As consumers worldwide become more knowledgeable about loose leaf teas and are slowly developing a more sophisticated palate, there is a growing demand for high quality, fresh whole leaf teas from China.
Teasenz, an online tea shop based in Hong Kong, sources fresh leaves directly from tea farms.
According to Teasenz, seasoned tea lovers have long complained about the freshness of loose teas. Stale and broken tea leaves usually taste bitter and require additional flavoring.
“We have been monitoring discussions on social media, blogs, as well as forums and we consistently see those kind of complaints,” says Lisa Lin of Teasenz.
“While most tea shops claim to sell fresh loose leaf teas, the reality is that most teas are shipped in bulk from China, and reprocessed and packed locally. This results in a significant loss of flavor and aroma.”
By having the goal of supplying fresh and affordable tea leaves in mind, Teasenz deviates from the common practice of shipping large amounts of tea leaves overseas.
“Our loose leaf teas are all individually packed fresh in China and shipped directly to the customer. This effectively cuts out the middle men, saving tea lovers up to 70 per cent of what they may pay when they buy tea from a local store.”
“Individual shipment from China to end-customers can cost tea companies outside of China a fortune, but we’re able to provide this service at a low cost because we are located at the source where loose tea is produced,” says Lin.
While most loose black teas can generally be stored for a long time without losing flavor, green and white teas are more delicate and should be packed and sealed in a cool and dry place as soon as possible after it is produced.
Delicate teas are not suitable for bulk shipping, especially when you are expecting a fresh cup. This is the reason why Teasenz offers teas directly sourced from farmers in Chinese tea regions such as the West Lake area near Hangzhou and the Wuyi Mountains of Fujian.
“After buying loose tea from farmers, the aromas are directly sealed and captured in our tea pouches,” says Lin.
According to the online tea shop, farmers are also worried about the quality degradation of their teas, seeing how their efforts for producing the finest teas ultimately end up in a mediocre quality cup upon consumption due to bulk shipping and overseas packaging.
“The farmers are very positive about our initiative and cooperation with them,” says Lin.
