finest loose-leaf teas from around the world, ensuring each leaf tells a story of craftsmanship and connection. **SEO Friendly Mission Statement:** - We are dedicated to helping helping you achieve a better, healthier life through qualifiably high-quality beverages. **Call to Action:** - Meet Our Teas and Learn About the Brews. ## **Long Version** #### The Originating Tea Journey Many adventurers come through the tavern seeing respite and fine drink, after their adventures. The Tea Tavern aims to support it’s patrons by providing them with the finest brewing supplies, teachings of how to best use them, and a community of people to share it all with. We support bringing people towards a better, healthier life. In the beginning, the Tea Tavern's keeper found a consistent problem when brewing tea... The brew was never as good as the tea brewed by others. Many can say that tea brewing is an art, however it is an art that the tavern keeper never seemed to be able to perform well in. However, year after year, more and more people came to the keeper to talk about tea, to share tea, and to talk about the different aspects of the art of brewing tea to study. Over time, many tea importers, tea house owners, brewing experts, and scientists shared their teas and techniques. "The Art of Tea" was found to be the wrong direction; rather, "The Science of Tea" was something the keeper could get behind. The journey of the Tea Tavern's creation started with WillyDoesLife, a friend who taught gongfu tea brewing. WillyDoesLife introduced David Lee Hoffman, one of the first - if not the first - people to sell tea from China. David showed what a difference high quality leaf made, as well as a gifted all the tooling needed for gongfu brewing. Through familial introductions, the tavern keeper later met the TeaHouseGhost; a specter with not only enough charisma to compete with Casper, and enough knowledge of traditions and brewing to give the impression that his spirit is *also* that of his ancestors. He was able to teach everything that the Tea Tavern's keeper was missing in brewing tea, what made tea a science, and what made tea an art. The trouble with the keeper's brews was not an inability to move the brush, however. Rather, there was something wrong in the pigments for painting... which is to say... when brewing tea, there was something in the water. The TeaHouseGhost then suggested that the Tea Tavern's keeper speak with the Water Wizards of Tea Curious. And true wizards they were; Tea Curious' Rei was able to explain that how tea water and its dissolved components can strongly affect the flavor of the brew. Not only did they provide the answer to what was preventing the keeper's tea from tasting as good as all those who shared their own teas, but they even provided the scrolls on which they recorded the measurements, components, and the reasoning for them with the grand "Internet" archives of the world! The answer to "why can't I make good tea..?" was in the composition of the *water*. Not just the leaves. With the journey at an end, the Tea Tavern was made, aiming to bring the same wisdom found from the brews made with the science and the art. No matter the situation of the tavern patrons, the Tea Tavern will be open. Perhaps one is like Mr. Frodo, who seeks to recover from encounters with dark forces; like Tripitaka, seeking the wisdom of the world; or simply like Princess Merida, in an attempt to escape the stress, hustle, and bustle of the castle, the Tea Tavern will lend the wisdom needed to reach their goals for the finest composed teas. \--- With this all said, the above story is indeed a romanticized story, but it is a true story. Everyone referenced (except the story book characters, of course) were a direct influence to not only the support in the creation and development of Tea Tavern as a business, but also to the tavern's products. #### The Tavern's Tea Vendors ##### The Phoenix Collection {{@151#bkmrk-%C2%A0-1}} ##### West China Tea {{@150#bkmrk-west-china-tea%27s-own}} ##### Grass People Tree [Grass People Tree](https://www.grasspeopletree.com/) (GPT) is one of [Tea Tavern](https://tea-tavern.com/)'s and [West China Tea](https://westchinatea.com/)'s direct-from-farm vendors. {{@149#bkmrk-the-tavern-keeper-oc}} ##### Tea Curious {{@152#bkmrk-tea-curious-sources-}} ##### Mei Leaf Tea {{@154#bkmrk-the-tea-is-likely-to}} #### Non-Tea Herb Focused Vendors Tea (camellia sinensis) is in an interesting situation in America. Very nice herbs are grown right here in America, the herbs have their own wide variety of flavors, uses (including medicinal), and have even ended up merging in terminology with tea. As a result, of the difference in cost, the demand of the local market, and a desire to avoid caffeine made the Tea Tavern decide to work with herbalists to obtain the finest "herbal teas" or tisanes. Tea Tavern's vendors are all either small farms who run truly organic or restorative farming practices or are herbalists who know and work with these types of farmers. They all make their own blends of herbs, the blends are sometimes more popular than the tea served, and they give people who want to avoid caffeine a way to participate at the table.. ##### Moss Cap Tea {{@153#bkmrk-%C2%A0-2}} ##### Sacred Blossom Farm {{@155#bkmrk-sacred-blossom-farm-}} # Shipping and Return Policy ## Shipping Policy At Tea Tavern, we strive to get your tea treasures to you as quickly as possible! Our standard shipping rate is $8 per order. Please allow for approximately 3-7 business days for delivery within the continental United States. Tracking Information: After we make your tracking label, we'll send you a tracking number via email so you can stay up-to-date on its journey to your doorstep! Adventurers hailing from the realms beyond the United States of America: Our scholars are studying the ancient "shipping" scrolls for delivering "*ship*ments" by "*ship*", but for some reason, they all use the term "*car*go". Surely they don't expect us to send a delivery cart into the ocean, right? Anyway, this will be followed by studies of cross-boarder deliveries, tariff payment, export/import law, and multi-national addressing systems and software tooling. This is all to say... Sorry, we aren't able to deliver outside the United States of America, yet. "UNACCEPTABLE! (っ'O')╮=͟͟͞🍋)`-' ) "? Please email to see if there is a way we can adjust to work with you to your needs. ## Return Policy We want all of our clients to love our products and offer the following returns policy. **Non-Faulty Returns**: If for any reason you change your mind about a product then we will accept returns requested within 14 days of receipt of the products and we will give you a refund. There are some important conditions: 1. The product has to be unopened, unused and undamaged to qualify. 2. The product must be returned before we can issue any refunds. 3. The price of the return postage is paid by the client. 4. The refund given will be for the price paid for the product and does not include shipping. 5. We do not refund any associated customs or sales tax charged by your local authorities. **Faulty Returns**: If you receive a product that you think is faulty or develops a fault within 60 days of purchase then please email us immediately. We will assess the issue to determine if the product is faulty and if we agree that there is a fault we will issue you with a replacement or refund with the following conditions: 1. The product fault must be reported within 60 days of receipt of the product. 2. The fault or damage will be verified by us before issuing any refunds. We may ask for photographs for verification. 3. If we require the product returned then we will pay for the return shipping. 4. We will either replace it with free shipping or refund the amount paid for the product plus the shipping charge for the product. Please be aware that if the product was sent with other items the shipping refund will be proportional. Should the cost of shipping for a replacement exceed the cost of the goods itself, we reserve the right to issue a credit/refund instead, or will offer to ship a replacement item with your next order. **Incorrect Orders**: If we mistakenly send you the wrong product or if an item is missing then please email us within 14 days and we will either refund/credit you or dispatch the correct product immediately with free shipping. If we require a return of the incorrect product then we will pay for the return shipping. Should the cost of shipping the missing item exceed the cost of the goods itself, we reserve the right to issue a credit/refund instead, or will offer to ship a replacement item with your next order. **Refused Delivery:** Local import taxes, sales taxes and customs duties are outside of our control and responsibility, they are charged by the authorities in your destination country. Should you refuse the delivery due to unwillingness to pay these charges or for any other reason, then we operate the following returns policy. Upon return and receipt of the goods, we will refund you the cost of the goods minus a 25% restocking fee. We do not refund the shipping costs. We reserve the right to make the following further deductions from the refund: 1. If the order was placed with Free Shipping then we will deduct the cost of the shipping charges from the refund. 2. If there are any associated return shipping costs then these will be deducted from the refund. 3. The value of any damaged goods will be deducted from the refund. **Address Accuracy** Customers are responsible for providing accurate shipping information during the order process. In the event that a package is returned to our local courier due to an incorrect or incomplete address provided by the customer, *Tea Tavern* cannot be held accountable. We regretfully cannot offer refunds or replacements for such cases and cannot assume responsibility for any communication issues arising from inaccurate address details. We strongly advise customers to thoroughly review their shipping information before finalizing orders to ensure successful delivery. This being said, it is possible that we can get the address corrected if you contact us before we ship the product. So should you realize you sent to the wrong address, feel free to contact and inform us at . Please include the following information in the initial email: - "Accidental Wrong Address" in the subject line - Order number - The Inaccurate address - The accurate address - The receipt email to help with reprocessing, if possible **Uncollected/Undelivered parcels returned to us** Should a parcel be returned to us we will write to you to organize re-delivery. If we do not hear from you after 30 days of emailing then we will return the products to stock pending your reply. A credit or refund can be organized once you reply minus any restocking charges and cost of loss of products which cannot be restocked. **Missing Packages** *Tea Tavern* endeavors to ensure the safe delivery of all packages. However, once a package has been confirmed as delivered by the carrier, we are unable to assume liability for any subsequent loss or theft. In the event of a missing package that has been marked as delivered, customers are encouraged to contact the carrier directly to file a claim. *Tea Tavern* will provide assistance and necessary documentation to support such claims to the best of our ability. We regretfully cannot offer replacements or refunds for packages confirmed as delivered by the carrier but subsequently reported as missing. **Processing Refunds** We will notify you once we’ve received and inspected your return, and let you know if the refund was approved or not. If approved, you’ll be automatically refunded on your original payment method within 10 business days. Please remember it can take some time for your bank or credit card company to process and post the refund too. If more than 15 business days have passed since we’ve approved your return, please contact us at support@tea-tavern.com # FAQ (also on website) 1. So what makes Tea Tavern's teas special? We care about the tea, our community, and helping our community grow. As a result, we attempt to find tea that has the fewest growth intervention techniques used on it. This includes use of pesticides, herbicides, chemical fertilizers, and tipping for growth encouragement, or anything else that we find might adjust the strength and health of the tea plant and its flavors. As a result, Tea Tavern teas are are chosen with this in mind, such as teas grown through low [intervention farming](https://tea-tavern.com/phidim-white-prakash/) with just enough pruning to keep the plant healthy, or even are picked from [wild plants](https://tea-tavern.com/product/wild-tea-sampler/)! 2. Why gongfu tea instead of a big tea pot? Gongfu brewing uses a much larger amount of leaves for the amount of water that is used at a time. As a result, brewing is significantly faster, the flavor (not the bitterness) of the leaves is stronger, one has more control over the particular flavor desired to be brewed, and gongfu allows rebrewing many more times. Want a brewing kit for gongfu? See our [Adventurer's Brewing Kit!](https://tea-tavern.com/product/adventurers-brewing-kit/) Want to learn more about gongfu brewing first? Read our [brewing guide](https://tea-tavern.com/brewing-guide/) or come ask one of the traveling brewmasters at [a Traveling Tea Tavern event](https://www.meetup.com/the-traveling-tea-tavern/)! 3. What is the simplest way to do gongfu brewing, with the least effort? Basic gongfu uses the following tools as a basis: Gawian (brewing vessel), a serving cup, and tea cups for drinking. If the serving cup is missing, however, it is common to pour directly into the tea cups, attempting to share as equally as possible. With this in mind, if you aren't serving people, one could skip the serving cup and tea cups, and just release the tea into a drinking mug. 4. What are ways to describe the flavors of tea, so I know what to ask for? (How to know which teas are for you) People who are new to tea can usually relate the practice of describing "tea tasting notes" to that of fancy alcoholic beverages or chocolates. Tea has a wide variety of flavors and varying strength in those flavors. The Tea Tavern tends to use the following descriptors, but note that more descriptions are used by other places, as well. \- [Nutty](https://tea-tavern.com/tie-guan-yin/) \- [Flowery](https://tea-tavern.com/product/aged-masters-white-2016/) \- [Grassy](https://tea-tavern.com/masters-green/) \- [Smokey](https://tea-tavern.com/1995-green-pu-erh/) \- [Earthy](https://tea-tavern.com/product/aini-bamboo-shu-puerh/) \- [Fruity](https://tea-tavern.com/product/black-phoenix/) 5. Do you make your own tea blends? For the Tea Tavern's home, the term "blend" tends to be used because people expect a mixture of herbs to produce fun flavors, such as is common in places such as English tea rooms. Rather than mixing the herbs ourselves, however, we work with vendors to bring mindfully grown herbal blends such as [The Mosscap Hearth](https://tea-tavern.com/the-mosscap-hearth/) and [Rain of a Mosscap](https://tea-tavern.com/rain-of-a-mosscap/). As referenced in other places such as China, however, the creation of "tea blends" is primarily an outcome of the industrialisation of tea production to reduce costs, flavors, and qualities. Teas from different regions or various parts of the tea plant, such as leaves and stems, are "blended" together. This process ensures a consistent product but often overlooks the unique characteristics that individual teas can offer. As a result, the Tea Tavern is no "opposed" to selling a blend, but they are not the focus, as they are usually not the same quality as single origin sourced teas. 6. How do you tell the quality of a tea? The easiest option is to smell and taste the tea yourself. \- Does the tea smell like chemicals? It likely won't be a good tea. \- Does it just taste unpleasant or feel weird? It is possible that the particular tea is not to your preference, but it is also possible that you are tasting/feeling pesticides or chemical fertilizers that were used in the growth process. So if you don't like the particular tea, just don't drink that one, and look for one you do like, instead. For more delicate teas like whites and greens, one can use the resilience of the leaves a metric for quality. Can they be brewed in boiling water and not become bitter? For example, Tea Tavern's brewmasters always brew [Master's Green](https://tea-tavern.com/masters-green/) with boiling water and it won't become bitter. Contrarily, Tea Tavern's brewmasters do not recommend brewing [Phidim White Prakash](https://tea-tavern.com/phidim-white-prakash/) with boiling water, as the strength becomes too strong too quickly, and the flavor become what most people call "bitter". As a result, if tea becomes unpleasant because of how strong the flavor is, can you make the brew taste pleasant again by adding water? The Tea Tavern's keeper (and this FAQ's writer) regularly over-brews [Phidim White Prakash](https://tea-tavern.com/phidim-white-prakash/), for example. (^^;)7 As a result, the keeper often adds water to [Phidim White Prakash](https://tea-tavern.com/phidim-white-prakash/) brews, fixing all the bitterness that is otherwise found! This brings us to the last easy quality-checking method. Tea farmers will sometimes take a small amount of leaf and brew it in a bowl of hot water. The tea will be left to brew for multiple hours, and when they finally come back to it, the tea may be weak, but is it pleasant? Maybe they were good leaves and prepared wrong, thus doesn't taste good. Maybe they used chemical fertilizers or pesticides, and since it was brewing for so long, they actually released into the brew. Whatever the case, a long steeping time is sure to extract as much from the leaves as is going to happen, for the most holistic leaf flavor. 7. I see you have more than just "green tea" and "black tea".. so what kind of tea is there and what do those mean? What are the differences? Due to classifications of tea crossing different cultures and languages, there are debates and confusion from meanings and translations. As a result, these are the terms and classifications that are influenced by Tony Gebely's book "Tea, a User's Guide" and used at the Tea Tavern. **White**: White tea is made by withering fresh leaves for several days and then drying them. **Green**: Tea made from leaves that have been withered, fixed (AKA: Kill Green), and dried **Yellow**: Yellow tea is defined by a unique processing step where small batches of tea leaves are wrapped in cloth bundles after fixing, allowing them to yellow. **Oolong**: During the oolong production process, oxidation is initiated, controlled, and halted before the leaves are considered fully oxidized. **Black/Red**: A mostly oxidized tea from fresh tea leaves that are withered, rolled, oxidized, and dried. **Hei Cha (Dark):** Teas that have been fermented or made to be fermented. **Pu-erh**: Tea leaves grown in Yunnan Province and are descendants of Camellia sinensis var. assamica. **Shu (cooked) Pu-erh**: A quickly fermented tea that undergoes the "wet piling" process, the process in which tea leaves are put into piles and moisture is added and controlled over a period of several hours to several weeks depending on the type. **Sheng (raw) Pu-erh**: Is made the same as shu, but without the wet piling process. Rather these are made and often left to age. **Purple**: A tea with genetics that make the leaf on the plant purple rather than green in color. 8. Do you have a recommendation for teas to try? Teas to gift? One of the first recommendations for people is always a wild picked tea. This is because they are much more difficult to brew bitter and avoids the possible toxins in other teas that result in jitters, sickness, and sometimes difficulty sleeping after drinking. If you wanted to know what a variety taste like, see the [Wild Tea Sampler](https://tea-tavern.com/wild-tea-sampler/). 9. What is the importance of water used to brew the tea? Water dissolves/dissociates the solids in tea leaves, which is what gives the brew its flavor. This can be either supported or hindered by the materials already in the water. The easiest way to see how this can happen is if there is already a lot in the water. Water that has been saturated with salt (of any kind) will extract fewer materials from the tea than purified water with nothing in it. The color change will be less noticeable. Another factor is if the materials in the water will react with the tea. One basic science experiment that teaches "how to see evidence of chemical change" is by adding an acid to tea; this is to see the color change. So if the materials in the water are particularly basic or acidic, then they will have an effect on the tea's flavor. Lastly, if one is drinking particularly hard or metallic tasting water, then it will be very likely to just mix the flavor of the tea with the unpleasant metallic and hard water flavors. Not necessarily remove them. With all these factors in mind, the Tea Tavern sells [brewing components](https://tea-tavern.com/product/basic-brewers-components/) that help people prepare tea water as well as tea! One would obtain purified water (reverse osmosis or distilled), which can often be found in many markets and add 1ml of each in the mineral pair. \*fill, spritz, spritz, boil\*, and the water is ready to brew tea! 10. Why re-mineralize purified water (reverse osmosis or distilled)? While one can use a good local tap water, filtered, bottled, or just a purified water without re-mineralizing, the brewers of the Tea Tavern find that the minerals in the water help exemplify or mellow the particular flavors of a tea. Thus, they not only help extract some materials in tea, but they sometimes react with the tea in a minor and possibly favorable way. If someone doesn't like grassiness in tea, perhaps they will use the [minerals for Autumn water](https://tea-tavern.com/remineralizer-autumn/). If they want to influence the floweriness of the tea, perhaps they will prefer [minerals for Springtide water](https://tea-tavern.com/remineralizer-springtide/). Or maybe one just want the true flavor of the tea and will use [minerals for Original water](https://tea-tavern.com/remineralizer-original/) to extract as much of the tea's true flavor as they can. 11. Do the teas of Tea Tavern have caffeine? All teas (camellia sinensis) naturally have caffeine. In order to attempt to remove their caffeine, people have figured out ways to "decaffeinate" them. These ways always include mixing some other chemical with the tea to make it react with or dissolve the caffeine. The Tea Tavern does not have the facilities to perform this extraction, but also may not want to given that these processes usually just *reduce* the amount of caffeine and possibly leave some other chemical behind that isn't talked about. Not that they *are* necessarily a concern, as one process uses large amounts of CO2 to react with the caffeine, but CO2 decaffeination is one of the more difficult options. This being said, the Tea Tavern does also sell herbs; some of which are from plants closely emulate the flavor of the tea plant. If you'd like an herb that steeps and tastes a lot like the tea plant, but has not be found to naturally have caffeine, you may like the [Shu Ya Bao](https://tea-tavern.com/product/shu-ya-bao/) (camellia crassicolumna). Alternatively, if you'd like a totally different flavor profile, perhaps you'd like the flowery cinnamon of [The Mosscap Hearth](https://tea-tavern.com/the-mosscap-hearth/). Lastly, if you'd like to brows the herbals that the Tea Tavern has, please see the [herb collection](https://tea-tavern.com/product-category/herbs/). 12. How much caffeine is in the tea that has caffeine? The Tea Tavern dreams to one day have the tooling for extracting caffeine to measure how much is in a particular tea, directly... But until that day, the true measurements for how much caffeine is in a particular tea will remain uncertain. For now, the Tea Tavern uses [Caffeine Informer](https://www.caffeineinformer.com/the-caffeine-database) to help find likely quantities, as they are one of the few sources that link back to scientific articles. 13. What are the medicinal properties of Tea? Tavern Keeper here. You have my apologies, as this response will likely feel like a big non-answer. Tea is known to have *many* different chemicals that make up the plant. Some of the most commonly known are polyphenols, caffeine, and theanines. Yes, there are more, but stick with me here to give the example: Some research suggests that [tea's caffeine (and other compounds) have an anti-diabetic effect due to how it affects the pancreas](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35337597/). Some people even add it to beverages as a [pre-workout supplement to help with exercise performance](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33388079/). This comes with possible downsides of [increased anxiety for some](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1356551/). Others fear [caffeine addiction](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1356551/). Similarly, others appear entirely unaffected by caffeine. Polyphenols are a part of what have made "green tea" into the "medicine" that many treat green tea as. Polyphenols are about 30% of green tea's dry weight, and [has anti-oxidant](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2946098/) properties. They also produce the grassy flavor in tea that not everyone enjoys, and depending on the diet, not everyone needs additional anti-oxidants. Lastly, L-theanine is known to be a calming chemical. The [combination of L-theanine and caffeine in tea](https://www.eurekaselect.com/article/80843) results in what some call "a mindful awareness and focus" rather than a hyperactive, anxious mind. With all this together, we have to keep in mind the amount of the substance that we intake, if it is enough to actually make an effect, and keep in mind how it reacts with all the other chemicals present. So... how does the Tea Tavern handle the possible health benefits of tea? We'd recommend picking tea from the healthiest of tea plants, drinking tea for the enjoyment of the flavor, and listening to how your body reacts to what you consume. The healthiest tea plants, such as the [low-intervention](https://tea-tavern.com/product/phidim-white-prakash/) or [wild picked teas](https://tea-tavern.com/product/wild-tea-sampler/), will have the fewest harmful substances, such as absorbed pesticides or chemicals from fertilization, and will likely be the most potent in substances that are beneficial to one's health... and likely have a stronger flavor as a result. ;D Research has found that [people who drink more tea tend to have healthier](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916523053546?via%3Dihub) lives. The reason is unclear to us currently, but if this is true, why make it unpleasant with tea that you dislike the flavor of? This makes it easier to consume more, thus obtain more of the associated health benefits. Lastly, no mater how pleasant the particular tea is, think about how you react to tea and if you consider it "favorable". Should you feel anxious, make your stomach feel off, or get any other symptoms consistently found while drinking tea, then perhaps move to one of the herbals instead. As for myself, I usually don't have tea on an empty (think "fasting" length of time without food) stomach. My stomach just regularly starts to have an unusual not-quite empty feeling that just feels weird when there is nothing else in it, along with the tea. As a result, early in the morning or late at night, I tend to drink some of the herbals, because I still want a warm flavored beverage. This is all to say that tea is complex, and thus research is complex, especially as it relates to the human bodies. So if tea has health benefits, then drink from the most healthy plants, and brew the most pleasant plants that you can obtain! 14. How do you store the tea? The simplest rule of thumb is to store tea in an air-tight, opaque container and at a cool (or "not hot") temperature. An air-tight container, because aromas around the tea will start to infuse with the tea (notice how "jasmine tea" is often a green tea without any Jasmine flowers mixed in); in an opaque container, because light will break down materials, thus flavors in the tea; and in a cool place, because chemicals and micro-organisms simply move slower at cooler temperatures. There is a lot more to this, and if you'd like to learn those specifics, feel free to ask through the "contact us" page. We'll help you figure out how to best store tea with your given goals. 15. How do you age the tea? If you thought "storage" was a complex topic, "aging" is even more so. In short, there is dry aging and humid aging for tea. (Wet is mostly used for fermentation while tea is being made, rather than after it has already been made... otherwise you might be thinking about Kombucha.) Dry aging is mostly enzymatic and occurs slowly over time, while humid aging includes more influence from micro-organisms. There is a lot more to aging tea, and if you'd like to learn those specifics, feel free to ask through the "contact us" page. We'll help you figure out how to best age tea with your given goals. 16. How long does the tea last? This is mostly related to how volatile the aromas of the particular tea are. If it is very aromatic, it will likely start to fade in flavor over 2-4 years... this is also assuming that it is not the type of tea that ages. Since most tea "ages" rather than "loses flavor", the older the tea is, the more "different" the flavor becomes. For example, the [1995 "Green Pu-erh"](https://tea-tavern.com/1995-green-pu-erh/) was made in 1995, and has a strong flavor distinctly found in long aged tea. So, a tea that you like today, may be one that you like less next year, and become one you love in 3 years. When stored in stable temperature and airflow conditions, though, teas should retain flavor for many years. 17. I'm struggling to brew good tea... :( What should I do? - The following are the main factors that we have found contribute to a tea's taste, aside from the quality of the leaves. Quality of water, the amount of water compared to amount of leaf, the temperature of the water, and the amount of time steeping. So... Are you using good water for tea? (Few dissolved substances, like less than 200 PPM if you know what that means?) Have you tried using more or less leaf? Have you tried a higher or lower temperature? Have you tried steeping for more or less time? Well, even if you haven't, feel free to reach out on the Tea Tavern's contact age. We'll do our best to help you figure out how to brew better. :) # Product Photos & How to Take Them #### The Necessary Supplies - A Ring Light with phone mount - Large white sheet of paper (Last found at Walmart) - Poster board back sides are matte, which can work - May want a warmer than white tone (needs verification) - A cup with a white inside ### The Photo Process Ensure that the camera is set to the highest resolution possible. If possible, frame the picture as a 1:1 square photo. Set the directory for the photos to go to a folder with the following template: <TWO\_LETTER\_VENDOR\_INITIAL>\_Name\_Of\_Tea Example: ML\_Autumn\_Light Use either Nextcloud to upload the folder to external storage. ### Post-Processing the Photos For this, we will be using GIMP. ##### Contrast and Brightness Correction 1. Import the relevant product image 2. Select "Color" => "Levels" 3. In the newly opened window, select "Auto Input Levels" 4. Adjust further as you see fit. ##### Temperature Change For Unified Background Colors Leave the Original Color filter the same, but adjust it to match something close to the other products. Example: Original Tempurature: 6500 Intended Tempurature: 7500 # Expectations of Software Services All inclusive chapter for software used by the Tea Tavern. For example: website, storage software, operating systems, music services, and similar. # The Tea Stand Chapter with supplies and information for setting up a Tea Tavern Table. # Traveling Tavern Supplies Checklist The following are supplies that one should have when hosting a Traveling Tea Tavern tea table. - [ ] Tea Preparation Table - [ ] tea cups - [ ] serving cups - [ ] gaiwans - [ ] pot - [ ] water - [ ] kettle and cleaner - [ ] kettle piping - [ ] tea towel - [ ] water remineralizers - [ ] tea - [ ] tea for sale - [ ] tongs - [ ] pet filter - [ ] weight scale - [ ] extension cord - [ ] social media signage - [ ] "about our tea" signage - [ ] payment supplies # Table Signage See attachment files for current printing document version. ### Social Media Sign This should have Tea Tavern Instagram codes on them, the tea-tavern.com website, and name of the business on it. If there is room for more social medias, they can be added, as well. Currently, these can be found in Nextcloud, under marketing/tea-tavern-stand-displays ### Tea Selection and Prices Sign A chart of the current teas that we sell, and their prices/quantity. ### Ecological Implementation Sign A sign that tells our guests what the business' ecological efforts are, and links to this wiki for greater details. Including: - Naturalness/organicness/etc of tea products - compostability and recyclability of products - Process for selecting products - Idea behind above: If we want to sustain the business, we need to product, businesses, and people that we work with who make the products to sustain, as well.