Queenstown entrepreneur Michelle Casson found the niche in the market for fine teas after two years of research and launched her own importing business, Tea Global Ltd, to meet the demands of the growing tea renaissance in April last year.
Now, after a tour of the spring tea harvests in Southern China, Ms Casson has released her company's private label tea range, Stir Tea.
"We journeyed deep into the rural heartland of China where we were able to admire century-old tea traditions, craftsmanship and witness the reverence that tea is afforded in that country," she said.
Grown by local farmers and their families who have been crafting teas for centuries, the spring range includes Oolong teas from the Phoenix Mountain region in Guangdong province, a selection of Iron Goddess of Mercy Oolong styles from Fujian province and the highly-prized silver needle white tea, which is harvested only a few days of the year before the tender buds open.
"New Zealand has a new generation of tea drinkers and they are looking for the Oolong, green and white teas away from the traditional black teas," Ms Casson said.
"The tea industry has changed in the last five years and advertising has raised awareness of different classes of tea that are available, and New Zealanders are open to trying new things.
"Tea is completely the opposite of coffee in that it's associated with slowing down and relaxation, and people want to incorporate that into their lifestyle.
"You can't rush brewing a pot of tea and people enjoy the ceremony."
Ms Casson was a chartered accountant for more than 20 years but turned her lifelong passion for tea into a business and studied with the Specialty Tea Institute in the United States.
She is the only New Zealander to have achieved the Specialty Tea Institute qualification.
The Stir Tea range is available from Tea Global's online store at www.teaglobal.co.nz.
A selection of the range is also available from the Mediterranean Market, Queenstown, and Central Gourmet Galleria in Clyde. Tea Global also offers tea consultancy services and tea experience programmes for groups or individuals who wish to learn more about tea.
